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[Letter of Francis William Newman to Dr. Chapman] 7 PVE. NW, Dear Sir, You would more clearly describe the form of my new book by saying that it is in versicles, than that it is in verse. People could say that the English Bible is in prose. Mine is in a style not more metrical nor more poetical than it is. (I would print it like a Bible, but for the violent exasperation this might cause.) I am not engaged in producing an intellectual disquisition to interest the minds of speculators, (for which an elaborate & varied periodically involved prose is best) but (though I dare not publicly say so) I am aiming at a new Bible for men & women, philosophic or unphilosophic. There must be much consecutive reasoning in it; but this cannot reach the minds of the unphilosophic unless it be extremely direct & short; and when I try this in prose, I find it to be unendurably monotonous, and to seem puerile & condescending. It is only by avowing the form of versicles that I can hope to get some allowance. In fact, what we call monotony when unavowed, we call metre when avowed. This style also enables me to adopt a slightly more antiquated dialect, like that of the Bible, which is best suited to devotional religion; and allows me to rise at pleasure into exhortation, apostrophe, meditation, or any other religiously suitable tone. All poets, & especially lyrical poets, assume such liberties; & I find myself far less constrained than in common prose. The pieces are meant to be read separately, & meditated on,—as people do with the Psalms. Any literary gourmand, who tries to devour me at a mouthful, will probably suffer indigestion. I cannot hope to avoid hostile critics; but if the work has such moderate success as to be in permanent though slow request, it will be the work of my life; for by adopting this form, I shall be able to interpolate new pieces to any amount hereafter. Pray do not apologize for any remarks, though as suggestions they came too late, as it is all finished. Sincerely yours,
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