ENGLISH SONNETS. 



37 



cident, the introduction of that into a Sonnet, were altogether im- 

 possible. 



For poets, of the third or fourth class, then, the sonnet, may an- 

 swer very well, where only a detached idea is to be worked out ; but 

 no poet of the higher order of genius can ever resort to it without 

 feeling himself moving in fetters, and without manifest injustice to 

 his reputation. Following the example set by their contemporaries 

 of Italy and Spain, with whom the sonnet was at . that time quite in 

 vogue, Shakspeare and Milton both tried their hand at sonnets. It 

 is fortunate for their own reputation, as well as for their country, 

 that they did not confine themselves to that form of expressing their 

 thoughts. Had they never written any thing else than sonnets their 

 names would have been unknown in the present day. 



Let us not be considered as objecting to the sonnet in general ; 

 we are only endeavouring to prevent its becoming so popular in this 

 country as to induce the higher class of poets to become unduly 

 enamoured of it, and by that means divert themselves from taking 

 that comprehensive range in the expression of their thoughts which 

 so many other species of poetry afford them. Many modern 

 sonnets are beautiful, and we believe we are among their greatest 

 admirers ; but still we hold that no one ever can infuse poetic genius 

 into them, however gifted the mind from which they emanate. 



The sonnet has invariably, as far as our observation extends, been 

 hitherto confined to the embodying of some tender or contemplative 

 idea; but Mr. Housman thinks it is equally adapted to subjects of 

 a humourous or satirical nature. Here we differ from him ; let the 

 happiest sonnet writer of the present day only try his hand at the 

 humourous or satirical in the form of a sonnet, and we will answer 

 for it the result will be to make both the subject and himself ridi- 

 culous. 



Mr. Housman deserves our best thanks for the labour he has un- 

 dergone in selecting the best sonnets which have been written by 

 English poets, from the time of Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, down 

 to the present day a period embracing the three last centuries. 



We shall avail ourselves of his labours in presenting our readers 

 with some of the best sonnets written by English poets at different 

 periods. The first is from the earliest of the sonneteers the earl of 

 Surrey. 



NIGHT. 



ALAS ! so all things now do hold their peace ! 



Heaven and earth disturbed in no thing : 



The beasts, the air, the birds their song do cease, 



The nightes chair the stars about doth bring. 

 Calm is the sea ; the waves work less and less ; 



So am not I, whom Love, alas, doth wring, 



Bringing before my face the great increase 



Of my desires, whereat I weep and sing, 

 In joy and woe, as in a doubtful ease ; 



For my sweet thoughts sometime do pleasure bring; 



But, by and by, the cause of my disease 

 Gives me a pang that inwardly doth sting, 



When that I think what grief it is again 



To live and lack the thing should rid my pain. 



