I know that much has been said in ridicule of the prosecution of such studies on the part of ladies, as being of no utility in future life, and incompatible with the ordinary-mindedness which some persons regard as inseparable from the proper discharge of domestic duties. I would not defend profound learning in a woman, by an argument to shew that it will not injure but rather improve her capability and aptitude to meet the demands of social and domestic life; but on the ground that she has an immortal spirit, created by God for the express purpose of knowing him, and that he has made the full expansion of the spirit's powers her binding duty, and constituted it her essential happiness. Yours, &c.

LETTER XVII.

POETRY.

MY DEAR M, The cultivation of poetic feeling in a young mind is of essential service, in its power to mellow the sentiments, and to cken to cheerful activity the memory and ideal facty. I do not mean to say, that every child who commits rhyme to memory will, perforce, be thus inspirited; but I think there are few young spirits, that will not yield to the softening and kindling influence of true poetry, when brought within the power of the faculties, to lay hold on the imagery of its descriptions, and be affected by the pathos of its sentiments. Children find thems Ives at home in poetry; it is nature's language, and I would let them revel in it; I would kindle the taste, and fan the flame even to enthusiasm. An undue ardour will pass away with the buoyancy of early youth, whilst poetic sensibility will be wrought into the mental constitution as an element of elevation and refinement.

I do not regard poetry merely as an art, whose object it is to afford pleasure to the imagination. I consider it rather as a science which teaches us to use our senses well; to see, hear, feel, with an activity which never tires, and a discrimination which, in proportion as it is exercised, becomes more intelligent. Mingling our own observations with those of minds of superior perception; comparing theirs with ours, and ours.

with theirs; sometimes led by them far beyond the range of our own powers, and introduced into a region where we find a thousand delights additional to that which drew us in, we are furnished with material for the most delightful and improving exercise of thought and feeling. A poetical cast of mind is that which observes in common things what common minds do not discern. Its voice is heard,

"In the light of thought,
Singing hymns unbidden,
Till the world is wrought

To sympathyth hopes and fears it heeded not."

SHELLEY.

There are many poetical passages in the early history of nations, which, blending the marvellous with the chivalrous, are highly engaging to youthful minds. I would on no account spoil these passages, by an attempt, such as is made in many modern histories for the yang, to explain away the fiction, and make suppositions as to the real circumstances which have given rise to the marvellous legend. The stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, of Charlemagne, the Cid, and of other historic personages, whose history furnishes a spectacle of heroic life, are spoiled by any attempt to divest them of magic, and circumscribe them within the bounds of possibility. In their state of original romance, they are infinitely more powerful to kindle an historic feeling, than the most elaborate volumes, abounding in intellect, if destitute of nationality.

Poetry is an art of representation. It represents the outward appearances of things, and the effects produced upon them by the inward working of causes,

physical, mental, and moral. It is perfect as it represents them truly; and poets take their rank in the estimation of their readers as their representation of these things accords with experience. The more perfectly the poet performs his part, the more extensive must be the knowledge of natural appearances, the more penetrating the insight into natural causes and effects, in the reader who can enjoy him.

You hesitate, and inquire, Is poetry, indeed, thus matter of fact? What then are "fancy's airy flights?" and what are 66 poets' dreams?" What mean we by the creations of the imagination, and the conjurations of ideal magic? What are the fairy forms, the superhuman exploits, the elysian scenes, of which the poet loves to tell us?

In return, I ask you of what these ideal combinations are composed? Who supplied the poet with the divers materials with which he framed the picture? Who taught him the special arrangement, essential to its irresistible charm? Who suggested that the accompaniments he has chosen would best heighten the effect? Who directed him to abandon the rough medium of common discourse, for the melodious numbers of metrical cadence? And I answer, Truth. To her he is indebted for the whole; and whenever he has disregarded her dictates, he has ceased to be poetic. An extended acquaintance with truth, as far as it is to be gathered from observation, will make one more poetic; and the cultivation of a poetic taste will increase the facility of acquiring truth from observation. This is a medium of acquirement no other can supply; it is especially pleasurable, and yields prolific fruits without exacting arduous labour.

Pleasure is far from being all, or even the first advantage to be derived from this quickening of our observation. It strengthens and extends our sagacity in comprehending and adapting illustration. And when we consider how very largely the communication of truth is dependent on illustration for success; how copiously it is used by all who have to establish new principles, and prove new points; especially when we remember how constantly it was employed by "the Great Teacher," who "spake as no other man spake," we shall not account this a trifling benefit. I quote from Foster: "It seems to the honour of religion that so many things can, without the art of forcing resemblances, be accommodated to its illustration. It is an evident and remarkable fact, that there is a certain principle of correspondence to religion throughout the economy of the world. He that made all things for himself, appears to have willed that there should be a great system of emblems, reflecting or shadowing forth that system of principles in which we are to apprehend him, and our relations and obligations to him; so that religion, standing up in grand parallel to an infinity of things, receives their testimony and homage, and speaks in a voice which is echoed by creation." This great system of emblems, this infinity of things to which moral truths stand parallel, and by which they are shadowed forth, are the things with which poetry deals; and with which, so far as it is truthful, it has power to increase our acquaintance. Hence our aptitude to receive and communicate truth is increased.

But it is not only as filling the mind with a store of ideas for the use and understanding of illustration, that poetry enters the department of morals. Its language