" 229 the part of the peerless beauty, an allowance that qualifies the ideal picture of loveliness, without spoiling it as an ideal. This too is a remedy against maudlin. The skilled novelist knows to introduce touches of human weakness into the most perfect characters. The remainder of the poem consists of the tale of the noble and chivalrous knight, and the effect of all its windings upon Genevieve, ending in a complete conquest of her affections. The design is original, and the working out has the like grace and finish of language; never a word out of keeping, and the melody always of the richest. The stanzas commented upon sufficiently represent the whole. Keats's Eve of St. Agnes' is made much of by Leigh Hunt, but scarcely bears the weight of his eulogy. It is a romantic tale of love and successful adventure; the merit consisting in the imagery and pictorial circumstances; very original and quaint, sometimes harmonious, sometimes heart-touching, but not by any means equal; it cannot be compared with Coleridge's 'Love'. Although the minute examination of the poem appeals oftener to individual feeling than to reasoned criticism, yet there is scope for both, as well as for copious illustration of poetic effects. The first stanza is a pictorial grouping to express chillness. Being painful, the poetry must be exquisitely harmonious, and must not simply add to the depression. The effect to be realized may possibly be a re-action, or cheering contrast, which, however, is barely attained. The poor old beadsman is pathetic in the inspires our pity, but his age makes it lighter. invented to project his feeling of chillness are to the scene, but not inspiring. ordinary sense; he The circumstances curious and suited The sculptured dead on each side seem to freeze is not an enchanting or felicitous thought; it carries the enlivening of the dead too far. Only a bold imagination, with unusual motive, would go the length of bringing human emotion out of stone figures; we could sooner draw it out of trees and flowers, which have a living interest to begin with. Emprison'd in black purgatorial rails is equally forced, and equally unable to quicken emotion in an ordinary mind. It is gloomy enough, but not an inspiring gloom; heavy, stony, stiff. Not like Shakespeare's thrilling ice'. -and his weak spirit fails To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails. The poet produces a depression that he does not intend, if he produces any effect at all; we may refuse to undergo the labour of imagination, for so little of the reward. Hunt admires the lines in Stanza III.: - Music's golden tongue Flatter'd to tears this aged man and poor. The epithet golden' may operate as a compliment, but it does not fuse with the notion of music; the disparity of the senses stops the way. The word 'flatter'd' is supposed to express with felicity the stirring and elevating effect of the music, although combined with tears, which might be joyful; but the interpretation is very roundabout. It is not obviously suited to all minds, although it has an assignable connexion. At the end of Stanza IV., there is a further attempt to give life to the sculptured figures: The carved angels, ever eager-eyed, Stared, where upon their heads the cornice rests, With hair blown back, and wings put cross-wise on their breasts. This is a smaller flight. It is one of those attempts to picture with vividness, by animated phraseology, the sculptured expression, without giving the stony figures emotion. Enough, if it be suggestive of the fact, and also calculated to increase the admiration of the artist. It is the calling up of what does not strike the common eye; and what we are pleased to find discovered. Stanza VI. we quote- They told her how, upon St. Agnes' eve, Young virgins might have visions of delight; From The combination 'soft adorings' is in full keeping; the honey'd middle of the night,' is one of Keats's daring contiguities. It is original, and not unsuitable; yet we must not press the meaning of honey too far, or it will fail us. Stanza VII: Full of this whim was thoughtful Madeline: She scarcely heard: her maiden eyes divine The 'yearning' of the music 'like a god in pain' is an original and striking description of an effect characteristic of the highest music-emotion, massive and vague, and seeming to strive after more definite expression. The 'maiden eyes divine' is a felicitous conjunction, ranking with the human face divine; much more unctuous than the epithets describing the sculptured figures. Stanza X. A powerful description of the blood-thirsty tenants of the place. Hyena foemen, and hot-blooded lords, Whose very dogs would execrations howl Then comes the picture of the poor old woman— Save one old beldame, weak in body and in soul. KEATS'S EVE OF ST. AGNES'. 231 She guides Porphyro till-- He found him in a little moonlit room, Pale, latticed, chill, and silent as a tomb. The grouping here is intended both to give a picture and to imbue it with the feelings of cold and loneliness. For the picture, the helps are 'little,' 'latticed,' 'moonlit,' and 'pale'-size, form, and illumination; by no means an effective grouping, especially in the arrangement given. The comparison, silent as a tomb,' is apt and powerful, in spite of commonness. Stanza XV. Of the old woman it is said-- Feebly she laugheth in the languid moon--- a harmonizing conjunction between the weakness of the old creature and the scenic embodiment. The force of the combination eludes analysis; it aims at being poetical, but may possibly be lost upon the mass of readers. Stanza XXI. :— Safe at last, Through many a dusky gallery, they gain The maiden's chamber, silken, hush'd and chasteintended to be suggestive, both of a picture and of the purity of Madeline; and to a certain limited extent answers the end. The poet's genius is, however, reserved for the sleeping casement and the maiden herself. Stanza. XXIV. gives an elaborate picture, which admits of being examined for the laws of description, while the emotional keeping is one of Keats's successes in the art. In Stanza XXV. Madeline is seen at her devotions :- As down she knelt for heaven's grace and boon; And on her hair a glory, like a saint: She seemed a splendid angel, newly drest, There is little attempt at giving a picture, but the images are all Unclasps her warmed jewels one by one; The poet here wakens our different senses with his suggestive imagery-warmth, fragrance, rustling sound; and goes far to disclose to us a beautiful naked figure, made more impressive by active and partial concealment. The greatest effect remaining is in Stanza XXXVI., where the emotion of Porphyro, on being addressed in earnest love tones by Madeline, is described by the highest intensity of subjective language, aided by objective settings. As a narrative and descriptive poem, there is a defect of setting in the surrounding scene. Time past lends itself to Pathos in various ways. To recall the fortunes of those that have passed away may awaken a pathetic interest, as well as the admiration of greatness and the detestation of tyrants and oppressors. Horace Smith's Mummy' is an attempt to imagine Egyptian life and history, through the survival of one human frame. A short example of the same kind is seen in Keats's 'Nightingale': The voice I hear this passing night was heard In ancient days by emperor and clown: Perhaps the self-same song that found a path Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, This bold device is not always successful; it must come as a surprise, and have more than usual appropriateness. The examples may be fittingly closed with Matthew Arnold's little Ode-Requiescat. The pathos of Death, as deliverance from trouble and life-weariness, is enhanced by the fine touches of character; the writer's own sympathies concurring. Strew on her roses, roses, And never a spray of yew! In quiet she reposes; Ah! would that I did too. Her mirth the world required; Her life was turning, turning, Her cabin'd, ample spirit, It fluttered and failed for breath; To-night it doth inherit The vasty hall of death. 'The vasty hall of death' suggests the remark that the poetry of death has passed from the pathos of pure negation, as in Job'Ye shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be '-to the imagination of something positive, however vague. VITUPERATION. THE LUDICROUS. There is a large department of Literature marked out by the terms-Comic, Ludicrous, Humour, Wit. The effects thus designated admit of critical adjustment. It is known that Greek Comedy had its rise in the jeering and vituperation exchanged during the processions in honour of the god Dionysus, or Bacchus. At first, this was simply the pleasure of coarse malignity. When, however, the regular comedy was matured, there was still vituperation and ridicule, but accompanied with literary skill and refinement-in consequence of which, the interest survived to after ages. The milder forms of Ridicule, such as we now term the Ludicrous and Humour, were cultivated along with those severer outbursts, whereby Comedy was rendered a weapon of denunciation in the conflicts of political parties. But even the mildest forms could not dispense with vilifying, degrading or otherwise maltreating persons, institutions and other objects commanding veneration or respect. This brings us round once more to the seemingly inexhaustible pleasure of Malignity, already referred to as prominent in the Quality of STRENGTH (p. 64). There is a gradual shading, from the effects described under Strength to the present class; the extremes being sufficiently wellmarked. From the Sublime to the Ridiculous is a considerable step: yet, if we start from the malignant Sublime, the descent is natural and easy. Without some infusion of malignancy, the Comic would lose its force, Humour its unction. VITUPERATION. 1. In approaching the Comic, the Ridiculous, the Ludicrous, we may halt at the kindred effect, named VITUPERATION. To vituperate, abuse, vilify, denounce, calumniate, satirize, is so far a distinct operation; it may or may not be accompanied by the ludicrous, although at all times in near alliance with that quality. Every language possesses |