Polixenes, in the Winter’s Tale, to Perdita’s neglect of the streaked gilly-flowers, because she had heard it said:

[64]

Polixenes

Perdita’s

There is an art which, in their piedness, shares

With great creating nature.

Pol. Say there be;

Yet nature is made better by no mean,

[65]

But nature makes that mean; so, ev’n that art,

Which, you say, adds to nature, is an art,

That nature makes. You see, sweet maid, we marry

A gentler scion to the wildest stock;

And make conceive a bark of ruder kind

By bud of nobler race. This is an art,

Which does mend nature—change it rather; but

The art itself is nature.

Secondly, I argue from the EFFECTS of metre. As far as metre acts in and for itself, it tends to increase the vivacity and susceptibility both of the general feelings and of the attention. This effect it produces by the continued excitement of surprise, and by the quick reciprocations of curiosity still gratified and still re-excited, which are too slight indeed to be at any one moment objects of distinct consciousness, yet become considerable in their aggregate influence. As a medicated atmosphere, or as wine during animated 

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