“Some of these [cities] he loves; some he hates. In both cases he tells us why and with frank thoroughness.”
| + | Outlook. 85: 527. Mr. 2, ’07. 220w. |
Symons, Arthur. Fool of the world and other poems. *$1.50. Lane.
7–18138.
“The title poem of the volume, a brief Morality play, called ‘The fool of the world,’ employs a style which admirably suits the theme, infusing into the simple colloquy between Man and Death all the dread, the fear, the mystery of mortality as they pervade ‘Everyman’ and other of the old Morality plays. Following this ... Mr. Symons has a group of ‘Meditations,’ poised and passionless as a Buddhistic reverie, fatalistic, ‘sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought.’... Contrary to the mood of his prose, the prevailing note of Mr. Symons’ poetry is negative and over his pages futility, and ever futility, is written.”—N. Y. Times.
“[‘The fool of the world’] shows, for all its slenderness, strong dramatic power. It asks a question; it leads you on, as you fancy, ever nearer to the answer, working up your eagerness in every line; and suddenly at the close, in the very last word, it flashes upon you the piteous truth.”
| + + | Acad. 71: 498. N. 17, ’06. 640w. |
“Although Mr. Symons has not mastered poetic forms, his poetry is full of sensitive beauty.”
| + − | Ath. 1907, 1: 284. Mr. 9. 380w. |