nd accent in the abstract, our answer must be: No,
for we should thereby be darkening the question, not clearing it. The
mark and accent are as given by the substance and matter of that
poetry, by the style and manner of that poetry, and of all other poetry
which is akin to it in quality.

Only one thing we may add as to the substance and matter of poetry,
guiding ourselves by Aristotle's profound observation that the
superiority of poetry over history consists in its possessing a higher
truth and a higher seriousness (_philosophoteron chai spoudaioteron_).
Let us add, therefore, to what we have said, this: that the substance
and matter of the best poetry acquire their special character from
possessing, in an eminent degree, truth and seriousness. We may add
yet further, what is in itself evident, that to the style and manner of
the best poetry their special character, their accent, is given by
their diction, and, even yet more, by their movement. And though we
distinguish between the two characters, the two accents, of
superiority, yet they are nevertheless vitally connected one with the
other. The superior character of truth and seriousness, in the matter
and substance of the best poetry, is inseparable from the superiority
of diction and movement marking its style and manner. The two
superiorities are closely related, and are in steadfast proportion one
to the other. So far as high poetic truth and seriousness are wanting
to a poet's matter and substance, so far also, we may be sure, will a
high poetic stamp of diction and movement be wanting to his style and
manner. In proportion as this high stamp of diction and movement,
again, is absent from a poet's style and manner, we shall find, also,
that high poetic truth and seriousness are absent from his substance
and matter.

So stated, these are but dry generalities; their whole force lies in
their application. And I could wish every student of poetry to make
the application of them for himself. Made by himself, the application
would impress itself upon his mind far more deeply than made by me.
Neither will my limits allow me to make any full application of the
generalities above propounded; but in the hope of bringing out, at any
rate, some significance in them, and of establishing an important
principle more firmly by their means, I will, in the space which
remains to me, follow rapidly from the commencement the course of our
English poetry with them in my