"Invention," however, or "imagination," is by far more commonly
insisted upon. The word poiesis itself (creation) speaks volumes
upon this point. Neither will it be amiss here to mention Count
Bielfeld's definition of poetry as "L'art d'exprimer les pensees par
la fiction." With this definition (of which the philosophy is profound
to a certain extent) the German terms Dichtkunst, the art of
fiction, and Dichten, to feign, which are used for "poetry" and "to
make verses," are in full and remarkable accordance. It is,
nevertheless, in the combination of the two omniprevalent ideas that
the novelty and, we believe, the force of our own proposition is to be
found.
So far we have spoken of Poesy as of an abstraction alone. As
such, it is obvious that it may be applicable in various moods. The
sentiment may develop itself in Sculpture, in Painting, in Music, or
otherwise. But our present business is with its development in
words- that development to which, in practical acceptation, the
world has agreed to limit the term. And at this point there is one
consideration which induces us to pause. We cannot make up our minds
to admit (as some have admitted) the inessentiality of rhythm. On
the contrary, the universality of its use in the earliest poetical
efforts of all mankind would be sufficient to assure us, not merely of
its congeniality with the Muse, or of its adaptation to her
purposes, but of its elementary and indispensable importance.
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