THE Central Literary Magazine. It must be borne in mind that this Magazine is neutral in Politics and Religion; its pages are open to a free expression of all shades of opinion without leaning to any. No. 7. JULY, 1882. POPE'S ESSAY ON CRITICISM.* VOL. V. MERELY to read a poem, without division, analysis or comment, even though it may be one of moderate length, would, on an occasion such as this, indicate an inexcusable mental indolence on the part of the reader, and would, doubtless, conduce to considerable weariness on the part of the listeners. On the other hand, there are so few poems that will bear fragmentary dissection without risk of weakening their effect, or destroying their beauty as a whole, that anyone who undertakes to describe one, may well feel some trepidation, lest, in the endeavour to avoid the Scylla of monotony, he should be lost in the Charybdis of detail. Fortunately, however, for reader and listeners alike, the poem to which I have been asked to refer to to-night, is not only perfect in its way, as a whole, but perfect in parts also. This is evidently the light in which it was regarded by Dr. Johnson, who says truly, "many of the paragraphs may change places with no apparent inconvenience." I doubt much whether this can be considered as a virtue, or a desirable attribute in poems generally, but, at any rate, this peculiarity is very favourable for our present purpose. The "Essay on Criticism" is so full of wise and trite sayings, so sparkling with epigrammatic couplets, that it may be likened to a cluster of jewels, of which each component part possesses a charm of its own. *One of the papers read to the members of the C.L.A., April 28th, 1882; being the sixth of the series of "Evenings with the Poets." |