Stoke Newington.
_"Asters with Trains of Fire," &c._ (Vol. v., p. 154.).--MR. HICKSON's
objections to this reading are twofold--matter of opinion, and matter of
fact: of course, it is only with the latter that I may presume to
interfere.
I beg to refer him to the precepts of Polonius to his son, no further
than the third scene of the same play, amongst which he will find this
line:
"Costly thy habit, as thy purse can buy."
Although it does not prove that "the English language admits of the
formation of a perfect sentence without a verb," yet it does show that
the verb need not always be expressed; but may be left to the hearer, or
reader, to supply, according to the requirements of the context.
The line just quoted is found amongst a number of imperative
precepts--the verb to be supplied is therefore the imperative of "to
be"--
"Costly (_let_) thy habit (_be_)," &c.
Similarly, the line to which MR. HICKSON takes exception is found
amongst a number of described appearances--the verb, therefore, must be
in accordance:
"Asters with trains of fire (_appeared_)," &c.
Many better examples _of this most common license_ might doubtless be
adduced; but I always like to take the nearest at hand.