+ + Reader. 7: 449. Mr. ’06. 510w. R. of Rs. 33: 117. Ja. ’06. 130w. – Sat. R. 102: 554. N. 3, ’06. 180w. + + Spec. 96: 948. Je. 16, ’06. 2240w.
Saintsbury, George Edward Bateman. History of English prosody, from the twelfth century to the present day. v. 1, From the origins to Spenser. *$2.50. Macmillan.
The first of a three volume work whose aim is to examine “through at least 700 years of verse what the prosodic characteristics of English have actually been, and what goodness or badness of poetry has accompanied the expression of these characteristics.” Mr. Saintsbury’s examination is based upon facts which he presents chronologically, showing the simultaneous development of language and versification. He says “In this book we do not rope-dance, but keep to the solid paths, and where the paths are not solid we do not care to walk.”
“When the three volumes of which the work is to consist are published, a blank in the history of our literature will have been filled. Few people more competent than Professor Saintsbury could have been found for the task.”
+ + + Acad. 70: 522. Je. 2, ’06. 1290w. (Review of v. 1.)
“One of the main qualities of Prof. Saintsbury’s book is what may be called its practicalness. The main value of the book is that it is a firm denial and, as it seems to us, complete disproof, of ‘the error that the prosody of English is a fixed syllabic prosody.’”
+ + Ath. 1906. 1: 629. My. 26. 2910w. (Review of v. 1.)
“What saves him from pedantry is his fund of humor, of a peculiarly literary quality, which is so closely allied, as all humor is, with common sense.”
+ + Ind. 61: 394. Ag. 16, ’06. 580w. (Review of v. 1.)