Mr. Gilder's reputation as a writer is based upon his verse. Only very occasionally does he publish an essay, though thoughtful, strongly written editorials from his pen in his magazine are frequent. [Pg 6348] But it is his verse-writing that has given him his place—a distinct and honorable one—in American letters. The fine quality and promise of his work was recognized upon the publication of 'The New Day' in 1875, a first volume which was warmly received. It showed the influence of Italian studies, and contained lyric work of much imaginative beauty. The musicalness of it and the delicately ideal treatment of the love passion were noticeable characteristics. In his subsequent books—'The Celestial Passion,' 1887; 'Lyrics,' 1885 and 1887; 'Two Worlds, and Other Poems,' 1891; 'The Great Remembrance, and Other Poems,' 1893: the contents of these being gathered finally into the one volume 'Five Books of Song,' 1894—he has given further proof of his genuine lyric gift, his work in later years having a wider range of themes, a broadening vision and deepening purpose. He remains nevertheless essentially a lyrist, a maker of songs; a thorough artist who has seriousness, dignity, and charm. His is an earnest nature, sensitive alike to vital contemporaneous problems and to the honey-sweet voice of the Ideal. [All the following citations from Mr. Gilder's poems are copyrighted, and are reprinted here by special permission of the author and his publishers.] TWO SONGS FROM 'THE NEW DAY' I Not from the whole wide world I chose thee, Sweetheart, light of the land and the sea! The wide, wide world could not inclose thee— For thou art the whole wide world to me. II Years have flown since I knew thee first, And I know thee as water is known of thirst; Yet I knew thee of old at the first sweet sight, And thou art strange to me, Love, to-night. "ROSE-DARK THE SOLEMN SUNSET" Rose-dark the solemn sunset That holds my thought of thee; With one star in the heavens And one star in the sea. On high no lamp is lighted, Nor where the long waves flow. [Pg 6349]Save the one star of evening And the shadow star below. Light of my life, the darkness Comes with the twilight dream; Thou art the bright star shining, And I but the shadowy gleam. NON SINE DOLORE What, then, is Life,—what Death? Thus the Answerer saith; O faithless mortal, bend thy head and listen: Down o'er the vibrant strings, That thrill, and moan, and mourn, and glisten, The Master draws his bow. A voiceless pause: then upward, see, it springs, Free as a bird with unimprisoned wings! In twain the chord was cloven, While, shaken with woe, With breaks of instant joy all interwoven, Piercing the heart with lyric knife, On, on the ceaseless music sings, Restless, intense, serene;— Life is the downward stroke; the upward, Life; Death but the pause between. Then spake the Questioner: If 't were only this, Ah, who could face the abyss