The Advocate Verses.

New verses from the "Harvard Advocate." Second Series: New York, Kilbourne Tompkins, 1887.

The new volume of selected verse from the "Harvard Advocate" which was announced last January, is at last ready for distribution. The book has been made up by the kindness of Mr. W. G. Peckham, '67, and the energy of Mr. T. T. Baldwin, '86. It was proposed at the twentieth annual dinner of the paper in 1886, and is a fit successor to its sister volume of 1876, which met with such instant success.

The book is divided into five parts: Fair Harvard, Life, Love, Youth and Fate, containing poems ranging all the way from topical to sentimental, descriptive to despairing, Part I. is preceded by Dr. Holmes' merry poem, "How the Old Horse Won the Bet," dedicated to the "Advocate" ten years ago, and now reprinted for the first time. This alone would make the book valuable in itself, were it not already made doubly so by a verse of the lamented Loring, who "always mourned and always honored," still keeps his renown as bright as at his untimely death.

The other poems in the book are by writers that are familiar to us, either by reputation or acquaintance. We all know Mr. Houghton's and Mr. Sanborn's verses by heart, and there are many of our favorites here. In addition to them there are verses by Messrs. Baldwin, Wetherbee, Palmer, Leahy, Sanford, Garrison and Furness, that have appeared quite recently and will be read again with pleasure. Messrs. Kent, '82, Kittredge, '83, and Loud, '83, are indexed with much clever verse, while all that is best of Messrs. Scollard and E. D. Sherman has been presented for posterity. The "Two Face" "To Omar," and the "Ballade of a Kiss." are the best of Mr. Houghton's verse in the book, and they are as good as anything he has ever done. This is one of the cleverest of Mr. Kittridge's many clever things:

WHY?Why does it haunt me, haunt me like this? -

Two or three freckles, the sauclest nose;

Lips like cherries and made to kiss, -

Kissed by others since, I suppose.

Kissed by others since, I suppose.

What does it matter? I had my share.

Breezes and breezes fondle the rose,

Tell me, for that is the rose less fair?

Tell me, for that is the rose less fair?

One wind comes as another goes, -

Ordo saeclorum, why should I care?

Breezes and breezes fondle the rose.

Lips like cherries and made to kiss,

Two or three freckles, the sauciest nose,

Out on it! Why does it haunt me like this?

Kissed by others since, I suppose!

And this is an equally pleasant little skit by Mr. Grandgent:

I had conveyed her safely down the stairs,

Her safe had conveyed and her boubuet too;

'And shall I have," with half an inward smile,

"No guerdon, fair one, for my service done?"

Meaning a violet or the like. But she

Drew nearer to me, nothing now in sport,

And smiling sweety said, "Take what you please."

"And at that word I took myself away.

But it is not only clever verse de societie that the book contains. Mr. Thompson's "Modern Lover," Mr. Cummings' "Pater Nostro Qui Es in Terra," and Mr. Lord's "Storm-Scarred Headland's," are beautiful example of how well Harvard undergraduates, young men of twenty, can express beautiful thoughts. Indeed, as Dr. Peabody says in his preface to the book. "In the volume published ten years ago are the early poems of some men who have already won a large and enviable reputation, of which that book contains the authentic prophecy. Like prophecy will be found in the volume now given to the public, redolent of such genius, wit, and poetic inspiration as in their fair flowing give promise of a rich inheritage and abundant fruitage in coming years." It is, as George Herbert said: "A box where sweets compacted lie;" and, what Herbert could not helped have helped noticing had he seen it, - a very pretty box.