borne, and as we travel there is music about us--music of the true tone,
ringing with all the natural pathos of lyrical carelessness. There have
been instances in literature of the music mastering the thought, but in
the case under notice the proportions are justly ministered to. There is
thought and witchery of measure. The ice of craftsmanship is mingled
with the wine of passion."--NORMAN GALE, in _The Literary World_, March
10th, 1893.

* * * * *

"We are indebted to Eric Mackay for the latest ode to the lark, one of
peculiar gracefulness and impassioned beauty. In my opinion, this is a
better production than either of Wordsworth's, superior to Hogg's, and,
though not so intellectual as Shelley's, rivals it in truth. Mackay's is
the lark itself, Shelley's is himself listening, with unwearied ears and
tightly-stretched imagination, to the lark. Who is surprised that Eric
Mackay's lyric, 'The Waking of the Lark,' sent a thrill through the
heart of America? This poem, which appeared in the _New York
Independent_, is undoubtedly the lark-poem of the future. From the
opening to the closing stanza there is not an imperfect verse, not a
commonplace. The sentiment is pure, and the fancy glowing. It is,
indeed, an exquisite ode."--_Wintringham's_ "_Birds of Wordsworth._"
Edition, 1892.

* * * * *

"He (the lecturer) ventured to call the author of the 'Love Letters' a
new poet. His published volume is a work of immense promise. His fancy
is splendid.... The 'Love Letters' are twelve poems, separate, and yet
intrinsically one. It is a compound lyric, with an epic theme and
somewhat of an epic cast. The theme is the triumph of woman's love. It
is the story of love's redemption. It has something of the tone, colour,
and luxuriance of Solomon's Song; both, too, have the same theme,
though treated in a different way.... The form is charming--as if the
sonatas of Beethoven had been translated into poetry! The _denouement_
is reached when Beethoven himself--

'The giant-singer who did storm the gates
Of Heaven and Hell'--

is introduced in a vision. The lecturer gave a number of quotations to
illustrate his points."--_Lecture on_ ERIC MACKAY, _by the Rev. Elvet
Lewis, at the Hull Literary Institute._

* * * * *

"The 'Love Letters' of Eric Mackay are the handiwork of a brilliant
metrical artist and poet born.... A beautiful