POEMS AND HYMNS OF SAMUEL JOHN STONE.
Poems and Hymns of Samuel John Stone. With a Memoir by F. G. Ellerton, M.A. (Methuen and Co. 6s.)—Mr. Stone was the author of one of the most popular of modern hymns, "The Church's One Foundation." He wrote others, some of them of considerable merit, "Weary of earth and laden with my sin" being, perhaps, the most successful effort, though, indeed, it is rather a meditation than a hymn. "Eastward, ever eastward," a "hymn for the Lord's Day," is less well known, but it has a fine ring about it; it has some of the best qualities of the true hymn. Mr. Stone was also the writer of various verse, all of it thoughtful and full of the deep feeling which characterised the man, some- times wanting in technique, but distinctly above the average of the poetical work which an age of culture, refinement, and senti- ment produces in such abundance. Perhaps the best specimen is a sonnet "From Windermere." It is inspired by a strong personal feeling, and in execution it reaches the author's highest standard (except, indeed, in line 13). The difficulty of the metre seems to have moved him to a special effort :— " Moored by a green isle of Winanderraere- Listening the gentlest lapping of the wave On the rock margin, and the blackbirds' brave Soldierly antiphons, afar and near, And the wind's whispered evensong—I bear A sound beyond, and sweeter as more grave Than ever paradise of nature gave, Dear to my heart of old, and now more dear The roar of Landon –the deep undersong, The myriad music of immortal souls High-couraged, much-enduring, 'midst the long Drear toil and gloom and weariness. It rolls Over me with all power, for in its tone The hearts I love in CHRIST beat with my own."
Mr. Ellerton's Memoir is an interesting record of a remarkable personality.
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