The Humourous Poetry of the English Language

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syllables the most intractable, and the only partners fitted for them
throughout the range of language are coupled together as naturally as
those kindred spirits which poets tell us were created pairs, and
dispersed in space to seek out their particular mates. A harmony
pervades the whole, a perfect modulation of numbers, never, perhaps,
surpassed, and rarely equaled in compositions of their class. This was
the forte of Thomas Ingoldsby; a harsh line or untrue rhyme grated on
his ear like the Shandean hinge." These observations are just. As a
rhymer, Mr. Barham has but one equal in English literature--Byron.
Mr. Barham died at London on the 17th of June, 1845, in the
fifty-seventh year of his age. He was an extremely amiable,
benevolent character. It does not appear that his love of the
humorous was ever allowed to interfere with the performance of his
duties as a clergyman. Without being a great preacher, he was a
faithful and kindly pastor, never so much in his element as when
ministering to the distresses, or healing the differences of his
parishioners. Unlike his friend, Sydney Smith, he was singularly fond
of the drama, and for many years was a member of the Garrick Club. He
was one of the few English writers of humorous verse, ALL of whose
writings may be read aloud by a father to his family, and in whose
wit there was no admixture of gall.
"BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY"--A London Monthly Magazine, founded about twenty
years ago by Mr. Bentley, the publisher. Charles Dickens, and the
author of the Ingoldsby Legends were among the first contributors.
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE--First appeared in April, 1817 Founded by William
Blackwood, a shrewd Edinburgh bookseller. Its literary ability and
fierce political partisanship, soon placed it fore-most in the ranks of
Tory periodicals. Perhaps no magazine has ever achieved such celebrity,
or numbered such a host of illustrious contributors. John Wilson, the
world-famous "Christopher North," was the virtual, though not nominal
editor, Blackwood himself retaining that title. It would be a long task
to enumerate all, who, from the days of Sir Walter Scott and the
Ettrick Shepherd, to those of Bulwer and Charles Mackay, have appeared
in its columns. Maginn, Lockhart, Gillies, Moir, Landor, Wordsworth,
Coleridge, Lamb, Bowles, Barry Cornwall, Gleig, Hamilton, Aird, Sym, De
Quincey, Allan Cunningham, Mrs. Hemans, Jerrold, Croly, Warren,
Ingoldsby (Barham), Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Milnes, and many
others, of scarcely less note, found in Blackwood scope for their