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fore I fliall not wafte words to prove, that a free ftanza, which 

 may be varied at will, and made light and airy, flow and plaintive, 

 or fwelling and fonorous, according to the fubjed matter, will 

 give the poet a much better chance of attaining this excellence, 

 whatever may be its value. The judicious break, the happy paufe, 

 the apt change of cadence, the long majcftic march and energy 

 divine, may all in their turns be excluded by a fervile adherence 

 to the uniformity of ftanza ; and I cannot think of a fingle ad- 

 vantage, which attends this uniformity exclufively, except that of 

 enhancing the difficulty of compofition. 



Such being the advantages which attend the irregular ode, it 

 feems to be rather immaterial to enquire into the comparative 

 difficulty of writing it ; I fhall only obferve, that being fimple 

 and unafFeded in its form, and difclaiming every thing elaborate 

 and artificial, it is fuppofed to be much eafier than in truth it 

 is, and lefs credit is given to the author of an irregular ode for 

 the pains and ftudy he employs, than to thofe, who deal in more 

 operofe forms of poetry. 



Monftrum horrendum informe ingens cui Lumen ademptum. 

 Sola in ficca fecum fpatiatar Arena. 



Of the third : 



She bids you. 

 All on the wanton ruflies lay you down. 

 And reft your gentle head upon her lap, 

 And flie will fing the fong that pleafeth you. 

 And on your eye-lids crown the God of Sleep, 

 Charming your blood with pleafmg heavinefs. 



Shakespeare. 



It 



