In places the metre of Coleridge's "Christabel," which was the model of Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel," is recognized in the casual couplets, thus:-- For sextenè yer Joseph was old Quane he was into Egypte sold. But it is a far cry from this to The feast was over in Branksome tower; and the metre, when Scott's "Lay" appeared, seemed to be a novelty. The Owl and the Nightingale. in rhyming eight-syllable couplets, seems to have been written about 1250 (?). The theme is a _debate_, in the fashion of French poetry, between the owl and the nightingale, as to the comparative merit of their songs. The nightingale, deserting her art, rather feebly asserts the moral influence of her own music, and attacks the owl in a very personal strain of invective, reflecting on his want of good looks, and on his taste in food. We are far indeed from Keats's "Ode to the Nightingale", "If you are so great a teacher," replied the owl, "why do you not sing to men in Ireland, Norway, and Galloway?" La Fontaine might have made a witty poem on the dispute of the owl and the nightingale, but the poet was not a wit, and made a poor use of his opportunities. He is supposed, but not with certainty, to have been Nicholas of Guildford, who is credited with being neglected by the Bishop in the distribution of patronage. The owl quotes the "Proverbs of King Alfred," of which there is a thirteenth century collection in rhyme; there are also the "Proverbs of Hendyng": the latter in stanzas of six lines each, the first two rhyming with each other, as do the last two, while the third line rhymes with the sixth: a very popular jingle. Lyrics. Far more interesting than these things, whether moral or religious, are the rhyming songs, the voice of the English people, laymen, not priests, the love lyrics (1300?), for example, one on Alison, beginning Bytuene Mershe ant Averil When spray biginneth to springe, The lutel fowl hath hire wyll On hyre lud to synge, each stanza ending From alle wymen mi loue is lent Ant lyht on Alisoun. This is the first sweet English love-song that has escaped the ruins of time. Everyone knows by heart Sumer is icumen in; and Blow, northerne wynd, Send thou me my suetyng, reminds us of O gentle wind that bloweth south From where my love repaireth. There were all the sounds and scents of spring in the hearts and songs of the poets:-- Lenten is come with love to toune, With blosmen ant with briddes roune, That all this blisse bryngeth. This metre came to be used in telling stories in verse, a purpose for which it is not well fitted. But truly English poetry, with rich re-echoing rhymes and many forms of verse, is awake at last. Political Songs..