ssyllable. This contraction is a rather
natural one, and must not be criticised too sternly. Indeed, there is
here a sort of middle zone betwixt error and allowableness, wherein no
decisive precepts may be laid down. Words like "radiant," "difference,"
and so forth, are nearly always slurred into dissyllables, and we were
ourselves guilty of an even greater liberalism when we wrote that line
in "Quinsnicket Park" which reads:

"The bending boughs a _diamond_ wealth amass."

But in Miss Austin's second stanza occur two errors of graver nature.
"For only her alone" is a lamentably tautological line which requires
the omission either of "only" or "alone," and the substitution of some
word to carry on the flow of metre. The attempted rhyming of "alone" and
"home" is obviously incorrect. The dissimilar consonantal sounds render
agreement impossible. This "m-n" rhyme, as we may call it, is becoming
alarmingly frequent in careless modern verse, and must ever be avoided
with utmost diligence. In the third stanza we discover a marked error in
maintenance of number. We are told that the "years go" and that at "its
end" we will lay trophies, etc. This mistake may be obviated with ease,
by changing "years go" to "year goes." Miss Austin's poetic talent is
great, but shows the want of precise cultivation. "Mother o' Mine," by
Miss von der Heide, is a beautiful piece of anapaestic verse whose metre
and sentiment alike attract the reader. "Parsifal," by Miss Owen, shows
satisfactory depth of thought, but is rather modern in metre. From the
conformation of the last line of the first stanza, we are led to believe
that the word "viol" is contracted to a monosyllable, or, to make a
rather reprehensible pun, that "vi-ol" has here a "vile" pronunciation.
"Frailties of Life," by Editor Baxley, shows a remarkable system of
extended rhyming, coupled with a noticeable lack of metrical harmony.
Mr. Baxley's technique is such that we believe his improvement would be
best effected by a repeated perusal of the older poets, whose classical
exactitude of form would teach him rhythm by rote, so to speak. Let him
cultivate his ear for metre, even though forced to acquire it through
nonsensical jingles. We believe that many a child has obtained from his
"Mother Goose" a love of correct rhythm which has later helped him in
serious poetical efforts. "Paid Back," a short, powerful poem by Miss
von der Heide, concludes an excellent and praiseworthy issu