Some of the
dactyls are not so good as I could wish, but, upon the whole the
rhythm is very decent- to say nothing of its excellent sense.
THE POETIC PRINCIPLE
IN SPEAKING of the Poetic Principle, I have no design to be either
thorough or profound. While discussing, very much at random, the
essentiality of what we call Poetry, my principal purpose will be to
cite for consideration, some few of those minor English or American
poems which best suit my own taste, or which, upon my own fancy,
have left the most definite impression. By "minor poems" I mean, of
course, poems of little length. And here, in the beginning, permit
me to say a few words in regard to a somewhat peculiar principle,
which, whether rightfully or wrongfully, has always had its
influence in my own critical estimate of the poem. I hold that a
long poem does not exist. I maintain that the phrase, "a long poem,"
is simply a flat contradiction in terms.
I need scarcely observe that a poem deserves its title only inasmuch
as it excites, by elevating the soul. The value of the poem is in
the ratio of this elevating excitement. But all excitements are,
through a psychal necessity, transient. That degree of excitement
which would entitle a poem to be so called at all, cannot be sustained
throughout a composition of any great length.
Pages:
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307