Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-03-06

plain Niagara that lad the natural but picturesque
scenery of the Mississippi the great Father of Waters
We all know that the English bard expressed the belief
that he had lived after his time and If his object to
have composed poem like the Tale OF Troy divine,
there mark was undoubtedly true but subjective poem like
the Paradise Lost could not have been written during the
reign of twilight civilization like that of the Homeric
era The poetic element in Millions nature, moreover
was not quenched by the adverse influences under which
he lived Neither age penury political persecu-
ton sealed up the yelling fountains within him, but like
the great Geyser of Iceland whose perennial gush Of
living waters during the winters ice and
SHOWS, the wehead of his poetry still flowed ON, and
with mortal voice. he sang
unchanged
To hoarse or mute though falln evil days.
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness, and with dangers compassd round
And solitude"
Every remembers the statement of Millions widow,
that he deemed himself actually inspired by the Holy
Spirit in the composition Of portions of his poems, mis-
taking in his poetic enthusiasm the fine phrenzy" of the
bard for the supernatural illumination of the Holy Ghost
quarter of century before he published Paradise Lost
he had written in the Reason of Church Government
concerning his purposed task, follows II is work
be raised from the heat of youth the vapors of
wine to be obtained of Dame Memory and her siren
daughters but by dcyou prayer to that Eternal Spirit
who enrich with all uterance and knowledge, and
sends out his seraphm with the haowed fire Of his altar
touch and purify the lips Of whom he peases." To
there is something touchingy beautiful in the unfegned
modesty and fervent faith of the blind old bard unwilling
to arrogate his unaded intellect the splendid concep
tons of his genius and rapt visions of his fancyeon
ceptons and visions of which he only conscious as
being the inspiration Of higher power
But we find ourselves nsensibly gliding into dsserta-
ton instead of combining ourselves to the function of an
humble graDumatcus, already promised. The notes,
commentaries criticisms and general observations OF Mr.
Boyd on the text Of the Paradise Lost to to have
been written and compiled with remarkable skill and in
excellent taste He has all the proverbl patience and
enthusiasm of a commentator; but Milton is of
those authors whose beauties superative that
scarcely any enthusiasm, however exalted mis-
placed when applied to him. Mr. Boyd has culled contri-
buttons for the eucdation of his avorie poet from
wide range of literary reading well theological
classical and has thus enriched his original observations
by the rpes criticisms and most sagacious suggestions of
English and American scholars.
We propose however to direct attention to fea-
ture of the Miltonc which has not think had
adequate justice done by single commentator indeed
know Of who has made it subject of special
mark of scientific appreciation allude to the rhythm
of his versfcation Of general observations respecting
the marvellous expresveness Of his numbers there has
been lack for this could not well have escaped the
most tod reader all the treasures of sweet and solemn
sound, says Charming at his command This power
over language is be ascrbed to Millions musical
1t belongs the soul. 1t is gift exercise of
genius which has power to impress itself whatever it
touches and finds, frames, in sounds, motions, and
material FORMS correspondence and harmonies with its
own fervd thoughts and feelings But besides this par
tcuar correspondence of the of sound with the
tnft fba
verse, most successful instrument Of poetic dicton
has deserved technical and reconcile examination
than il has received at the hands of annotators
critics.
Among the minor provinces Of literary criticism there
is perhaps in which such confusion of ideas OBJ
tains in the department of English versfcaton and
hence it is thing to meet with scholars who
without hesitation choral strophe in Eschylus
Sophocles but who would only shrink from the
scanson Of English verse; but also be puzzled enuncae
the metrical laws and hythmica principles which
knowledges. Hence every day hear such terms as
numbers, rhythm, metre poetic feet etc. employed in
connexions which prove that they who them have
discriminating Of the meaning of such terms but
them heedlessy though convertible expressions
The best English poets, such coeridge, Wordsworth
Byron and Longfelow frequently Violate the laws o.
prosodal harmony that is almost reduced the
vcon that they in their compositions had de6nt,
notions the system of English versifcaton But Nil
ton, thegreat master Of English verse; also, be
eye profoundly skilled in the of versifcaton John
son. il is true would have believe that the author
Paradise Lost preferred blank to rhyme "becausc
he found it easer-a shallow criticism which only shows
that the rhyming photographer had tried to write it.
II he did, that he DESTROYS Of persuadng himself
after the failure that il better to stick to his rhymes
From numerous prosodal criticisms Of Johnson's il II
evident that he ignorant Of the law which regulates
the succession Of English yhm and that he confound
ed quantity with accent elements Of scanson. Fol-
instance, he says that in Of Millions tn,
is equally upon two syabes together and upor
both strong; as,
Thus at their shady lodge arrived, both stood,
Both tnrn'd, and under open sky adored
The God that made both sky, air. earth, and heaven.
Now any good reader, possessed Of moderate share
intelligence respecting poetca propriety would accentu
ate the words stood and turned decidedly than
antecedent both But these words are all alike equal IN
quantity and the erute doctor fell into the vulgar erro
Of considering quantity identical with accent by rhythm
in the law Of succession which governs tn,
poetic feet Of line Of series Of lines this success
sion may be marked either by or by quantity Ir
the classical languages Of Greece and Rome as also IN
the Sanscrt tongue time is the index Of the rhythm bu
nearly all the poetry Of the modern has accent as thu
sole principle which regulates its prosody In Greek ant
Latin poetry the length Of the entire syllable sylable
Of each word Is defined by fixed though arbitrary rules
whereas in the modern tongues 1t is the vowel sound aon