THE ACROSTIC.

crostic is the Greek name given to a poem the first letters of the lines in which taken together form a complete word or sentence, but most frequently a name. The invention of this kind of composition cannot be traced to any particular individual, but it is believed to have originated on the decline of pure classic literature. The early French poets, from the time of Francis I. to that of Louis XIV., practised it, but it was carried to its greatest perfection by the Elizabethan poets. Sir John Davies has no fewer than twenty-six poems entitled “Hymns to Astræa,” every one of which is an acrostic on the words, “Elizabetha Regina.” Traces of something akin are to be found in the poetry of the Jews,—for example, the 119th Psalm,—and also in the Greek “Anthology.” Here it may be noted that in Greek the word Adam is compounded of the initial letters of the four cardinal points:

Arktos=north,
Dusis=west,
Anatolê=east,
Mesembria=south;

and that the Hebrew word, ADM forms the acrostic of A[dam], D[avid], M[essiah].

It is hardly necessary to give many specimens of this kind of literary composition in these days, since there are so many periodicals continually giving acrostics and relative verses, and a very few instances may suffice. The following old verses were originally written in a copy of Parkhurst’s poems presented by the author to Thomas Buttes, who himself wrote this acrostic on his own name:

“The longer lyfe that man on earth enjoyes,
His God so much the more hee dooth offende;
Offending God, no doubt, mannes soule destroyes;
Mannes soule destroyed, his torments have no ende;
And endles torments sinners must endure,
Sith synne Gods wrath agaynst us doth procure.
Beware, therefore, O wretched sinfull Wight,
Use well thy toongue, doo well, think not amysse;
To God praye thou to guyde thee by his spright,
That thou mayest treade the path of perfect blisse.
Embrace thou Christe, by faythe and fervent love,
So shalt thou reyne with hym in heaven above.

Thomas Buttes
havying the first letter of everie lyne
begynnyng with a letter of his name.”

A Song of Rejoysing for the Prosperous Reigne of our most Gratious Soveraigne Lady, Queene Elizabeth.