Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/361

 1840-50.] ALICE GARY. 345 how rare is her appreciation of the relations of life. Those early years of retiracy and self-denial were not without good fruits ! In 1852, "Hagar ; a Story of To-day," was published.* In 1853 a second series of the "• Clovernook Papers " — equally characterized as the first series by originality and beauty. A leading journal, remarking upon these " Papers," says : " Several editions were published in England, where they are regarded as second only to Cooper's delin- eations of American life and character. The volumes would occupy the same place in home estimation, if a present generation was capable of a disinterested judgment of authors familiar from personal and literary associations." In 1853, "Lyra, and other Poems," was published by Redfield, of New York. This volume silenced contention as to the relative standing to be accoi-ded the author. Mr. Poe had asserted for her a leading position, and this volume substantiated the claim. "Lyra," "In Illness," " Hymn to Night," "Winter," etc., were poems pro- nounced inferior to none written ui America, in pathos, beauty of imagery, exquisite sensibility, and grace of utterance. The sad tone of the poems served to impress the mind somewhat unpleasantly, when read in series; but, judged as we are bound to judge of every production, by its own intrinsic merits, no just critic could refrain from according to Miss Gary the honor of being one of the " leading " women in our literature. The " Clovernook Children" was published in 1854:, by Ticknor & Fields, of Bos- ton. It is one of the most delightful volumes in our literature for young folks, and has had a large sale. In 1855 the same house brought out a more complete edition of the poems of Alice. The volume embraced all of " Lyra and other Poems," together with others of a brief character, written subsequently to 1853 ; and also contained a poem, of a more elaborate, if not of a more ambitious, character than any the lady had yet given to the public, called " The Maiden of Tlascala," occupying seventy-two pages of the volume. It is one of the best of the few successful narrative poems yet produced in this country. In 1856 Derby & Jackson, of New York, brought out Miss Cary's "Married, not Mated." It embodied many of the excellencies of " Clovernook" — the characters being drawn with wonderful fidelity and force. In 1859 the same house issued her "Pic- tures of Country Life " — composed of contributions to leading periodicals during the years 1857-8 and '9. The volume achieved new honors for the author abroad. In a notice of several columns in length the London Literary Gazette takes occasion to say : "Every tale in this book might be selected as evidence of some new beauty or unhackneyed grace. There is nothing feeble, nothing vulgar, and, above all, nothing unnatural or melodramatic. To the analytical subtlety and marvelous naturalness of the French school of romance, she has added the purity and idealizations of the home affections and home life belonging to the English ; giving to both the American richness of color and vigor of outline, and her own individual power and loveliness." We have lately perused a note, from Miss Cary to a friend, from which we take the liberty of making the following quotation: "I am ashamed of my work. The
 * It was written for and first appeared in the Cincinnati Commercial.