For low words please us, when the theme is low.

But when some giant, horrible and grim,

Enormous in his gait, and vast in every limb,

Comes towering on; the swelling words must rise

In just proportion to the monster’s size.

If some large weight his huge arms strive to shove,

The verse too labors; the thronged words scarce move.


But if the poem suffer from delay,

Let the lines fly precipitate away;