Recent criticism has been rich in its discussions of the lyric. John
Drinkwater's little volume on _The Lyric_ is suggestive. See also C. E.
Whitmore's article in the _Pub. Mod. Lang. Ass._, December, 1918. Rhys's
_Lyric Poetry_, Schelling's _English Lyric_, Reed's _English Lyrical
Poetry_ cover the whole field of the historical English lyric. A few books
on special periods are indicated in the "Notes" to chapter ix.
An appreciation of the lyric mood can be helped greatly by adequate oral
reading in the classroom. For teachers who need suggestions as to oral
interpretation, Professor Walter Barnes's edition of Palgrave's _Golden
Treasury_ (Row, Petersen & Co., Chicago) is to be commended.
The student's ability to analyse a lyric poem should be tested by frequent
written exercises. The method of criticism may be worked out by the
individual teacher, but I have found it useful to ask students to test a
poem by some or all of the following questions:
(a) What kind of experience, thought or emotion furnishes the basis for
this lyric? What kind or degree of sensitiveness to the facts of nature?
What sort of inner mood or passion? Is the "motive" of this lyric purely
personal? If not, what other relationships or associations are involved?
(b) What sort of imaginative transformation of the material furnished by
the senses? What kind of imagery? Is it true poetry or only verse?
(c) What degree of technical mastery of lyric structure? Subordination of
material to unity of "tone"? What devices of rhythm or sound to heighten
the intended effect? Noticeable words or phrases? Does the author's power
of artistic expression keep pace with his feeling and imagination?