Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/9

 not for their exquisite clegance of expression, these constant exhibitions of passion would deserve severe reprobation,. . . Regarding the work as a whole, we ey sank ee Swinburne for a dramatic poem of great power, careful elaboration of plot, artistic disposition of scenes; for admirable descriptions of human emotion and passion; for terse, forcible, yet sweet exprossion, and a generally scrupulous melody of rhythm."—Reapgr, December 2ud, 1965.

"Mr. Swinburne has written a tragedy, which not only is one of the moet retnarkable of modern days, but which in originality of conception 'and boldness of treatment bas never been surpassed. The triumph which Mr, Swinburne has achieved in ' Chastelard' is the mare noteworthy, since the splendid gifta of which its composition proclaims him the possessor ara totally distinet from thoge which in ' Atalanta in Calydon' 'gained him a foremost position among modern poets. In the earlier production, amid all the sublime imagery and Iyrical sweetness, the grace truly classic, the boldness of thought and the exquisite charm of versification which oonetituted it a work of accomplished and 5il bus unrivalled baeuty, there was no foreshadowing of the dramatic fire and he weird and almost unholy power which characterize its successor, . ., . From this point, where the interest has already reached what appears a climax, each aitustion is more dramatic and more stirring than the one preceding it. 'The skill with which—the passions being already at white hest—the action is heightened without anti-climax is absolutely wonderful. . . . The last few words we give in their integrity; no word of ours can add aught to their terrible pathos and dramatic force, With them, and without an added word, we shall conclude our notice of this most remarkable tragedy of modern times.""—Sumpar. Trans, December 3rd, 1885,

Hero, in his new poem of ' Chastelard,' is Mr. Algernon Swinburne writing Preach chansoas of which Chastelard himself or Ronaard might have been proud. So good are they that by many they are imagined to be merely quotations, transcripts from the original French author. But there is no dowbt they are Mr, Swinbarne's own composition. Here are two which are exquisite in taste, feeling, and spirit."—Monwire Sram, December 25th, 1666,

" Here and there occur passages which we unhesitalingly affirm are not surpassed in the language."—Lrvaxpoor Anaioy, January 6th, 1906,

"The public to which Mr. Swinburne appeals will consist exelusively of thone readers who enjoy a work of art for its own sake, and who care more for the power of the representation than for any worth in what Is represented. . . . Mr. Swinburne has prodaced's poem which many may dislike bat which none ean contemn, which many will lay down unread but which few will read once only. It cannot be ealled an advance upon ' Atalanta," for it is something totally @fferent, except in its disregard of conventional propricties, and its independence of the poetical habits of the day. There is the same richness without tawdriness of language, the same novelty without strangeness of expression, the same continual sense of the indispensable duty of melody in verse, which some of our most pretentions poets cither forgetor disown. . . . The scene in the Queen's chamber is very beantifal, but ingeniously wicked as the rest. . . . For dex