The presentation of poetry comprehensibly and attractively to the schoolboy
student or reader is a task more frequently attempted than satisfactorily executed, and Mr. L. S. Harris's The Nature of English Poetry : An Elementary Survey (Dent, 5s.) deserves every word of the praise accorded it by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch in his brief prefatory note. Others, and with more warrant, will share the " grain of envy " with which he salts his commendation. Rightly he applauds Mr. Harris for going straight to the core of the very simple mystery of poetry," and showing in his first chapters why and how rhythm, sound and word-associations combine to make poetry the most powerfully compulsive form of speech. Equally good are the succeeding chapters on various kinds of poetry, poetry and verse, verse-forms, and the speaking, reading and criticism of poetry. The author's views and comments are soundly sensible without being unduly stereo- typed, and every statement is immediately and clearly illustrated by apt quotation. Not only younger students will find the book both readable and helpful.
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