The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-21
POETRY HIS SUBJECT,
DIR. Poilard's Instructive Lecture at
the College

tne COIIcgc.
Professor John Pollard delivered The
fourth lecture In the course at Richmond
College last night before large crowd.
lie took as his subject Poetry"
Dr. Pollard spoke In part as follows:
Poetry Is difficult subje<t 10 teach. Some
who have handled the theme have left
the enquirer more befogged than enlight-
ened. No pretentious or ambitious task
Will be undertaken. The sole object will
be to enable thoughtful persons to read
with appreciation and enjoyment what
the great poets have produced; the treat
ment will be simple. The poetry In mind
will be that produced at a time when the
poet loved his art more than gold. and
sooner than sacrifice it was willing 20
find his compensation IN n crust.
Only two Of many definitions will be
given. Coieridge said: Poetry Is the OPP
posite OF science" Science IS ineffective
and instructive; poetry passes out OF the
realm of the intellectual into the emotve
and imaginative. and Is designed to give
pleasure Science has feet, but no wings,
and always keeps her feet on solid
ground. Poetry has pinions that often
bear her away TO ETHEREAL regions Baird
says poetry IS "a fine art, operating by
means of thought conveyed In language
That is the poet is full brother to the
musician. the sculptor and the painter
But n perfectly satisfactory definition IS
not necessary No one can tell what cleo
tricity IS. and yet much is known about
this mysterious power OF nature
Poetry has an invariable, an occasional
and q usual form. It's invariaDle form
is rhythm. Poetry could not possibly DC
compressed into any other shape. us o.
4 "A
in describing the dawn gives us a pas
sage that is prose in form. but in spirit
is poetry throughout. The usual form
of poetry is verse. IL IS sufficiently ac-
curate TO say that verse consists of a
regular number OF lines in each stanza,
a regular number of feet in each line, a
regular number Of accented and unaccent-
cd syllables in each foot. rhine appearing
or not appearing, as the poet may elect
So usual IS the verse form that some have
srpposed that wherever verse IS there
poetry exists. But that IS a great mis-
take As there may be verse without
poetry. so there may be poetry without
verse. Water from the clouds in coming
TO the earth usually falls I'm the shape
of rsin-drops. but that IS not denying
that il may sometimes descend in hail
or snow.
How then can we know poetry? II
has certain characteristics. 10 abounds
in figures OF speech. specially I'm simlle'
metaphor. personfcation, climax hyper
bole and antithesis. IL selects It's ma
terial largely from the external world.
II avails itself OF mans interest IN nue.
mainly. 1t uses concreteness and como.-
nation as opposed TO the abstract and
the isolated. II aims AZ harmony. Ihe
ideal is aimed at in poetry. Poetry Ike
all other fine arts. avoids the painful, ana
when the painful must be introduced
seeks 10 make atonement Poetry is h-
tenselv emotional Such are some of the
chief marks by which poetry may be
known.
The lecturer concluded by hoping that
each one present might know Nhe expert
ence of Coleridge. Poetry has been 10
me its own exceeding great reward IL
has soothed my Affections. f. has multi
plies and refined my enjoymenis' 1t has
eudeared solitude and it has given me
The habit Of wishing to discover the good
and The beautiful in all that meets and
surrounds me-"
The lecturer was given close attention
throughout and the discourse was spoken
Of by cultured people present as being
both finished and instructive.