Of all I ever dreamt or knew,
To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine,—
Oh misery! must I lose that too?
Yet go! On peril's brink we meet;—
Those frightful rocks—that treach'rous sea—
No, never come again—tho' sweet,
Tho' Heav'n, it may be death to thee!"
This passage contains 126 words, 110 of which are monosyllables, and the remainder words of only two syllables. The sentiment embodied throughout is that of violent mental emotion; and it affords a further illustration of the correctness of MR. C. FORBES'S theory (Vol. i., p. 228.) that "the language of passion is almost invariably broken and abrupt."
HENRY H. BREEN.
St. Lucia, W.I., Nov. 1850.