upon these prosaisms, as they call them, imagine that they have made a notable

discovery, and exult over the Poet as over a man ignorant of his own profession. Now

these men would establish a canon of criticism which the Reader will conclude he must

utterly reject, if he wishes to be pleased with these volumes. and it would be a most easy

task to prove to him, that not only the language of a large portion of every good poem,

even of the most elevated character, must necessarily, except with reference to the metre,

in no respect differ from that of good prose, but likewise that some of the most

interesting parts of the best poems will be found to be strictly the language of prose when

prose is well written. The truth of this assertion might be demonstrated by innumerable

passages from almost all the poetical writings, even of Milton himself. to illustrate the

subject in a general manner, I will here adduce a short composition of Gray, who was at

the head of those who, by their reasonings, have attempted to widen the space of

separation betwixt Prose and Metrical composition, and was more than any other man

curiously elaborate in the structure of his own poetic diction.

In vain to me the smiling mornings shine,

And reddening Phbus lifts his golden fire:

The birds in vain their amorous descant join,

Or cheerful fields resume their green attire.

These ears, alas! for other notes repine;

A different object do these eyes require;

My lonely anguish melts no heart but mine;

And in my breast the impeifect joys expire;

Yet morning smiles the busy race to cheer,

And new-born pleasure brings to happier men;

The fields to all their wonted tribute bear;

To warm their little loves the birds complain.

I fruitless mourn to him that cannot hear,

And weep the more because I weep in vain.

It will easily be perceived, that the only part of this Sonnet which is of any value is the

lines printed in Italics; it is equally obvious, that, except in the rhyme, and in the use of

the single word 'fruitless' for fruitlessly, which is so far a defect, the language of these

lines does in no respect differ from that of prose.

By the foregoing quotation it has been shown that the language of Prose may yet be

well adapted to Poetry; and it was previously asserted, that a large portion of the

language of every good poem can in no respect differ from that of good Prose. We will

go further. It may be safely affirmed, that there neither is, nor can be, any essential

difference between the language of prose and metrical composition. We are fond of

tracing the resemblance between Poetry and Painting, and, accordingly, we call them

Sisters: but where shall we find bonds of connexion sufficiently strict to typifY the

affinity betwixt metrical and prose composition? They both speak by and to the same

organs; the bodies in which both of them are clothed may be said to be of the same

substance, their affections are kindred, and almost identical, not necessarily differing

even in degree; Poetry 2. sheds no tears' such as Angels weep,' but natural and human

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