The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1841-03-06
: / |. l. e. y T. ID.
"JACk AND GILL"

pressing twaddlc and aiiectation of learn
ING of modern literary reviewers. The
writer is Mr.. Joseph Donnie, an Ameri
can author.
Among critical writer's it is common
remark, that the fashion of the times has
often given temporary reputation TO per-
iormanccs Of very little merit, and ne
! elected those much more deserving of
applause. This circumstance renders it
necessary that some person Of sufficient
sagacity to discover and to describe what
is beautiful and so impartial as TO dsre-
card vulgar prciudiccs, should guide the
public taste, and raise merit from Obscu-
rlty. Without arrogatIng to myself these
qualities, shall endeavor to introduce to
the nation work. which though of con-
siderable elegance, has been strangely
overlooked by the generality of the world.
The performance to which aIlude, has
never enjoyed that celebrity to which it is
EMIT Jed. but it has of late fallen into dis
reputc, chiefly from the simplicity Of its
style, which, in this age of luxurious re-
incment, is deemed only Il secondary
beauty and from its being the favorite
OF the young, who can relish, without be-
ing able to illustrate, It's excellence. |
rejoice that it has fallen to my lot to res
cue from neglect this inimi'ahc poem:
/ for: whatever may be my di;;idcncc, as
shall pursue the manner of the most emf
ncnt critics. it is scarcely possible to err.
The flstdious reader will doubtless smile
when he is informed that the work thus
highly praised is Il poem consisting only
of four lines but as there is no reason
why poet should be restricted in his
number of verses. as it would be a very
sad misfortune if every rhymGr were
obliged to write long as well as bad
poem and more particularly as these
verses contain more beauties than we Of
ten find in a poem of four thousand, all
objections to its brcvity should cease. |
must at the same time acknowledge, that
at first | doubted in what class of poetry
it should be arranged. Its extreme short
ness, and its uncommon metre, seemed to
degrade it into ballad, but It's interest
ing subject, its unity of plan, and, above
all, its having beginning, middle, and an
end, decide It's claim to the epic rank.
shall now proceed with the candor, though
not with the acutcncss, of a good critic,
to analyze and display It's various excel
lencics.
Tie opening of the poem is singularly
beautiful -
Jack and Gill;
The first duty Of the poet is to introduce
his subject, and there is no part of poetry
more difficult. We are told BY the great
critic of antiquity that we should avoid
beginning " alb ovo," but go into the bust
ness at once. Here our author is very
happy; for instead of telling US, as an or
binary writer would have done, who were
the ancestors of Jack and Gill, that the
grandfather OF Jack was a respectable far
mcr, that his mother kept "a tavern at the
sign OF the Blue Bear and that ellis ia
thcr was a Justice Of the peace (once of
the quorum), together with a catalogue of
unclcs and aunts, he introduces them to
us at once in their proper persons. can
nos help accounting it, too, as a circum-
stance honorable to the genius of the DO
ct, that he does not in his opening call
upon the muse, This is an error into