Such are Shakespeare's nondramatic writings. Two narrative poems with the faults of youth but with many redeeming virtues; one hundred and fifty-four sonnets, very unequal in merit but touching at their best the high-water mark of English verse; a few stray fragments of disputed authorship and doubtful value; and finally a handful of scattered songs, short, but almost perfect of their kind,--this is what we have outside of the plays. Neither in quantity nor quality can this work compare with the poetic value of the great dramas; but had it been written by any other man, we should have thought it wonderful enough. On the sonnets, the appendix to Mr. Sidney Lee's book, _A Life of William Shakespeare_, 1909, is particularly valuable. [1] Shakespeare in his dedication calls it "the first heir of my invention"; but opinions differ as to what he meant by this. [2] Ovid's _Metamorphoses_, Book X. [3] That is, the common, or standard, line has ten syllables with an accent on every even syllable, as in the following line:-- 1 +2+ 3 +4+ 5 +6+ 7 +8+ 9 +10+ The NIGHT of SORrow NOW is TURN'D to DAY. [4] From his _Fasti_. [5] The rime scheme of the Italian type divided each sonnet into two parts, the first one of eight lines, the second of six. In the first eight lines the rimes usually went a, b, b, a, a, b, b, a; but sometimes _a, b, a, b, a, b, a, b_: in both cases using only two rimes for the eight lines. In the second or six-line part there were several different arrangements, of which the following were the most common: (1) _c, d, e, c, d, e_; (2) _c, d, c, d, c, d_; (3) _c, d, e, d, c, e_. All of these rime-schemes alike were intended, by their constant repetition and interlocking of the same rimes, to give the whole poem an air of exquisite workmanship, like that of a finely modeled vase. Here is an English sonnet of Milton's, imitating the form of Petrarch's and illustrating its rime scheme:-- "When I consider how my light is spent (_a_) Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, (_b_) And that one talent which is death to hide (_b_) Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent (_a_) To serve therewith my Maker, and present (_a_) My true account, lest He returning chide, (_b_) Doth God exact day-labour, light denied? (_b_) I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent (_a_) That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need (_c_) Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best (_d_) Bear his mild yoke, they serve Him best. His state (_e_) Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed, (_c_) And post o'er land and ocean without rest; (_d_) They also serve who only stand and wait." (_e_) [6] See p. 113.