The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-02-06
Tho Shakespeare club,

This rule, to BE- Of any effect, and to meet
the emergencies for which it is made, must
Of course operate by scanning the line rs II
formed Of pure iambics, ut least In that
part which contains the word 70 be deter
mined. II tho dOubtGr had the option to
sean the line in my manner, or by tho in
PRODUCTION Of "tripletS" and "COmprGs.
siODs," as suggested by ], L, w. the rule
would he Of no assistance, us he could
change the foot In which tho word was
found, or into which it extended, or could
build his "triplet' or place his "COmpres'
sion" there, and thus would find himself in
bewildering perplexity, out Of which his
rule would not eXtriCate him.
Let us put the rule TO actual practice,
open our ShakGspeares in the play Of King
Richard III, Mt Act !, Scene Sd, near the
middle Of the scene: H. III,
Edward, thy son, that now Is Prince Of Wales,"
and eleven lines further on
Drivers and DOnOt, you werO ISLANDERS by"
Let us suppose that we wish to deter.
minG the pronunciation Of the proper
names, Edward and Rivers; in these lines
according to the rule under discussion, the
two words, We ar0 trying, would hive the
accent iall on the second syllable and b.
pronounced thus Edrdrd, Rivers,
In the same act Of King Richard III,
near the beginningOf scene 9Th, wo find the
line:
"Durlns the wan Of York and lancaster"
and eleven lines further on:
"WSlgcs Of gold, UOat anchors, heaps Of pearl"
In these lines We wish to determine the
words "During" and "Wedges't our rule
gives the accent on the second syllables OF
both.
In these four Illustrations, lines have
been taken, which arG composed Of purO
iambics, with tho exceptions Of the words
to be determined, therefore the rule has
been used fairly, These examples have
been taken simply to show how the rule will
work. Such lines being very common
throughout ShakespearO's pages, MI impIs.
ing array could be madO q them, II desir.
cd. Will j, q. A, or j, l., w. assert that
these four words, Rivers, Dorset, during
and wedges, and the host Of slmilar words,
IN like position, must be accented, on tho
second syllnbles, because, according 10
their rule, they would hU No determinCdg
This il tho rule | have vGntUred To criIiciSe,
and, with this explanation, ! leave this
point,
THE SECOND CRITICISM
which made upon the article by j. q, A..
was one which, I'm well aware, Is u matter
Of opinion, and not likely to meet definite
settlement; still, II seems to mo u thing
proper to bG discussed, ventllrGd to ex'
press the doubt TINT there was any impCri.
Gus necessity to change tho accent Of words
occurring III SlAkOSpGNrinn verse from tho
ordinary pronunciation 10 ono that would
make the rhythm more perfect This
| still think lust criticism, even
after reading tho article by j. l.. W. |
can casily understand, however that It mny
bU held good taste to change tho accent Of
certain words where tho change hUs r0'
CeiVed the sanction Of usage md been en-
dOrsed by the custom Of notable readers
and actors, yet am unwilling to hear the
rule laid down TINT this Is the only cor
rect way.
It has not been tho habit Of readers Of
Milton to make changes Of accent In words
OF well known pronunciation, to help them.
selves, or him, over certain rugged spots
which no has been pleased to leave In his
immortal poem. The CightiCth and eighty.
first lines Of the first book Of "PaNdise
Lost read thus:
"fNng after known III PALESTINE anl named
icelEebub. 70 whom tho ATcll-enemy'
In the latter Of these lines tho rythm
might DO further preserved by placing the
accent upon the middle syllable Of "GnG.
my; but we have not been accustomed 10
hear this line so read. Why should SlNks.
|, la Ian In IN
tho pronunciation Of words, md be treat
ed differently from Milton and other Of the
poets?
II usngc Ia claimed to have established
such practice, Ia not the good tAste Of such
usage open to crltlcisnIH II has nndOubt-
edly been custom, on the stage, To 80 pro.
nOlncC certain words; may not such Gus.
tom 'bG t
"NIOru honOrd In tho breach, than thcObscrVancU'S
A lofty mountain, with rough sides and
rugged ribs, bristling with Crags and rocky
projections, lifting 10 the clouds itsmighty
head, Is u majestic object. Would II be
well, In the interest Of The picturesque, to
attempt to make the mountain handsOlner
by planning Off lis rough projections and
presenting to the eye smooth cone, In
place Of tho irregular aspect Of nature?
There amal esty in many fShakspearG's
scenes and passages that To my mind Is en-.
HANGED byrugged verse, therefore | would
hesitate In applying the smoothing process.
THESE ARE THE Two CRITICISMS
advanced us having bearing on the pro.
nilnCintiOn question, and | would ask the
Club to give them fair consideration, and
let them stand on their merits. lirGjCCtpd,
nt least they will hive presented the INIT.
tor in such . light that the question will be
more fully Illuminated than II rule had
been adopted without discussion.
Next would sny few words In regard
to the manner In which these criticisms
were first placed. II, as one would under.
stand by the character Of his remarks, j. l..
w. objects to the name Of pigmies, rs mp.
piled to critics Of Shakespeare, lot me here
explain that although, nildCr this unfOrtu.
nate title, did really mean to include the
Shakespeare Club, myself and many more,
who have made greater prGtehse To critical
skill tllNn We, yet that | used the word In
no offensive sense, but simply IA Il measure
Of comparison. As the word seems. dis.
tasteful, | will beg to withdraw II. Ash
pigmy il small or dwarnsli inAn, I confess
That | tins felt myself Under the shadow Of
our greAt poet, and this made the forget that
my feeling might be no criterion for nthers,
who could aspire TO larger stature beside
the giant Of literature.
j. i. W., In CritiCiSihg my remarks IN re-
ference to changes Of pronunciation, says
1--WE should not drug down his Shakes.
pehrc's) verse to prose-" 10 which agree,
but would add we cannot do II, unless We
read II badly, and To avoid 80 doing Is one
Of the objects Of our Club. ! cannot sec that
the lust quoted remark llas u logical bearing
upon the question Under discussion. II
would only have such bearing II, 10 read
Shakespeare "A We read Milton, Pope, Dry.
den aud other poets, viz: according 10 tic
usual pronunciation Of the English Ian.
guagc, were To drug down his verse, which
respectfully claim II il not
i. l.. W. further intimaies that II Is IN
error TO call Millions Paradise Lost the only
English epic poem absolutely worthy Of the
name, because he claims that lord Ma.
cauley has said, "The seventeenth century
produced iirO grand epic poems, Paradise
Lostand Runyan's Pilgrims Progress
With all respect 10 Lord MNCauley, whose
weight Of metal "a a literary gun | fully
acknowledge, fhbld Tint the honorable lUrtl
did not, OF this occasion, speak with the
tNactness that usually ChataCtCfiles his
sentences.
The common and universally accented
definition If poem Is msiriedi compost.
II. -.