What is a Dramatic Poem? Is there no poetry 'in
Macbeth Or are we, judging by the specimens that have been offered, to conclude that a dramatic poem means a piece with the furm, but without the soul of the drama ?—a production divided into acts or parts, the verse broken into dialogue, with stage directions at the side, and a tolerable number of dminatis persome, who treat us to sermons instead of speeches, or rather who act as channels for the author's thoughts on the pros and eons of a subject, for the poet alone speaks from "Scene L'' to " Fink." To make a dramatic poem complete, w e should have a prefinte, telling us that the work was not intended for the stage: a piece of gratuitous information, for its damnation would be predicted ri priori—tile walking gen- tleman would resist, if the manager softened.
Mr. lusoasm W II I FFEN'S Job is not an exception to the rule. Its Iiirm is an extension of the narrative of Scripture, which is weakened by the expansion. The sentiments are a paraphrase of parts of the book ofJob. The verse is elegant, and some beauti- fill passages might be selected; but the whole is weak and weari- some, from too much diffusion, and tos great a multiplication of images.
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