The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-16
MAKING POETRY.

Mr. NJ p. Willis, in the course of letter about
the Poets in the BROTHER JONATHAN, thus in
troduces revered master of his craft in the We.
ry act Of making verse
How do you fancy Mr.. Wordsworth comes at
a poem2 will tell you. Walking in the fields
after spare breakfast, and having made up his
mind to write page or two towards the volume
promised to the Longmans, at Christmas, he
looks well about him in the hope Of finding Ma
lures Kaleidoscope in some new combinations
He has been praised in the Reviews for his
'close observations OF nature, and he has found
out by experience, that II is very easy having
once stumbled on phenomenon, to sit down
and think what in the moral world it resembles
He looks up at the sky-nothing new He stands
under trce-shady as usual, but nothing more
than has been mentioned. He looks into shrub
berry fixedy for half an hour--not an insect do
ing any thing eccentric! He walks on. II is
getting towards noon, and he must soon see
something, or lose his morning. Presently he
spies little flower, and though there is nothing
extraordinary about it, he spreads his pocket
handkerchief on the ground, and sits down TO
give il the close attention which Nature eXacts
in disclosing her secrets. at IS violet" he
soliloauises-s'So far, so good 1t will be ne
cessary first, to describe il accurately. To 90
direct 10 the point thcn-it is almost under the
stone. which has moss upon il, and though there
are, doubtless many more between this and the
barn ward, this IS the only one have seen. a
violet almost concealed by stone, and the only
one that has attracted my attention. HMM
-yes-vcry well violet by a stone-supply
the adiective-what sort of stone Ia messy
stone--true, true
violet by messy stone,
not bad line. Hid nearly from sight-say half
hidden !--eye is a softer word than sight, and
easier TO find a rhyme o-Haif hidden from the
eye!- come! this promises well
violet by messy stone,
Half hidden from the eycl
Now for the antithcss-what is it like7 One
volet-hm--few things in the world look well
single. Query-how is it in the moral world
IIm-this will plague me- | am afraid-ln the
mineral world Diamonds look well single
diamond -gem-stone-no! | have got stone
already How in the celestial world? Stars
look well singe--in fact pery neii indeed? Sin
gle star solitary star-one star--0ne rhymes toll
eraby well with sione-if we pronounce stone
like the Americans, il would do exactly oat
and Somehow shall ! bring that in? must
have rhyme for eye sky Ehew! (rubs his
hands) this begins TO come - Sky and eye &C
very well What is TO be said about this p
Why-that this violet is very pretty in this stu
alton, and being the only one have seen, silk,
one star in the sky Really this begins TO lool
like poetry Pretty would not be poeiical word
Fair is good word Fair as a stdr-so fal
| smooth Fair as star ,ohen there's bm on,
there are too many monosyllables in that line
| and there's bit sounds prosaic What shall W,
have for there's bit? There's but, expressed b,
a flowing adverb, for instance2 Hm-oniy
| Eureka! Eurekdl
| Fair star when only one
Come-come this will be verse! To brins
in skyn viii be easy Why, of course.