of Minnesota" so fully and faithfully presents almost all that is known
of the history, traditions, customs, manners and superstitions of the
Dakotas. In _Winona_ I have "tried my hand" on Hexameter verse.
With what success, I leave to those who are better able to judge than
I. If I have failed, I have but added another failure to the numerous
vain attempts to naturalize Hexameter verse in the English language.

The Earl of Derby, in the preface to his translation of the Iliad,
calls it "That pestilent heresy of the so-called English Hexameter;
a metre wholly repugnant to the genius of our language; which can only
be pressed into the service by a violation of every rule of prosody."
Lord Kames, in his "Elements of Criticism." says, "Many attempts have
been made to introduce Hexameter verse into the living languages, but
without success. The English language, I am inclined to think, is not
susceptible of this melody, and my reasons are these: First, the
polysyllables in Latin and Greek are finely diversified by long and
short syllables, a circumstance that qualifies them for the melody
of Hexameter verse: ours are extremely ill qualified for that service,
because they super-abound in short syllables. Secondly, the bulk of
our monosyllables are arbitrary with regard to length, which is an
unlucky circumstance in Hexameter. * * * In Latin and Greek Hexameter
invariable sounds direct and ascertain the melody. English Hexameter
would be destitute of melody, unless by artful pronunciation; because
of necessity the bulk of its sounds must be arbitrary. The pronunciation
is easy in a simple movement of alternate long and short syllables;
but would be perplexing and unpleasant in the diversified movement
of Hexameter verse."

Beautiful as is the _Evangeline_ of Longfellow,
his Hexameter lines are sometimes hard to scan, and often grate harshly