New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-02
Literary WesOs and Criticism,

matter o. TACT X is merely a result Of the great
olherence between the amount Of time spent in
pronouncins novels and that spent in sounding
consonants. Anybody may discover without the
aid OF phonograrhic records, that we spend
nearly all our talking time in uttering voweg
and scarcely any, comparatively. in speaI,ing
consonants. Vowels are the soul and body of
words" as Professor Saintsbury says simply be-
cause OF their length. Those consonants which
are most Ike novels in their length Of utterance
ought on this theory. TO be the most effective
In ALTERATION; probably most Of us would agree
that this Is true OF the liquids, and the orna-
mental ALTERATION of our greatest word-poets,
notably Tennyson. Swinburne and Poe go far
to confirm ,ho view.
If this be ,.ae the curious rec5udescence of
the Anglc-SaXoa alliteTative school In Lang
land and his contemporaries ceases to be the
puzzle philoogists ana historians try to make
OF it. Chaucer's explanation OF the revival
namely, that it occurred in the extreme north
ern counties after their release from devastat-
ing wars, fits in with our theory perfectly: the
English least affected by the language changes
following the Norman Conquest still showed
two ancient traits; their consouants were heavier
than those Of their southern brethren and had
therefore a stronger aesthetic effect than we Of
to-day can even imagine. and a result Of
this the voweIs were correspondingly less force
ful. Add to this the possibility that terminal
rhyme can be appreciated only by mind cap
able Of sustaining easily rather long, compl-
Gated periods, ana # may be that our Anglo
Saxon forebears and their unpervarted descend
ants found the task Of taking in both the mar
rat.ve and its complex prosodic structure too
great for them. 1t is u conjecture, to be sure,
and yet not a wild one. that the Norman Con-
quest alone made possible the rise OF rhyme,
and thus indirectly Of elaborate rhythm.
The unique genius Of the English language
shows itself still more clearly in the tremen-
dous liberties taken with the quantity OF the
syllable Dead and technical as syllable guam
tity appears when looked Ct abstractly, we may
find in its pecuiarities one OF the most convinc-
ing evidences Of English individuality and free
dom. We find there a precise parallel to the
grammatical character Of our language, to
its matches huidity and willingness to yield
TO the touch Of every new genius, The length
Of an English sound is not determined by de-
cree as IN the classical tongues and many mod
ern ones; 1t varies according TO the immediate
demands Of the meaning. coloring and wider
prosodic structure of the verse. While Professor
salntsbury observes this and lays stress upon
its significance. he refrains from comment; per-
haps his historians instinct holds him back, but
II IS q pity that such a competent historian has
not hazarded a few broader suggestions and
comparisons here and there Had he INDUCED
IN such unhistorical exercise. he would proba-
bly, have observed the striking fact that Eng
lish poetry approaches more nearly 10 pure
music IN fits free handling OF quantities than
any other poetry, ancient or modern. ever has.
This may have something 10 do with the strik-
ing historical fact that England has produced
by far the largest number Of poetic genIuses
and by far the smallest number Of great
sicians. Is it idle fancy to suppose that the
Engllshnan has never felt driven beyond the
realm OF words in his search for his souls
safety?
Professor Saints5ury's congratulations have
lured US away from his historical presentnents.
A conscientious reviewer would. ere this. have
cited the historians narration OF the way in
which Chaucer summed up all previous English
prosody and perfected the decasyllabic couplet.
Notice would have been given Of the prosodio
revolution brought after Chaucers day by
the great spelling apd pronouncing reformsI the
e1nancipations achieved by the shoals OF I'M
known balladists who rescued the newly form
ing language from stiff classicsm, would
have been recounted. And So too. with the
italian and classical influences, which. working
upon Spenser, made him bring forth mine
liners" whose color, cadence and unbroken
sweep make them a perfect prosodic texture.
the first glory Of modern English verse But
the historian himself IS to blame for our neglect
Of these many interesting themes; whether his
theories be perfect or fawed. he has succeeded
in making the facts illustrate them ct every
turn This has been done somewhat too often
by means Of polemic and depression. The reader
tirnidly checks skeptical questions IN the pres
ence of one who has been doing nothing for
half a century save reading English poets. But
as soon as the book IS dropped the question
arises whether, after ALL in spite Of his rejec-
ton Of the extreme theory OF historical lawful
ness. Professor Eaiutsbury has not exceeded the
facts IN saying that English prosody has had
an organic unity for seven hundred years. Isn't
this "organic unity" simply a foreign name for
that poetic freedom which has worked so many
miracles Of song on English hillsdes? Isn't the
unity" simply q persistent refusal to march
the lockstep with the convicts of classicism?
Whether this be true or not, at any rate Profess
sor Saintsbury's treatment Of his subject matter
easily convinces his reader that the learned man
Is not merely palming off on US the clay from
which his diamonds have been extracted. He
has not helped anybody 10 enjoy poetry; but he
has made II possible for thoughtful readers to
find in English verse instances most glorious Of
that same strong, free spirit whose harsher,
more heroic deeds in war and rule ana on the
sea are sung by that same verse Itself
LONDON IN SNOW.
.r-r-r,