The latter idea, moreover, is not
original with our poet.
In all the rhapsodies of Mr. Bryant, which have reference to the
beauty or the majesty of nature, is a most audible and thrilling
tone of love and exultation. As far as he appreciates her loveliness
or her augustness, no appreciation can be more ardent, more full of
heart, more replete with the glowing soul of adoration. Nor, either in
the moral or physical universe coming within the periphery of his
vision, does he at any time fail to perceive and designate, at once,
the legitimate items of the beautiful. Therefore, could we consider
(as some have considered) the mere enjoyment of the beautiful when
perceived, or even this enjoyment when combined with the readiest
and truest perception and discrimination in regard to beauty
presented, as a sufficient test of the poetical sentiment we could
have no hesitation in according to Mr. Bryant the very highest
poetical rank. But something more, we have elsewhere presumed to
say, is demanded. Just above, we spoke of "objects in the moral or
physical universe coming within the periphery of his vision." We now
mean to say, that the relative extent of these peripheries of poetical
vision must ever be a primary consideration in our classification of
poets. Judging Mr. B. in this manner, and by a general estimate of the
volume before us, we should, of course, pause long before assigning
him a place with the spiritual Shelleys, or Coleridges, or
Wordsworths, or with Keats, or even Tennyson, or Wilson, or with
some other burning lights of our own day, to be valued in a day to
come.
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