_Irish Rhymes_ (Vol. viii., p. 250.).--In "The Wish," appended to _The
Ocean_ of Young (afterwards suppressed in his collected works, but quoted
by Dr. Johnson), are the following rhymes:
"Oh! may I _steal_
Along the _vale_
Of humble life, secure from foes."
And again:
"Have what I _have_,
And live not _leave_."
And yet again:
"Then leave one _beam_
Of honest _fame_,
And scorn the labour'd monument."
And in his "Instalment" (which shared the same fate as "The Wish"):
"Oh! how I long, enkindled by the _theme_,
In deep eternity to launch thy _name_."
Young was no "Mil_a_sian:" so these rhymes go to acquit Swift of the
Irishism attributed to him by CUTHBERT BEDE; as, taken in connexion with
those used by Pope and others, it is clear they were not uncommon or
confined to the Irish poets. At the same time, I cannot think them either
elegant or musical, nor can I agree with one of your correspondents, that
their occasional use destroys the sameness of rhyme. If poets were to
introduce eccentric rhymes at pleasure, to produce variety, the shade of
Walker would I think be troubled sorely.