Modern Parnassus; or, The New Art of Poetry/Preface
PREFACE.
IT is now generally admitted, that the Greek and Roman poets, together with those of modern times, who have copied their manner, ought no longer to be considered as examples for the youthful bard. Those critical compositions, therefore, which in an earlier age were drawn up, either in prose or verse, for the direction of the novitiate in poetry, inasmuch as the precepts, which they contain, are derived from the exploded models, must now be entirely useless, or, what is worse, must mislead the pupil into a style of writing, which will defeat his purpose of gaining the applause of his countrymen.
Hence it becomes very desirable, that a new set of rules should be arranged, suited to the improvements and corrected taste of the present day; in order that they, whose genius or inclination leads them to cultivate poetry, may not only enjoy the advantage of having models to imitate, in the numerous poets by which the age is distinguished, but may also have a kind of manual, to which they may easily refer in cases of doubt and difficulty. This task I have ventured to undertake; and I assure the reader, that, however imperfectly in other respects it may be executed, he will find the precepts to be fairly and legitimately deduced from the most popular authorities of the day. One maxim of the exploded critics we still admit to be just; that the rules for writing in verse cannot be laid down by dint of previous reasoning, or, as the metaphysicians express it, a priori, but must be drawn from poems, which have been crowned with the greatest success, and which, therefore, we conclude to be the best. Thus, Aristotle, in the first art of poetry that was ever written, derives his maxims from the works of Homer; and our countryman, Mr. Pope, admits the propriety of this plan in the following lines of his Essay on Criticism,
She drew from them what they deriv'd from Heav'n.
Waving therefore all claim to the invention of the new poetic art, I merely take to myself the credit of collecting and methodizing the principles and maxims, which lie scattered here and there throughout the numerous successful poems of the present remarkable æra.
As in the schools of our universities every sentiment is uttered in a learned language, so, it is well known, that, in the school of the ancient poets, it was customary to use only the language of verse, even upon prosaic subjects. They therefore threw into a metrical form their art of poetry, which might perhaps have been more explicitly and methodically described in prose; and they preferred the didactic strains of Horace to the critical discourses of Aristotle. Hence it is, that, although a discussion in prose, upon the principles and rules of modern poetry, has already been laid before the public[1], I thought it due to the dignity of the newly-endowed school of poets, that, like the ancients, they should have (if I may so express myself) a poetical grammar, in which the pupil may learn the elements of his art.
It were to be expected, that my verse should have been itself an illustration of the rules which it prescribes, after the manner of Longinus, who "is himself the great sublime he draws." But (as the reader will find in the fifth part of the poem), not being able to root entirely from my mind a lingering fondness for the models upon which my youthful judgment was formed, I thought, that the lenient public, if I resembled the moderns in the spirit of my composition, would excuse me for giving it an old fashioned form.
It may possibly be objected to me, by the modern sect of poets, that I had no right to consider Mr. Scott and lord Byron as belonging to their party, because the one paints the visible forms of nature, whether animate or inanimate, with the pencil of Spencer; and the other develops the deep and dark passions of the mind with the touches of a Greek tragedian. I subscribe to the justice of the premises, but deny the validity of the conclusion. Though, in some respects, those writers have not abandoned the ancient prejudices; yet, in others, they have both discovered so obvious a leaning towards the modern improvements, that we may in justice consider them as good authority for establishing some clauses of the new digest of poetical law.
It has been no small consolation to me, while I have been labouring in the execution of my plan, to think that I might be instrumental in making the road to poetical honours still more easy than it was before; and that, instead of being shadowed forth as formerly, by a steep, it may henceforth be represented by a gentle descent, "so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospects and melodious sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming[2]."
Already the repeal of the harsh decrees and penalties has emboldened a great number of young people of both sexes to practise the lyre, who formerly would never have thought of striking a single note. It is possible that I may add more to the number, and have the satisfaction of knowing, that some few, at least, encouraged and assisted by my plain and easy maxims, have risen above the level which seemed to be their place in society, and have been so happy as to publish a second or even a third edition of their poems with increasing applause.
It must not be disguised, that there are, especially at our universities, a few recusants, who cannot be proselyted to the new poetical faith, and who rail against more what they term "the heresies" of the reformers of our poesy[3]. To them I more particularly address the present work; and I request them to weigh with serious attention, on one hand, the advantages which the poet enjoys under the new regulations, in point of ease, emolument, and fame; and, on the other, the large quantity of pleasure[4], which has been communicated to multitudes of readers, who are entirely insensible to the beauties of ancient song. If, influenced by these considerations, any of the malecontents should abjure their disaffection, and join the standard of the successful party, I shall deem it the most honourable reward of my labour, and the most splendid part of my triumph.
- ↑ Preface to Mr. Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads.
- ↑ Milton on Education.
- ↑ "We wish we could entertain any tolerable hopes of converting him from the 'damnable heresies,' into which he has fallen, and to which, if he does not reform speedily, we fear his reputation will die a martyr."
- ↑ The author of the Lyrical Ballads, who expected to please a great number, says, "The result has differed from my expectation in this only, that I have pleased a greater number than I ventured to hope I should please.
Preface to Lyrical Ballads.