But
when we consider the consonantal value, the interplay and the exquisite
repetition of--
_Seasons return; but not to me returns
Day,..._
or note the vowel-peals throughout the passage, now shut and anon opened
by the scheme of consonants; now continuous, anon modulated by delicate
pauses; always chiming obediently to the strain of thought; then I hold
that if we have not actual counterpoint here, we have something
remarkably like it,--as we certainly have harmony--
_thoughts that move
Harmonious numbers,_
or I know not what harmony is. In truth, if counterpoint be (as the
dictionary defines it), "a blending of related but independent
melodies," then Poetry achieves it by mating a process of sound to a
process of thought: and Mr. Watts-Dunton disposes of his own first
contention for music when he goes on to say (very rightly), "But if
Poetry falls behind Music in rhythmic scope, it is capable of rendering
emotion after emotion has become disintegrated into thoughts." Yet I
should still object to the word "disintegrated" as applied to thought,
unless it be allowed that emotion undergoes the same process at the same
time and both meet in one solution.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30