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8 ORTHOMETRY. |
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equally noted poems of this class, but modern poets rarely adopt this form.
(*). The Ballad.
Ballads are distinguished from songs proper by the fact of their containing a narrative. Love and war are the two chief topics of our ballad literature, while pathos and humour also furnish abundant material for these stories in verse. Chevy Chase, the Robin Hood ballads, John Gilpin, Lord Ulliris Daughter, Lucy Gray, Ben Battle, Nancy Bell, may be mentioned as typical specimens.
(c). The Hymn and Song.
The only difference between these is that the former is always upon some sacred subject. Each is generally nothing more than the expression of some single sentiment, or the elaboration of some one feeling. Ken, Heber, Watts, Cowper, Wesley, and Keble are the authors of some of our most beautiful hymns, while to enumerate our songwriters would be to name nearly every one of our poets. Nothing has surpassed the sweet melodic charm of the lyrics of the Shakspere—Milton period of our literature, though perhaps Burns and Moore, as song-writers, may be mentioned as approaching very nearly the same excellence.*
(</). The Elegy.
This differs from other odes in that its subject is always mournful and its construction generally
• For fuller particulars on this su'oject, see p. 217 ' |
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