English Metrists: Being a Sketch of English Prosodical Criticism from Elizabethan Times to the Present Day. By T. S. Omond. (Clarendon Press, 108. 6d. net.) THESE pages bear witness to the abundance of thought and ingenuity which has been expended on the nature and true scheme of English verse. Mr. Omond, as all lovers of poetry know, has himself contributed much to this study, and he now sets himself to analyse the contribution of fellow-enthusiasts from the sixteenth century to the present day. the verse, to the neglect of the verse as a whole. There are two further references of which we think writers on prosody make too little. On all questions of the scansion of dramatic verse the competent actor ought to be appealed to; and where music is brought in-as it must be to elucidate metre, the system of bars and triple and common time should often give place to the musical phrase. So far as the writer of these words can tell from experience, most verse which can be supposed to count for anything rises in the mind to the accompaniment of a distinct musical phrase or motive which actually determines the metre of the verse but is by no means always divisible into bars. For Some of the efforts here made at reducing beautiful but irregular verses into measured The first chapter gives us plenty of substantial parts remind one of a passage in Marcus Aureand entertaining detail upon the old attempt lius, which, though it applies only to visible to make English verse conform at least in beauty of a humble kind, seems to contain the principle-to classical models. Mr. Omond has true philosophy of the beauty of all circum"to observe little difficulty in showing the intrinsic falseness scribed things:-"We ought," he says, of the conceptions underlying the hopelessly also that even the things which follow after the mechanical treatment of a really intricate problem, the things which are produced according to nature Under the idea of quantity, Latin and Greek contain something pleasing and attractive. verse implied temporal measure: but, by the instance, when bread is baked some parts are theorists who wrested English syllables into split at the surface, and these parts which thus caricatures of hexameters or sapphics, no effec- open and have a certain fashion contrary to the tual account was taken of time and of the pecu- purpose of the baker's art, are beautiful in a liar relation in English verse between time and manner, and in a peculiar way excite a desire for eating. And again, figs, when they are the very circumstance of their being near to quite ripe, gape open; and in the ripe olives rotteness adds a peculiar beauty to the fruit." measure. We must not forget to say, in conclusion, that besides the stimulating and scholarly chapters which are the bulk of the book, Mr. Omond gives us two full bibliographical Appendices, arranged the chronological order: and articles dealing with quantitative verse and the other on those pseudo-classical poems; dealing with the analysis of ordinary English in verse. one on books The Old Orthodoxy '-the theory and practice of the first half of the eighteenth centuryand Resistance and Rebellion '-the poetical history of the other half-furnish excellent discussions, especially the second with its criticism of Monboddo, Steele and Sheridan. The nineteenth century saw the rise of a new principle as a rule of verse that of counting accents instead of syllables. This might well seem as easy to understand and apply as it was illuminating, but, though it has revolutionized English prosody, it has aroused as many questions as it has laid to rest. Mr. Omond gives a spirited Edited by Sir and well-balanced view of the progress of lively The Two Gentlemen of Verona. controversy on this topic throughout the nineArthur Quiller-Couch and John Dover Wilson. teenth century. It might be foreseen that (Cambridge University Press, 68. net.) when accent-in whatever exact sense we use WE have here the second volume of the new the word-became the determining factor in Cambridge text of Shakespeare. The Two verse, the questions of rhythm and then of prose Gentlemen of Verona' is a play which gives the rhythm were not far off. In this connexion scholarly editor a maximum of thankless trouble. it seems to us that some of the studies considered The problems raised by the Folio text go down are somewhat impaired by too nearly exclusive into the very structure of the play and the heart an attention to the feet, or component parts of of the characters: but they remain by their BI th ar 66 Si of Р tl a 520 nature iluble An immature but most crust is unstable along two narrow zones, a Čircum-Pacific excellent discussion circle, of graceful and musical drama, it has suffered cuts, Mediterranean and a only distorted but also actually truncated it. 38.51 of all known earthquakes. The explanation adaptations and interpolations, which have not which the former counts 52-57 and the latter Mr. Dover Wilson's note on the copy used for of this has been taken by De Montessus de Ballore of the probabilities of the adapter's work, which, mountain chains in Tertiary times, when, in these we think, may be taken as a sufficient last word regions, sediments of great thickness were flung question of the adapting to go back to the formation of the principal Quiller-Couch's pleasant Intro- Conclusions as to the nature of the earth's duction takes this same Story, style and the play with a up, folded upon themselves and dislocated. interior based on seismological observations propriety. The most important seem to show that the outer crust, known to solution which was found un- earth's radius; that a thick, practically homo of the play from the points of view of character, principally on the results obtained by Knotttheory advanced is that Shakespeare finished mankind, has a thickness of about th of the acceptable, and that the hopeless concluding scene geneous layer extends within the outer crust to is the result of botching and some rewriting by about half the earth's radius; and that at a verse in certain places and from gaps and blunders a non-rigid nucleus. of it being drawn both from the inferiority of the earth's radius the elastic solid shell gives place to an unknown inferior hand, the reasons in support The crude and conventional coup de produced by the "faker" will, on this have formed the end of the play on in sense. theatre supposition, the play-copy; and, this being the source of the acknowledge that the more we consider the logical significance, should perhaps be depreFolio text, have come to be printed. We must explaining: and, since it has so definite a bioquestion the more likely appears this solution. to want cated. The so-called "growth " of the earth's The critical study of this play resolves itself crust would seem to be simply a piling up of it, largely into noting discrepancies and contra- in certain regions, through displacements caused dictions, and observing sundry stage effects by internal activity. This is as essentially which Shakespeare tries here for the first time, mechanical as the addition of layers of brick to and uses to more famous purpose in his later a wall; and if mountains may, at a stretch, be work. These entertaining pursuits do in them- thereby said "to grow," the expression can hardly selves rather tend to the depreciation of The be applied accurately to the crust itself. Two Gentlemen of Verona,' so that Shakespeare's to the possible influence of other bodies of the book concludes with a suggestive sentence as dawning greatness after all gets to itself something of a triumph when it compels the reader, solar system not only on the movements but also as it so often does, in spite of the above distrac- on the formation of the surface-features of our tions, to linger over and enjoy the still tentative, globe. yet easy and melodious verse, the faintly-coloured but delicately graceful figures of Silvia and Valentine, the drollery, already quite characteristic, of Lance, and the generously outlined Julia. The undistinguished stage-history of the play goes to reinforce our opinion that this excellent little volume gives us all that is or will be wanted on its subject. A Manual of Seismology. By Charles Davison. (Cambridge University Press, £1 1s. net.) ALTHOUGH books on scientific subjects are not strictly within our scope we cannot pass over this excellent manual. It does not deal with the history of earthquakes, nor with the history of seismology, but summarizes our present knowledge of the causes and the character of seismic disturbances. While most of it is purely technical, the lucidity both of the style and the arrangement makes it a not impossible work even for the general reader. For the student it will undoubtedly be, for some time, the received textbook on seismology. The work done in this science within the last century is of impressive bulk. De Montessus de Ballore's catalogue of earthquakes contains nearly 160,000 entries, all known earthquakes being included, however slight. Based on this catalogue his seismic map shows that the earth's ALL communications intended for insertion in our columns should bear the name and address of the sender-not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. EDITORIAL communications should be addressed to "The Editor of Notes and Queries '"-Advertisements and Business Letters to "The Publishers" at the Office, Printing House Square, London, E.C.4; corrected proofs to The Editor, N. & Q.,' Printing House Square, London, E.C.4. article which has already appeared, correspondents WHEN answering a query, or referring to an are immediately after the exact heading the numbers requested to give within parenthesesof the series, volume, and page at which the contribution in question is to be found. TWELFTH SERIES. VOL. VIII. SUBJECT INDEX. [For classified articles see ANONYMOUS WORKS, BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED, EPITAPHS, FOLK-LORE, nature insoluble. An immature but most graceful and musical drama, it has suffered cuts, adaptations and interpolations, which have not only distorted but also actually truncated it. Mr. Dover Wilson's note on the copy used for the printed text of 1623 is an excellent discussion of the probabilities of the adapter's work, which, we think, may be taken as a sufficient last word on the subject. a crust is unstable along two narrow zones, Mediterranean and a Circum-Pacific" circle, of which the former counts 52-57 and the latter 38.51 of all known earthquakes. The explanation of this has been taken by De Montessus de Ballore to go back to the formation of the principal mountain chains in Tertiary times, when, in these regions, sediments of great thickness were flung up, folded upon themselves and dislocated. Conclusions as to the nature of the earth's interior based on seismological observationsprincipally on the results obtained by Knott— seem to show that the outer crust, known to mankind, has a thickness of about th of the earth's radius; that a thick, practically homogeneous layer extends within the outer crust to about half the earth's radius; and that at a depth between one-half and six-tenths of the earth's radius the elastic solid shell gives place to Dr. Davison makes use a non-rigid nucleus. of the expressions "growth of the earth's crust,' 'portions of the earth's crust which are now on. The use of the word growing," and so growth" in this connexion seems to want explaining: and, since it has so definite a biological significance, should perhaps be deprecated. The so-called growth of the earth's The critical study of this play resolves itself crust would seem to be simply a piling up of it, largely into noting discrepancies and contra- in certain regions, through displacements caused This is as essentially dictions, and observing sundry stage effects by internal activity. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's pleasant Introduction takes this same question of the adapting of the play from the points of view of character, story, style and propriety. The most important theory advanced is that Shakespeare finished the play with a solution which was found unacceptable, and that the hopeless concluding scene is the result of botching and some rewriting by an unknown inferior hand, the reasons in support of it being drawn both from the inferiority of the verse in certain places and from gaps and blunders "The crude and conventional coup de théâtre" produced by the "faker" will, on this supposition, have formed the end of the play on the play-copy; and, this being the source of the Folio text, have come to be printed. We must acknowledge that the more we consider the question the more likely appears this solution. in sense. 64 The book concludes with a suggestive sentence as to the possible influence of other bodies of the solar system not only on the movements but also on the formation of the surface-features of our globe. which Shakespeare tries here for the first time, mechanical as the addition of layers of brick to and uses to more famous purpose in his later a wall; and if mountains may, at a stretch, be work. These entertaining pursuits do in them- thereby said "to grow," the expression can hardly selves rather tend to the depreciation of The be applied accurately to the crust itself. Two Gentlemen of Verona,' so that Shakespeare's dawning greatness after all gets to itself something of a triumph when it compels the reader, as it so often does, in spite of the above distrac tions, to linger over and enjoy the still tentative, yet easy and melodious verse, the faintly-coloured but delicately graceful figures of Silvia and Valentine, the drollery, already quite characteristic, of Lance, and the generously outlined Julia. The undistinguished stage-history of the play goes to reinforce our opinion that this excellent little volume gives us all that is or will be wanted on its subject. A Manual of Seismology. By Charles Davison. (Cambridge University Press, £1 18. net.) ALTHOUGH books on scientific subjects are not strictly within our scope we cannot pass over this excellent manual. It does not deal with the history of earthquakes, nor with the history of seismology, but summarizes Our present knowledge of the causes and the character of seismic disturbances. While most of it is purely technical, the lucidity both of the style and the arrangement makes it a not impossible work even for the general reader. For the student it will undoubtedly be, for some time, the received textbook on seismology. The work done in this science within the last century is of impressive bulk. De Montessus de Ballore's catalogue of earthquakes contains nearly 160,000 entries, all known earthquakes being included, however slight. Based on this catalogue his seismic map shows that the earth's Notices to Correspondents. ALL communications intended for insertion in our columns should bear the name and address of the sender-not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. to" EDITORIAL Communications should be addressed The Editor of Notes and Queries ""-Adver lishers"-at the Office, Printing House Square, "The Pubtisements and Business Letters to London, E.C.4; corrected proofs to The Editor, N. & Q.,' Printing House Square, London, E.C.4. WHEN answering a query, or referring to an article which has already appeared, correspondents are requested to give within parenthesesimmediately after the exact heading the numbers of the series, volume, and page at which the contribution in question is to be found. W. W. GLENNY (" Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness). This has been discussed in N. & Q.' at 2 S. ix. 446; 3 S. iv. 419; vi. 259, 337; vii. 367; 4 S. ii. 37, 68, 213; 5 S. ix. 7; 6 S. xi. 400. Sentences of similar significance to this, which, as our correspondent says, comes from Wesley, are to be found in Aristotle, the Talmud, and St. Augustine. TWELFTH SERIES.-VOL. VIII. SUBJECT INDEX. [For classified articles see ANONYMOUS WORKS, BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED, EPITAPHS, FOLK-LORE, Alchemical MSS., 49 Alcock (Mr.), duel with John Colclough, 1808, 384 American customs: a long grace, 151, 458 Andersen (Hans), his The Improvisatore,' 490 Anderson (Joseph), gamekeeper to Marquess of Anderson (Mary Welsh), d. 1788, 266 Arms of Ellingham, 391, 516 Anderson family, Baronets of Broughton, 268 Arms of England and France, 15 Army: Royalist and Roundhead rates of pay, 411 Anne (Queen), death of: white handerchief in- Army List, English, of 1740, 6, 46, 82, 185, 327, 405, 445 Arndell (Dr.), of Hobart, 410 Ascension Day: Warwickshire custom, 347 |