In speaking of the inner and the outward man as themes for poetical composition, we endeavored to express the distinction between poetry which relates to the thoughts and feelings, and that which is mainly narration-the distinction between Tennyson's May Queen and Enoch Arden-between Locksley Hall and Godiva-between Poe's Raven (although it is in the form of a narrative) and our author's Au Café ***.

It is, as already said, to the former that Owen Meredith has devoted more attention in these minor poems; yet Au Café ***, The Novel, Aux Italiens, Midges, A Night in the Fisherman's Hut, present a pleasing variety of romantic and amusing narrative. And for a few stanzas in the Prologue he tells, in beautiful language, an old, old story of life, beginning:

'Midnight, and love, and youth, and Italy!

Love in the land where love most lovely seems!

Land of my love, tho' I be far from thee,

Lend, for love's sake, the light of thy moonbeams,

The spirit of thy cypress-groves, and all

Thy dark-eyed beauty, for a little while
To my desire. Yet once more let her smile
Fall o'er me: o'er me let her long hair fall,
The lady of my life, whose lovely eyes,
Dreaming or waking, lure me."

Of the inner man glimpses are caught through the whole work; but not by the careless reader; to him they seem but "idle words;" though, when viewed aright, they are full of life. It would seem almost like a betrayal of confidence to quote such passages where an unappreciative eye might chance to see. If, however, we have succeeded in interesting any one in this book, he may look for them especially in the Prologue

and Epilogue, in Book VI, in Babylonia, and in "Ye ɛeek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified."

There is a striking contrast between the modesty and gentleness of this writer and the spleen and conceit which Tennyson infuses into Maud and Locksley Hall, Undoubtedly these two poems are a most perfect delineation of a state of mind and feeling. But it is a morbid condition which the poet ought not to encourage, by giving to it words of beauty in which to express itself, even though it be changed toward the last. Only once does this spirit appear in the Wandererin Misanthropos--and there it is in the mouth of one at the point of death, and suffering under

66* * * * the heritage

Of the sins we have not sinned."

The lines illustrating the two conditions of mind under similar circumstances are these, in the first part of Maud :

"A wounded thing, with a rancorous cry,
At war with myself and a wretched race,
Sick, sick to the heart, of life am I."

And from Cordelia :

"Alas! we cannot choose our lives-
We can but bear the burthen given.
In vain the feverish spirit strives
With unrelenting heaven.”

Again, from Locksley Hall:

*

"Is it well to wish thee happy?-having known ME—to decline
On a range of lower feelings and a narrower heart than mine!"

"Cursed be the social wants that sin against the strength of youth."

*

Then follow three other curses, suggestive of Nihilism. With which compare:

"And I would bless the chance which let me see

Once more the comfort of thy face, altho'

It were with beauty never born for me

That face should glow.

To see thee—all thou wilt be-loved and loving—
Even tho' another's-in the years to come-

To watch once more thy gracious. sweetness moving
Thro' its pure home."

And the blessing which follows:

May He whose wisdom portions out for me

The moonless, changeless midnight of the heart,
Still all his softest sunshine save for thee,

Where'er thou art:

And if, indeed, not any human eyes

From human tears be free-may Sorrow bring
Only to thee her April-rain, whose sighs

Soothe flowers in Spring."

It was not our purpose to attempt any criticism of this book other than should suffice to call the attention of our readers to it, for the purpose of inducing them to come and drink of the fount whence we have derived so much enjoyment, and which is, we believe, but seldom visited. Lest any one, however, should say that we invited him only to a draught of sentimental effusions, fit but for the feverish thirst of lovesick school-girls, we give fair warning now that a large portion of this book consists of "Poems of Love." However many may protest against them, we remain firm in our admiration; and quote the words of an eminent American poet and critic, who, after a long list, in which he enumerates the simple elements which induce in the poet the true poetical effect, and in which he recognizes the ambrosia which nourishes his soul, says: "He feels it in the beauty of woman in the grace of her step, in the lustre of her eye, in the melody of her voice, in her soft laughter, in her sigh, in the harmony of the rustling of her robes. He deeply feels it in her winning endearments, in her burning enthusiasms, in her gentle charities, in her meek and devotional endurances; but above all-ah; far above all— he kneels to it, he worships it in the faith, in the purity, in the strength, in the altogether divine majesty of her love."

COMMENCEMENT is coming on, and we all feel impatient to be through with the College year, while we long to see once more home and friends. As a result of this many are even now laying their plans so as to be able to leave before the final exercises. This custom of early leave-taking is, unfortunately, no new thing; but it is precisely because it is no new thing that we raise our voice against it. A few days in comparison with a vacation of three months is certainly a small matter, if we regard it in the proper light. Besides, we cannot see why there should not be some feeling against leav ing before all is finished. As for us, we have a trace of the true fox-hunter desire of "staying to the death." But aside from this, each departure of a student detracts a certain amount from the interest of the Commencement; so that it is clearly the duty of every student to remain. But this is not all. There is profit to the student himself in staying; for surely our final exercises are both entertaining and instructive. There are the music, the Campus alive with faces, the boat race, the degree suppers, addresses, joint celebration of the societies, the delivery of the medals, and after these the final ball. Surely few students would, of their own free will, deprive themselves of the pleasure of these things. We hope that those who have been thinking of leaving prematurely will take these remarks into consideration, and remain with their fellows until the Final is well over.