The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-03-22
-THE MECHANICAL PLACEMENTS OF
POETRY


EOA4A M
Rev. Dr.. cordley's Lecture at the N. T.
ChOreh Last Evening.
The subject chosen by Rev. DR..
Cordley for his lecture al the 81. Z.
church last week was fraught with
especial interest 70 persons of literary
inclinings, snd his original and in
genious treatment OF the theme fur
nished evidence Of the attractions which
the higher planes OF mental research
possess for this scholarly gentleman. It
Is at once source OF pleasure and Of
profit TO turn aside from the more prac-
ticai lines of thought to the contempla-
ton of those sources OF inspiration
which are only revealed to those minds
which are fully attuned to all the finer
influences that peIVade the world of ma
ture and OF art. and snch was the high
privilege OF those who accompanied Dr.
CordIey last evening into the realms of
thought which he had so carefully ex-
plored, and the treasures OF which he
placed in such a clear and effective
light
The central idea Of the lecture was
the indissoluble relation existing be-
tween thought and its embodiment in
language, and the following outline of
the Doctors skillful elaboration of this
thought is well worthy of the space
which we give it:
The principles of language are di-
vine conception. as much so as the un-
DERIVING principles Of social life or po-
lItical order. We speak of language as
the mere garb of thOught, and we try
TO conceive OF thought as existing with
out speech. While it is possible that q
man should hold thought in his mind
without giving it any expression, a
thought In a mans soul always strug.
giles for utterance and Is not complete
until it has embodied itself IN speech.
Language is more than the garb of
thought-it is rather the incarnation of
thought. The connection between the
thought and the language express
ing its as our college
professor used to tell us, is vital con-
nection; it is the connection of soul and
body. If q thought be perfectly ex-
pressed you cannot change the express
sion without changing the thought. A
man who can exactly and fittingly ex-
press himself will make himself felt.
A noble thought in choice words is the
ideal of speech.
It Is very common, nowadays TO
claim that the essence of poetry is en-
tifely in the thought, while the form of
expression is merely incidental; that
poetry is a grade or style of thought
and not form of composition; that
poetry may exist independent of all
forms, and that all forms are its own.
The various definitions of poetry which
conform to this idea are very pretty
things to say, but hold that poetry
cannot be defined without recognizing
the mechanical elements which enter
into its composition. 1t involves GER
tain structure of composition as well as
a style of thought. There is doubtless
a style of thought appropriate TO poetic
forms OF speech, but they are
not poetry if the form be wanting.
Rhyme may be prosy, but it is not prose.
There are poetic symptoms in many
forms of prose, but no definition Of
poetry can be at all satisfactory which
does not emphasize the poetic structure.
This structure is not only an essential
element in its conception, but a very
potent element in its power. If l were
to attempt to define poetry should say
it was attaining the ends of speech in
rythmic form. Use the term rhythmic"
in its brssdest sense, as signifying the
regular recurrence of similar accent,
quantity, sound or clause. This may
appear in the balancing of clauses, the
grouping of syllables or the rhyming of
sounds, and there is power in the con-
sequent periodicitY of movement,
whether it be in thought or matter"
The speaker than proceeded 10
set forth the charm attaching TO
poetic construction by the quotation of
many common proverbs and pithy say
ings which have held attention and
chung to life as much by their form as
by their force, and showed that it is
very common for people to remember
for its rhyme what they forget for its
reason. His,iilustration of this thought
was entertaining and instructive in the
highest degree, and enlisted the closest
attention.
In analysing the ingredients which
constitute the mechanical effects of
poetry, tile speaker named the three ele-
ments OF psIallelism, rythm and rhyme.
Parallelism is the breaking up of dis
course into lines or clauses; rythm is
dividing the lines into poetic feet
rhyme is ending the lines with similar
sounds. The first is the rylhm OF
clauses; the second the rythm of sylla-
bles, and the third the rylhm OF
sounds. The earliest form of poet.
~, of which the old Scriptures
were cited as an illustration, embraced
only the first; classic poetry and blank
verse employ the first and second, while
most of our modern poetry employs all
three, and in their combination poetry
finds its most effective form of expires.
sion.
In concluding his lecture DIR. CordleY
stated its object was to show that the
rythmic construction is an essential ele
ment in the conception of poetry, and 8
very important element in its power. Il
IL common IN the discussion of thi:
theme to underrate the form in the de.
sire to exalt the thought, bu
they go together and cannot be divorced
The assumption that structure is moth.
ing and thought is everything may dc
in that other world where spirits live
without naturalization, and thought i:
communicated. without words, but in thi:
world We are dependent on form and
speech.
1t is needless to state that such an ad-
mirable literary effort absorbed the clos.
est attention of the audience. which. by
the way, our Methodist friends should
have swelled to four times its proper
tions, and that the speaker was most
heartily applauded at the conclusion Of
his lecture, which would command q
careful hearing before any semblage
of cultivated people in the country.
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TOWN TALK.