Then when you chance to end a line with 'fumble,'
A splendid choice you have in 'mumble, tumble,'
And several others, not forgetting 'Bumble.'[1]
The very words have such a humorous pathos—
(A contradiction is it? well, say bathos)
That even a tyro in the rhyming art
Easily finds the first rhyme's counterpart,
And feels at once that he's a heaven-born poet,
And vows the ignorant world shall quickly know it,
Taking for inspiration what is due
To the rhymes alone—but so perhaps would you.
A splendid choice you have in 'mumble, tumble,'
And several others, not forgetting 'Bumble.'[1]
The very words have such a humorous pathos—
(A contradiction is it? well, say bathos)
That even a tyro in the rhyming art
Easily finds the first rhyme's counterpart,
And feels at once that he's a heaven-born poet,
And vows the ignorant world shall quickly know it,
Taking for inspiration what is due
To the rhymes alone—but so perhaps would you.
"Well, sir! now you've described the rhymer's woes,
What remedy for them do you propose?
Would you our native tongue Italianate
Unskilful rhymers to accommodate?
Rob it of all its rugged strength and power
To make it fitter for a lady's bower?
Create new rhymes to ease the poet's task,
His laziness and emptiness to mask?"
What remedy for them do you propose?
Would you our native tongue Italianate
Unskilful rhymers to accommodate?
Rob it of all its rugged strength and power
To make it fitter for a lady's bower?
Create new rhymes to ease the poet's task,
His laziness and emptiness to mask?"
No, my good friend! our language rough and strong
No equal owns for music and for song
When handled by a true son of Apollo!
What matter though it soundeth harsh and hollow
When poetasters use it! 'Twas my end
In seeming to decry it, to commend,
As lovers will sometimes each other rally
With many a bantering and witty sally,
No equal owns for music and for song
When handled by a true son of Apollo!
What matter though it soundeth harsh and hollow
When poetasters use it! 'Twas my end
In seeming to decry it, to commend,
As lovers will sometimes each other rally
With many a bantering and witty sally,
- ↑ (But you must not forget the muse decrees
In serious verse you can't use words like these;
There's something in their very sound to tickle us,
And render the most solemn verse ridiculous.)
85
