Irregular indention of poems
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which is sometimes notably irregular. Reprints of the sonnets of the seventeenth century should preserve the indention of their first editions.
Since honour from the honourer proceeds,
How well do they deserve, that memorize
And leave in books for all posterities
The names of worthies and their virtuous deeds;
When all their glory else, like water- weeds
Without their element, presently dies,
And all their greatness quite forgotten lies,
And when and how they flourished no man heeds !
How poor remembrances are statues, tombs,
And other monuments that men erect
To princes, which remain in closed rooms
Where but few behold them, in respect
Of books, that to the universal eye
Show how they lived ; the other where they lie!
John Florio, 1615.
How well do they deserve, that memorize
And leave in books for all posterities
The names of worthies and their virtuous deeds;
When all their glory else, like water- weeds
Without their element, presently dies,
And all their greatness quite forgotten lies,
And when and how they flourished no man heeds !
How poor remembrances are statues, tombs,
And other monuments that men erect
To princes, which remain in closed rooms
Where but few behold them, in respect
Of books, that to the universal eye
Show how they lived ; the other where they lie!
John Florio, 1615.
As a collection of poems in different measures must have lines of unequal length, it is impracticable to give rules for absolute uniformity, but care should be taken to regulate the indention so that lines will not turn over unnecessarily. Odes with lines of uneven length must be indented irregularly, to keep the body of the text matter as nearly as possible in the middle of the page. When odes are set in narrow measure, it is better to turn over an occasional long line rather than print most of the lines out of centre.
