494 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
THE DEFENCE OF POETRY—SIDNEY AND SHELLEY. 
ABSTRACT OF MR. J. SHELLY'S PAPER. 
(Read February 24th, 1876.) 
The lecturer analysed and discussed the two essays — Sir Philip 
Sidney's " Apology for Poetry" (written probably in reply to 
Gosson's " School of Abuse") and Shelley's "Defence of Poetry." 
He noticed that Sidney determines that verse is not essential to 
poetry — " It is not riming and versing that maketh a poet" — and 
that Shelley so far agrees with him that he considers it " by no 
means essential that a poet should accommodate his language to 
[the traditional form of metre], so that the harmony which is its 
spirit be preserved." 
But while it is undoubtedly the tendency of the most sympa- 
thetic critics to widen the definition of poetry, so as to include 
works of imagination which are not written according to any 
strict laws of metre, it is certainly more convenient to restrict the 
application of the word to such compositions as are governed by 
some recognized metrical rules. The rhythm of poetical prose, 
however marked, is subject to no fixed rules. It receives its laws 
from within, not from without ; the passion of the writer controls 
its expression, and is not controlled by it. The definition of 
poetry, as subject to fixed external laws of metre, establishes a 
real and essential distinction between poetry and prose. 
The two essays have one object in common ; viz., to prove that 
poetry is an important and effectual means for producing virtuous 
actions. Sidney attempts to prove this by showing that poetry 
is, as he calls it, the true architechtonic science ; not only im- 
parting knowledge, but moving to action. The only sciences that 
could contest this position with it are history and philosophy. 
History fails because it is tied to what is ; while philosophy fails, 
on the other hand, because " it standeth upon the abstract and 
general but poetry unites the advantages of both. Sidney fails, 
however, to show us why it is that poetry exerts such peculiar 
