10. For, rhyme with reason may dispense, -Prior. Blank Verse is verse without rhyme. 11. From the two primary divisions of verse, according to its metrical element and terminational sound, other secondary divisions and appellations are derived; as, the Heroic Verse, or the verse of epic poetry which, in English, German and Italian, is the Iambic of ten syllables; in French, is the Iambic of twelve syllables; and in classic poetry is the hexameter. 12. The object of versification is chiefly, to please the hearer or reader, by the harmony produced by the regular alternation of syllables; and in rhymic verse, also, by the correspondence of sound in the terminating words or syllables. Hence, great attention is necessary to poetic pauses, in reading or delivering verses. (10.) What is blank verse? (11.) Are there any other secondary divisions of the English verse? Of what kind of verse or metre is the heroic verse com- How many syllables does the heroic verse comprise, in How many in the French and classic poetry? (12.) What is the object of versification? To what must be attended, in reading or pronouncing verses? 13. A poctic pause is a brief suspension of the voice in the utterance of verse for the sake of preserving harmony, as well as for obtaining a fresh supply of breath. 14. The poetic pauses are two; final and cæsural. The final pause is that which takes place at the end of the verse, or when the sense is complete. The cæsural pause is that which takes place in the middle of a verse for the sake of harmony. As, "The joys above | are understood 66 And relish'd only by the good." 15. Verse may admit of two, and even three cæsural pauses; yet, they should not be too many; for, a protracted uniformity of suspension, will soon cause satiety. 16. Before closing this section on the English language, we are called, by the nature of the subject, to remark on the eminent writers in prose and in verse, who have excelled in modern times, both in England and America. 17. But here we must confess that our power (13.) What is a poetic pause? (14.) How many are the poetic pauses? (15.) How many cæsural pauses may verse admit? (16.) To what are we here called by the subject? is inadequate to the task. For, we are aware, that to judge rightly of the merit of a writer is a very difficult matter. For this purpose, a person must be a scholar of a high order, a master of the subject on which he is to criticise another; his excellency, in that part, must be well established. Next, he must be an experienced critic; a man who has not only a thorough knowledge of the principles and rules of the art, but who knows by long experience how to apply them to the subject under investigation; which is a quality very distinct from the former, of having theoretical knowledge; and yet, it is as essential for right criticism, as is practice to a physician, after he has learned the theory of the medical art. Finally, the critic must be divested of all. prejudice on account of nationality, or other motive; but must be determined to render a verdict according to merit, and to assign to the writer of a work, the rank which he deserves, regardless of individual or national considerations. These being the necessary qualifications of a critic, who can boast of possessing them all in an eminent degree? 18. It is true, that many persons, entirely dis (17.) Is it an easy matter to judge rightly of the merit of a writer? What qualities must a person have for this purpose ? qualified, and either without, or only after a short examination, often pronounce with the authority of a Pythagoras, upon works which have cost years of labor to writers of acknowledged ability; but the example of these rash critics, instead of being an incentive, in this case is precisely a motive for avoiding a similar error; since in no other way the arrogance and ignorance of a man is made more evident, than by his attempt, through pride, to accomplish a thing, of which he is utterly incapable. 19. If such persons, before attempting to criticise distinguished writers, will heed the advice of Horace, which well applies to this subject also, they will have no cause of regretting their error when it is too late; and will be spared much confusion on account of public scorn. "Take a subject equal to your powers, and consider long, what your shoulders refuse, what they are able to bear." "Sumite materiam vestris viribus æquam." Quid valeant humeri." 20. Hence we must repeat again; no task is more difficult, than this of fixing the rank to which (18.) What example do incompetent persons set on this point? What do they betray? (19.) What advice should they heed? a writer is entitled. We know of a number of classics, whose works were not fully appreciated by contemporaneous writers; although they were bright lights, they could not dispel the darkness of the age in which they lived; it was in subsequent ages only, that their dazzling splendor was revealed and admired. On the contrary, certain authors, who were highly extolled in their time, as superior models of imitation, are now deemed imperfect. Very few are the classics, who, through a long series of ages, have uniformly obtained from the most cultivated nations of the earth the high testimony of master-talents; as for instance, among the epic poets, Homer, Virgil, Tusso, and Milton. 21. Leaving, therefore, to the wise judgment of high literary men of this, and of the subsequent age, the task of determining the relative merit and rank of each author in the English literature; we shall only select a few names. among the distinguished English and American writers, and will close with some brief remarks (20.) Are there any instances of eminent writers, who were not esteemed before, but after their death, and inversely? How many are those who have been recognized as master-talents by all ages? Name some. (21.) To whom, then, does the task of determining the rank and merit of each author belong? |