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teously, for the said Return; which Re"turn now comes in, once more, to claim "on her first occupancy, and remain "mistress of the premises. Thus far "Theory,---now enter Practice."

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POETICAL RONDEAU.

First to love, and then to part,—
Long to seek a mutual heart,-
Late to find it,—and, again,
Leave, and lose it-oh! the pain!

Some have loved, and loved (they say)
'Till they loved their love

away;
Then have left; to love anew:
But, I wot, they loved not true!
True to love,—and then to part,—
Long to seek a mutual heart,—
Late to find it,-and, again,
Leave, and lose it-oh! the pain!

Some have loved, to pass the time;
And have loved their love in Rhyme :
Loath'd the love; and loath'd the song:
But their love could not be strong!
Strong to love,-and then to part,-
Long to seek a mutual heart,—

Late to find it, and, again,

Leave and lose it-oh! the pain!

Some have just but felt the flame,
Lightly lambent o'er their frame,-
Light to them the parting knell :
For, too sure, they loved not well!
Well to love, and then to part,—
Long to seek a mutual heart,-
Late to find it,—and, again,
Leave, and lose it-oh! the pain!

But, when once the potent dart,
Cent'ring, rivets heart to heart,
'Tis to tear the closing wound,
Then to sever what is bound.
Bound, to love, and then to part,-
Long to seek a mutual heart,-
Late to find it,—and, again,

Leave, and lose it-oh! the pain!

Nous voilà----and now for my friend "Bentley, to do me off nicely the de

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"vice; being two faithful hearts, that "shall appear both two and one; so

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closely seem they hasped together with "a true love dart: the barb holding fast

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"the one, and the grey goose wing that "is thereon' the other. Take notice,

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though---the other is the female heart : "take notice of the emblem, too. It is

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only kept on by the feather. A light puff will make it slip off."

Thus far the letter, and its illustration. To him who is not an adept in any art, it is a matter of difficulty to ascertain whether he has apprehended aright the import of the technical terms and phrases used in the language of that art. But, if I have attained a proper conception of what is aimed at in the levity now inserted, the idea itself is not so novel, as the manner of stating it seems to make it. Of the ancient Dithyrambick Odes, whose chief excellence seems to have been their obscurity and affectation, (qualities in which they might find ma

ny of the modern lyrical compositions qualified to vie with them,) a particular species were denominated Cyclic, or circular. These circular odes probably proceeded on the principle of Gray's Poetical Rondeau ;' as did also certain of the more sprightly and convivial songs, or glees; such, for example, as that one of Anacreon, of which the return-verse is Ότ' έγω πιω τον δινον,

'The person designated above, pronounces, in relation to the application of the principle of the Musical Rondeau to POETRY, the following judgment: "In this transference, "an analogous identification and diversification should be "felt in the THOUGHT, and marked in the RECITATION. "The words " "“STRONG," 29 66 'TRUE," WELL," 33 66 BOUND," "in the specimen, each presenting itself twice to the eye, "should, notwithstanding, be contemplated by the mind, "and enunciated by the oral organs, each, as AN UNIT; "the conception, and the voice, passing from the first to "the second occurrence with versatility, and ON THE IN66 STANT. Thus, the recollection of it, as CLOSE, will be “lost in its transit; or rather merged in its new character,

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as RETURN; upon the principle of the modern POLACCA, "or ancient AMPHIBRACHIC."...Had this arbiter presented himself in person, and offered illustration, it is possible some idea might have been made out of his meaning, such as it is, or may be. At present, the thought appears unap pretiable, and the phraseology approaches to a jargon.

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As to the levity itself, I think it may be said with truth, that its composition must have cost more labour than it is ever likely to pay. It holds of the Italian school; has in it more of sound than sense; and the little sense it has is not much helped forward by the sound; notwithstanding the accelerating power of the letter 1, which he has here employed upon the principles of his masters, although with too much profusion, and scarcely with any success. Enough of the letter 1; Representative poetry; and Poetical Rondeaus.3

1 See particularly the last Close and Return.

> Certain other letters are supposed, by the critics alluded to, to be endowed with an opposite power. The letter V is conceived to be of that order, and as such employed by Virgil in that line of singular alliteration, ÆN. vi. 834, "Neu Patriae Validas in Viscera Vertite Vires !"

3 [The Editor agrees in opinion with the Author of the CRITICISM, in his stricture upon the Pretensions to Novelty, of the Idea, held out in the letter from which the above extract is given, and on the illustration and management of it, in the piece annexed as a specimen. Verses, under different titles, are to be found, in all lan

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