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Literatur: Ode
Literatur: The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure
Queen of the Lyre, in thy retreat
The fairest flowers of Pindus glow ;
The vine aspires to crown thy feat,
And myrtles round thy laurel grow .
Thy strings adapt the varied strain
To every pleasure, every pain,
Which mortal tribes were born to prove ;
And s our passions rise or fall,
As at the wind's imperious call
The ocean swells, the billows move. AKENSIDE.
LYRIC Poetry, or the Ode, is a species of composition which posseses much dignity, and in which many writers have distinguished themselves, in every age. Its peculiar character is, that it is intended to be sung, or accompanied with music. Its designation implies this. Ode is, in Greek, the same with Song or Hymn; and Lyric Poetry imports, that the verses are accompanied with a lyre, or musical instrument. This distinction was not, at first, peculiar to any one species of Poetry. For Music and Poetry were coeval, and were, originally, always united. But after their separation took place, after bards had begun to make compositions in verse, which were to be recited or read, not to be sung, such Poems as were designed to be still joined with Music or Song, were, by way of distinction, called Odes.
In the Ode, therefore, Poetry retains its first and most ancient form; that form, under which the original [6] bards poured forth their enthusiastic strains, praised their Gods and their Heroes, celebrated their victories, and lamented their misfortunes. From this circumstance, that the Ode is supposed to retain its original union with Music, we are to deduce the proper idea, and the peculiar qualities of this kind of Poetry. It is not distinguished from other kinds, by the subjects on which it is employed; for these may be extremely various. If any distinction of subject belong to it, it is, that other Poems are often imployed in the recital of actions, whereas sentiments, of one kind or other, form, almost always, the subject of the Ode. But it is chiefly the spirit, the manner of its execution, that marks and characterises it. Music and Song naturally add to the warmth of Poetry. They tend to transport, in a higher degree, both the person who sings, and the persons who hear. They justify, therefore, a bolder and more pasionate strain, than can be supported in simple recitation. On this is formed the peculiar character of the Ode. Hence, the enthusiasm that belongs to it, and the liberties it is allowed to take, beyond any other species of poetry. Hence, that neglect of regularity, those digressions, and that disorder which it is supposed to admit; and which, indeed, most Lyric Poets have not failed sufficiently to exemplify in their practice.
The effects of Music upon the mind are chiefly two; to raise it above its ordinary state, and fill it with high enthusiastic emotions; or to sooth, and melt it into the gentle pleasurable feelings. Hence, the Ode may either aspire to the former character of the sublime and noble, or it may descend to the latter of the pleasant and the gay; and between these there is, also, a middle region, of the mild and temperate emotions, which the Ode may often occupy to advantage.
All Odes may be comprised under four denominations. First, Sacred Odes; Hymns addressed to God, or composed on religious subjects. Of this nature are the Psalms of David, which exhibit to us this species of Lyric Poetry, in its highest degree of perfection. Secondly, Heroic Odes, which are employed in the praise of heroes, and in the celebration of martial exploits and great actions. Of this kind are all Pindar's Odes, and some few by Horace. These two kinds ought to have sublimity and elevation, for their reigning character. Thirdly, Moral and Philosophical Odes, where the sentiments are chiefly inspired by virtue, friendship, and humanity. Of this kind, are many of the Odes of Horace, and several of our best modern Lyric productions; and here the Ode possesses that middle region, which, as just observed, it sometimes occupies. Fourthly, Festive and Amorous Odes, calculated merely for pleasure and amusement. Of this nature, are all Anacreon's; some of Horace's; and a great number of songs and modern productions, that claim to be of the Lyric species. The reigning character of these, ought to be elegance, smoothness, and gaiety.
One of the chief difficulties in composing Odes, arises from that enthusiasm which is understood to be a characteristic of Lyric Poetry. A professed Ode, even of the moral kind, but more especially if it attempt the sublime, is expected to be enlivened and animated, in an uncommon degree. Full of this idea, the Poet, when he begins to write an Ode, if he has any real warmth of genius, is apt to deliver himself up to it, without controul or restraint; if he has it not, he trains after it, and thinks himself bound to assume the appearance of being all fervour and flame. In either case, he is in great hazard of becoming extravagant. The licentiousness of writing without order, method, or connection, has infected the Ode more than any other species of Poetry. Hence, in the class of Heroic Odes, we find so few that can be read with pleasure. The Poet is out of sight, in a moment. He soars [7] into the clouds; becomes so abrupt in his transitions; so eccentric and irregular in his motions; and, of course, so obscure, that we attempt in vain to follow him, or to partake of his raptures. It is not requisite, that an Ode should be as regular in the structure of its parts, as a Didactic, or an Epic Poem. But still, in every composition, there ought to be a subject; there ought to be parts which make up a whole; there should be a connection of those parts with one another. The transitions from thought to thought may be light and delicate, such as are prompted by a lively fancy; but still they should be such as preserve the connection of ideas, and show the author to be one who thinks, and not one who raves. Whatever authority may be pleaded for the incoherence and disorder of Lyric Poetry, nothing can be more certain, than that any composition which is so irregular in its method, as to become obscure to the bulk of readers, is so much the worse upon that account.
The extravagant liberty which several of the modern Lyric Writers assume in their versification, increases the disorder of this species of Poetry. They prolong their periods to such a degree, they wander through so many different measures, and employ such a variety of long and short lines, corresponding in rhyme at so great a distance from each other, that all sense of melody is utterly lost. Whereas Lyric Composition ought, beyond every other species of Poetry, to pay attention to melody and beauty of sound; and the versification of those Odes may be justly accounted the best, which renders the harmony of the measure most sensible to every common ear.
Pindar, the great Father of Lyric Poetry, has been the occasion of leading his imitators into some of the defects, just mentioned. His genius was sublime; his expressions are beautiful and happy; his descriptions picturesque. But finding it a very barren subject to sing the praises of those who had gained the prize in the public games, he is perpetually digressive, and fills up his Poems with Fables of the Gods and Heroes, that have little connection either with his subject, or with each other. The Ancients admired him greatly; but as many of the histories of particular families and cities, to which he alludes, are now unknown, he is so obscure, partly from his subjects, and partly from his rapid, abrupt manner of treating them, that, notwithstanding the beauty of his expression, our pleasure in reading him is much diminished. One would imagine, that many of his modern imitators thought the best way to catch his spirit, was to imitate his disorder and obscurity. In several of the choruses of Euripides and Sophocles, we have the same kind of Lyric Poetry as in Pindar, carried on with more clearness and connection, and at the same time with much sublimity.
Of all the writers of Odes, ancient or modern, there is none, that, in point of correctness, harmony, and happy expression, can vie with Horace. He has descended from the Pindaric rapture to a more moderate degree of elevation; and joins connected thought, and good sense, with the highest beauties of Poetry. He does not often aspire beyond that middle region, which has been mentioned as belonging to the Ode; and those Odes, in which he attempts the sublime, are perhaps not always his best. The peculiar character, in which he excells, is grace and elegance; and in this style of Composition, no Poet has ever attained to greater perfection than Horace. No Poet supports a moral sentiment with more dignity, touches a gay one more happily, or possesses the art of trifling more agreeably, when he chuses to trifle. His language is so fortunate, that with a single word or epithet, he often conveys a whole description to the fancy. Hence he ever has been, and ever will continue to be, a favourite Author with all persons of taste.
Among the Latin Poets of later [8] ages, there have been many imitators of Horace. One of the most distinguished is Casimir, a Polish Poet of the last century, who wrote four books of Odes. In graceful ease of expression, he is far inferior to the Roman. He oftener affects the sublime; and in the attempt, like other Lyric writers, frequently becomes harsh and unnatural. But, on several occasions, he discovers a considerable degree of original genius, and poetical fire. Buchanan, in some of his Lyric Compositions, is very elegant and classical.
Among the French, the Odes of Jean Baptiste Rousseau, have been much, and justly celebrated. They possess great beauty, both of sentiment and expresion. They are animated, without being rhapsodical; and are not inferior to any poetical productions in the French language.
In our own language, we have several Lyric Compositions of considerable merit. Dryden's Ode on St. Cecilia, is well known. Gray is distinguished in some of his Odes, both for tenderness and sublimity; and in Dodsley's Miscellanies, several very beautiful Lyric Poems are to be found. As to professed Pindaric Odes, they are, with a few exceptions, so incoherent, as seldom to be intelligible. Cowley, at all times harsh, is doubly so in his Pindaric Compositions. In his Anacreontic Odes, he is much happier. They are smooth and elegant; and, indeed, the most agreeable, and the most perfect, in their kind, of all his Poems. Akenside, particularly happy in Didactic Poetry, was not so fortunate when he courted the Lyric Muse.
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