Mirth and metre

Mirth and metre

If any one of those mysterious autocrats who do the reviews on some newspaper or serial shall, in his condescension, deign to inform public opinion what he may think about Mirth and Metre, that autocrat, unless he be in an unhoped-for state of benignity, will, doubtless, commence with the agreeable remark that the work before us consists of certain Lays and Legends, written in paltry imitation of the productions of the inimitable Thomas Ingoldsby. Admitting the imputation without cavil, (except at the word paltry, which really is too bad, dont you think so, dear reader?) the authors would inquire whether such an admission legitimately exposes them to hostile criticism? When the late Mr. Barham produced the Ingoldsby Legends, he, as it were, founded a new school of comic versification. That this is not a mere ipse dixit of our own is evinced by the fact that, in common parlance, a man who adopts this style of composition is said to have written an Ingoldsby, as he might be said to have written an Epic, had he chosen that form instead. To assert that only a very small shred of Mr. Barhams mantle has fallen upon any of his imitators (a fact to which none will more readily assent than the present writers), is simply to state that the standard we have proposed to ourselves is a high one, and proportionately difficult to attain. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 69177
Author: Smedley, Frank E. (Frank Edward)
Release Date: Oct 18, 2022
Format: eBook
Language: English
Publication Date: 1855
Publisher Country: United Kingdom

Contributors

Contributor (Author): Yates, Edmund, 1831-1894

Illustrator: McConnell, William, 1833-1867