PAGE John Forster. 218-CCCCXXXII. This sonnet, the only one published, but not, I understand, the only one written, by the late Mr. Forster, bears date 'March, 1848,' and forms the Dedication of The Life and Adventures of Oliver Goldsmith (1848), as the title of his biography ran originally. Hence the epithet 'adventurous' in 1. 8. Arthur Hugh Clough. 219-CCCCXXXIII. One of a set of poems under the motto, 'Blank Misgivings of a Creature moving about in Worlds not realised.' Given from Ambarvalia: Poems by Thomas Burbidge and Arthur H. Clough: 1849. In all subsequent English impressions of Clough's poems the three last lines of this sonnet are printed, not as a question, but as a statement, thus: 'It is enough to walk as best we may, To walk, and, sighing, dream of that blest day Charles Kingsley. CCCCXXXIV. From the collected edition of his Poems; including The Saint's Tragedy, Andromeda, Songs, Ballads, &c.: 1878. William Caldwell Roscoe. 220-CCCCXXXVI. Dated 'Richmond, 1852.' 221—CCCCXXXVII. The pre-eminently perfect workmanship and beauty of this sonnet suggest the remark-otherwise hardly necessary, I presume—that these exquisite productions had not the advantage of their author's final revision. Had he lived to finish the studies in sonnet-form contained in Mr. Hutton's memorial volumes, my selection from his sonnets would have been much less limited. Not a few of these studies possess the mournful interest and value of unfinished masterpieces. I select two examples (Poems and Essays, i, 75): A WET AUTUMN. Behold the melancholy season's wane! Oppressed with clouds and with the rainy days, In misty fields the dripping harvest-grain PAGE William Caldwell Roscoe. And sadly see mine own unharvested years (Ibid., i, 83): M. S. Like morning, or the early buds in spring, Her joy made peace, and those bright ores of nature Hafodunos, 1852. 221-CCCCXXXVIII. Dated 1852.' 222-CCCCXXXIX. Dated 'Bryn Rhedyn, 1854.' CCCCXL. This pathetic sonnet forms the epilogue to the author's Violenzia, a very noble tragedy published anonymously in 1851, of which his biographer, writing nearly ten years later, said with perfect truth that, excepting Kingsley's Saint's Tragedy, no drama which had appeared since the publication of Shelley's Cenci was worthy to be compared to it in power and beauty. L. 5. while: 'white' (1851 and 1860). I trust it may be regarded simply as an error of judgment if I have erred in acting on the belief that the poet's alteration of while to 'white' in the margin of his proof-sheet (which I have had the opportunity of examining) was unintentional. 220-222-CCCCXXXV-CCCCXL. From Poems and Essays by the late William Caldwell Roscoe. Edited, with a Prefatory Memoir, by his Brother-in-Law, Richard Holt Hutton: 1860. James Brummond Burns. 223-CCCCXLI. Written at Hastings, in the autumn of 1860. From Memoir and Remains of the Rev. James D. Burns, M.A., of Hampstead. By the late Rev. James Hamilton, D.D.; 1869. Sydney Dobell, CCCCXLII. This profoundly impressive sonnet-3rd in a group of PAGE five titled as below-is at an obvious disadvantage isolated from its fellows, especially the 1st and 2nd of the group, which are therefore subjoined (Poetical Works, ii, 354): TO 1862. (IN PROSPECT OF WAR WITH AMERICA.) I. Oh worst of years, by what signs shall we know In things not human should be wrought and wrung By the dumb passion of a visible cry Confess the coming agony of Man. 2. Even now, this spring in winter, like some young Stirs me with omens. What fine shock hath sprung The fairy mines of buried life among The clods? Above spring's flow'rs a bird of spring Makes February of the winds that sing Yule-chants: while March, thro' Christmas brows, rime-hung, Looks violets and on yon grave-like knoll A girlish season sheds her April soul. Ah is this day that strains the exquisite Strung sense to finer fibres of delight An aimless sport of Time? Or do its show'rs Smiles, birds and blooms betray the heart of conscious Pow'rs? From this 2nd I have taken the liberty of borrowing a word as a title for the sonnet in the text. 224-225-CCCCXLIII-CCCCXLV. Sonnets on the War. By Alexander Smith, and by the author of 'Balder' and 'The Roman:' 1855. 223-225-CCCCXLII-CCCCXLVI. From the posthumous collection of his Poetical Works, with Introductory Notice and Memoir by John Nichol, M.A. Oxon. LL.D., 2 vols., 1875. Out of several beautiful tributes that have been paid in verse to Dobell's memory, I select the following sonnet by his friend Professor Blackie, which appeared in The Scotsman newspaper (issue of 15th September, 1874) shortly after the poet's death. PAGE Sydney Bobell. TO THE MEMORY OF SYDNEY DOBEll. And thou, too, gone! one more bright soul away Who lives with thee doth live half-way to God. My chaste-souled Sydney! thou wert carved too fine But who might look into thy soul's fair shrine Mortimer Collins. 226-CCCCXLVII. From his Summer Songs: 1860. The writer on the Sonnet repeatedly quoted above makes the remark (Dublin Review, Jan., 1877, p. 179): 'We believe we are correct in stating that no sonnet has ever graced the pages of our witty contemporary Punch;' and he adds in a foot-note: "The spell has at last been broken. Mr. Punch, we learn, has at length joined the rank of sonneteers. His first essay in this line, we believe, appears in the number for June 17th, 1876, three "Sonnets for the Sex," strictly regular and Petrarchan in form.' This, as a friend points out to me, is not strictly accurate. A sonnet, the germ of the charming triad named-in which it was not difficult to detect the deft hand of Mortimer Collins (see his Letters, &c., 1877, ii, 190)—had appeared in that journal as far back as December, 1846. See Punch, vol. xi, p. 237. Julian Fane. The Hon. Julian Fane's sonnets are close and masterly imitations of Shakspeare's, which, his biographer Lord Lytton informs us, 'he loved and studied, till he became saturated with the spirit of them.' I subjoin an example of Fane's sonnet-work, written before he had abandoned the Petrarcan for the Shakspearian method. Lord Lytton (Memoir, p. 45) questions 'if it be possible to select from the boyish versification of any man whose name is not recorded amongst those of acknowledged poets, a specimen of verse more chastened in expression, or more carefully completed in form.' (Poems, Second Edition, with additional Poems, 1852, p. 27): PAGE TO A CANARY-BIRD, TRAINED TO DRAW SEED AND WATER FROM A GLASS-WELL Thou should'st be carolling thy Maker's praise, To charm the world with song, was set to gauge 226-CCCCXLVIII. The 3rd of a series of four sonnets dated Vienna. CCCCL. The last of a series of six dated Vienna. 228-CCCCLI. It will be observed that this sonnet contains only thirteen lines. CCCCLI-CCCCLII. Dated London. A melancholy interest attaches to these two beautiful tributes of filial love, from their having been written by the poet during the agony of mortal illness. 'On the evening of the 12th of March, 1870,' writes Lord Lytton (p. 291), 'his physical suffering was excessive. The following day was the birthday of his mother. That day had never yet dawned upon a deeper sorrow than it now reawakened in the soul of her he loved so well. For the first time in all the long course of their tender intercourse she could not look forward to that accustomed and treasured tribute of dedicated song wherewith her son had never yet failed to honour the advent of this day. Yet she found what she dared not, could not, anticipate. There lay upon her table, when she rose on that saddest of all her birthday anniversaries, a letter in the old beloved hand-writing; which, with a few simple utterances of devoted affection, contained the two following sonnets. They are the last words ever written by Julian Fane. But this golden chain of votive verse into which from his earliest years he had woven, with religious devotion, the annual record of a lifelong affection, was not broken till life itself had left the hand that wrought it.' 226-228-CCCCXLVIII-CCCCLII. From Julian Fane. A Memoir. Robert Lytton: 1871. Alexander Smith. By 229-CCCCLIV. With the modern sonnet compare the following piece of |