3. "Younger American Poets, 1830–1890." Edited by Douglas Sladen, B.A., Oxon. With an Appendix of Younger Canadian Poets. Edited by G. B. Roberts of St. John, N.B. New York, 1891, 12mo.
4. "Later Canadian Poems." Edited by J. E. Wetherell, B.A. Toronto, 1893.
In the first mentioned work, which is judiciously edited, the poets until 1864 obtain a place. In the three other books we have selections from John Reade, Geo. Frederick Cameron, Prof. Roberts, Bliss Carman (now a resident of the United States), A. H. Chandler, Isabella Valancy Crawford, Mrs. Leprohon, Hereward K. Cockin, John Hunter Duvar, Rev. A. W. H. Eaton, Louis Fréchette, James Hannay, Sophie M. Hensley, Charles Sangster, M. Richey Knight, Archibald Lampman, W. D. Lighthall, A. J. Lockhart, B. W. Lockhart, Agnes Maude Machar ("Fidelis"), W. McLennan, Charles Mair, Mary Morgan ("Gowan Lea"), Charles P. Mulvany, Rev. F. G. Scott, Philip Stewart, H. R. A. Pocock, Barry Stratton, A. Weir, Mary Barry Smith, John T. Lespérance ("Laclède"), W. Wye Smith, Ethelwyn Wetherald, John E. Logan ("Barry Dane"), George Martin, Mrs. Harrison ("Seranus"), D. Campbell Scott, James D. Edgar, E. Pauline Johnson, George Murray, William Kirby, Annie Rothwell, W. A. Sherwood, Isidore G. Ascher, P. J. O. Chauveau, B. Sulte, P. LeMay, and others. I enumerate these names to show how many Canadians have ventured upon the field of poesy despite the practical realities of life in this relatively new country. The selections in the second of these works would have been more valuable had they contained "Our Fathers" by Joseph Howe—the most spirited poem in some respects ever written by a native Canadian. To the names of poetic aspirants, too, must be added those of M. J. Katzmann and of M. J. Griffin, whose fugitive pieces have attracted notice. Mr. Griffin has fine literary tastes and his few poems, only the relaxation of leisure hours, show he might win fame in this delightful department of letters. The reader will obtain some idea of the standard of Canadian poetry by reading the selections, and should not be carried away by the too obvious enthusiasm that has at times stifled the critical faculty in the editors. The poetic genius of Canadians is to be stimulated, not by sentimental gush, but by a judicious criticism that is not sufficiently cultivated by our writers who review the efforts of our poets, historians and essayists. These remarks also apply to such articles as that by the late Mr. Lespérance on "The Poets of Canada" in 'Trans. Roy. Soc. Can.,' vol. ii., Sec. II.
Mr. Evan McColl, F.R.S.C., is the Gaelic poet of Canada. Three editions have appeared of the "Clàrsach nam Beann," which was printed as far back as 1838 in Glasgow. The same was also published in English in the same year, under the title of "The Mountain Minstrel," of which six editions have been printed. In 1883 he published in Toronto "Poems and Songs chiefly written in Canada." Mr. McColl is a great favourite among his Scotch countrymen everywhere; but his decidedly original poetic genius, rude and wild as it is at times, is not a Canadian product, for he was born at Kenmore, Lochfyne-Side, Scotland, in 1808, and it was not until he was forty years of age that he made Canada his home. He is now a resident of Toronto, and still comes to the annual meetings of the Royal Society, of which he was one of the original members.
[41] Page 21.—"IN MY HEART." By John Reade.
"In my heart are many chambers through which I wander free;
Some are furnished, some are empty, some are sombre, some are light;
Some are open to all comers, and of some I keep the key,
And I enter in the stillness of the night.
"But there's one I never enter—it is closed to even me!