served, in the heroic verse of ten syllables, a PART IĨ. pause naturally falls upon the fourth, fifth, or CHAP. I. sixth syllable; besides that at the end of every of improved verse; which equally takes place in every kind Perception. of metre in every language; since, without it, the verse is only a distinct portion of measure to the eye, but not, at. all to the ear. Milton has, however, frequently no pause at the end of the verse, but occasionally upon every other syllable, from the first to the ninth; and this licence has been applauded, as adding endless variety to the harmony of his versification t. That it must add variety either to the harmony or dissonance of language, I admit: but the very essence of verse consists in the variety of its harmony not being endless, but being limited to the changes, that certain divisions of articulate sound, determinate in their quantities, regulated in their modes of utterance, and corresponding to, or succeeding each other, are capable of. Language may have more variety of cadence without these limitations or régulations; but then it will not be versified language, although it be duly and correctly measured out into lines of ten syllables each: neither will it have that elastic energy and rapidity of movement, which give a cha * Fourth Letter to Walsh. + Webb, ibid. CHAP. I PART. II. racter of enthusiasm; and, in fact, make it poetry* for it is this character of enthusiasm, Of improved that marks the poetical language of all nations; Perception. and to this a metrical division, strongly marked by limited pauses or accents, or similar terminations of the verses, as in the Greek and Latin hexameter, or English couplet, is certainly most appropriate. 26. The principle of harmony, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus has observed, is the same in prose as in verse; it consisting in certain arrangements of quantities, accents, and pauses in both; which, in the one, are without limitation or restraint; but, in the other, are restricted by rules, and measured out into given portions; which succeed each other, either immediately, as in our heroic metre; alternately, as in our elegiac and lighter lyric; or after certain periods, as in our pindaric or graver lyric. It is possible that a person may prefer free and unrestrained language, in all cases, to that which is restricted to rule and measure; as it is possible that he may * The critic above cited says, in praise of a line, that the breast actually labours to get through it. Dial. i. p. 46. To employ labour in writing may be a merit, if it be enployed with taste; but to require labour in reading is a species of ponderous excellence, that never yet found favour in the ears of any but a systematic critic. prefer ale to champagne: but let him nct, PART II. therefore, hold up licence as the perfection of CHAP. I. rule, or malt liquor, as the only pure wine. Of improved Hall, Donne, Hobbes, and Crashaw are as li- Perception. centious in their pauses as Milton; and distribute them, with the same irregularity, through the verse, from the first to the ninth syllable; and, if this licence be so exquisite a beauty, and add so much to harmony, their versification ought to be preferred to that of Dryden, Pope, or Goldsmith: but, unfortunately, they have not deserved or acquired so great a name, in other respects, as Milton; and the authority of a name is a medium, through which critics of this class discover innumerable excellencies, which otherwise would have remained as imperceptible to them as to the rest of mankind. The great and transcendent merits of Milton's poetry may excuse even greater blemishes and defects than are to be found in it: but to hear these defects and blemishes, the stains of negligence and rust of antiquity, extolled and recommended as refinements of taste, and artifice, cannot but excite the indignation of every writer, whose indignation is not stifled by contempt. 27. Poetry is the language of inspiration, and consequently of enthusiasm; and it appears CHAP. I. PART II. to me that a methodical arrangement of the sound into certain equal or corresponding porOf improved tions, called verses, the terminations of which are Perception distinctly marked to the ear; and the subdi visions or pauses of which are limited within certain bounds, is absolutely necessary to sustain that steady rapidity of utterance and exaltation above the ordinary tone of common speech; which can alone give a continued character of enthusiastic expression to any extensive composition. It is only by a constant preconception of what is to follow, that the poetical flow of utterance and elevation of tone are sustained for, unless the reader be generally apprized of what is to come, by what has gone before, he is like a person walking blindfolded over an uneven road; and knows as little how to modulate his voice, as such a person does how to regulate his steps: both march timidly, and consequently without vehemence or enthusiastic animation, in the just expression of which poetry consists. 28. It is observed by Dr. Johnson, that the Paradise Lost is one of the books, which the reader admires and lays down, and forgets to take up again. None ever wished it longer than it is. Its perusal is a duty rather than a pleasure. We read Milton for istruction, retire harassed and over-burdened, ! and look elsewhere for recreation*! If we dip PART II. "On peut être à la fois et pompeux et plaisant, 29. This great defect, the want of the power to please and amuse, I cannot but think as much owing to the nature of his versifica *Life of Milton. |