6 some prose has melody and even measure; nor in the sublimity, beauty, or novelty of the sentiments, because, as he asserts, sublime sentiments are sometimes better expressed in prose. Of this he gives an example from one of Shakspeare's historical plays : "When Warwick is left wounded on the field after the loss of the battle, and his friend says to him, Oh! could you but fly!' what can be more sublime than his answer, Why then I would not fly!' No measure of verse could add dignity to this sentiment." Without disputing his position, I answer that the words are verse already. I know not how they stand in the original; but placing the interjection "Oh!" as the closing syllable of a line, and laying the natural emphasis on the verb negative, and not merely on the sign of negation, we have a perfect heroic verse. Could you but fly! "Oh! Why then I would not fly!" The Doctor continues:" In what, then, consists the essential difference between poetry and prose? Next to the measure of the language, the principal distinction appears to be this: that poetry admits of but few words expressive of very abstracted ideas; whereas prose abounds with them. And as our ideas derived from visible objects are more distinct than those derived from the objects of our other senses, the words expressive of these ideas belonging to vision make up the principal part of poetic language; that is, the poet writes principally to the eye, the prose-writer uses more abstracted terms. Mr. Pope has written a bad verse in the Windsor Forest:'— 'And Kennet swift, for silver eels renown'd.' The word renown'd' does not present a visible object to the mind, and is thence prosaic. But change the line thus: And Kennet swift, where silver graylings play, and it becomes poetry; because the scenery is then brought before the eye. This may be done in prose; so it is more agreeable to read in Mr. Gibbon's History, Germany was at that time overshadowed with extensive forests,' than that Germany was at that time full of extensive forests. But when this mode of expression occurs too frequently, the prose approaches to poetry; and in grave works, where we expect to be instructed rather than amused, it becomes tedious and impertinent." Thus far Dr. Darwin. I reply:-this is arguing completely in a circle. "Why then I would not fly is undoubtedly verse by the measure, and poetry by the sublimity of the sentiment; while, without the variation of a syllable, and simply reading it according to the prosaic accents, it is prose. "Oh! could you but fly! — Why then I would not fly!" It follows, that thoughts of this character are common alike to prose and verse, and may be expressed in either. If Dr. Darwin's criticism excludes the phrase "for silver eels renown'd," from poetry, it proves too much, for then the poet must not give the eels at all that lie in the mud. He might, indeed, represent a fishwife stripping the skin from the writhing creature, but he could not even allude to their luxurious sloth in the slimy ooze, where they cannot be watched. This may be called quibbling; but it must be admitted, that the epithet "silver" gives an image to the eye, which sufficiently vindicates the poetry of the line against the prosaic participle" renown'd;" while the latter conveys an idea which no object of vision whatever could imply. Is the poet, then, to be precluded from celebrating the peculiar pre-eminence of the river Kennet for its peculiar fish, because the word that designates its superiority is an abstract term? "Germany was, at that time, overshadowed with extensive forests!" The Doctor acknowledges that the poetic verb here used animates the prose; why then may not abstract terms (though in themselves prosaic) occasionally be employed to temper the ardour of verse, as snow in hot climates, sprinkled over the wine-cup, makes the draught more delicious? The whole The whole range of language and of thought must be conceded to writers of both kinds; and it depends upon their own taste, at their own peril, to mingle, discreetly or otherwise, with the staple of their diction, terms which are conventionally understood to belong to poetry and prose, in precisely inverse proportions. Dr. Darwin has splendidly exemplified the effects of his own theory, which certainly includes much truth, but not the whole truth. Endued with a fancy peculiarly formed for picture-poetry, he has limited verse almost within the compass of designing and modelling with visible colours and palpable sub- 66 Stay thy soft murmuring waters, gentle rill; Hush, whispering winds; ye rustling leaves, be still; H Ye painted moths, your gold-eyed plumage furl, In such descriptions Darwin excels, and his theory is triumphant; but to prove it of universal application, it must be put to a higher test. In the third canto of the " Botanic Garden," Part II., there is a fine scene-a lady, from the "wood-crowned height” of Minden, overlooking the battle in which her husband is engaged. As the conflict thickens, she watches his banner shifting from hill to hill, and when the enemy is at length beaten from every post, "Near and more near the intrepid beauty press'd, Saw through the driving smoke his dancing crest; Saw on his helm, her virgin hands inwove, Bright stars of gold, and mystic knots of love; (Some fury wing'd it, and some demon guides,) Every syllable here is addressed to the eye; there is not a word for the heart; the poet himself might have been the bullet that shot the lady, so insensible is he of the horror of the deed. Or he might have been a surgeon, deposing before a coroner's inquest |