But the gravest difficulty, and perhaps the most important, in poetry meant solely for recitation, is the difficulty of achieving verbal beauty, or rather of making verbal beauty tell.
In this quote, Lascelles Abercrombie highlights the challenge of creating beautiful poetry that is meant to be recited aloud. He notes that achieving verbal beauty is a significant difficulty, and that making it tell is an even greater challenge. This quote suggests that the art of recitation is a unique and demanding form of poetry.
Abercrombie's quote emphasizes the importance of verbal beauty in poetry meant for recitation. He implies that the poet must carefully craft the words to create a beautiful and meaningful experience for the listener.
The quote does not provide specific historical context, but it can be seen as a commentary on the art of recitation, which has a long history dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. The quote may also be seen as a reflection of the changing nature of poetry and its relationship to oral tradition.
Lascelles Abercrombie was a British poet, critic, and scholar. He was born in 1870 and died in 1938. Abercrombie was a prominent figure in the literary world, known for his contributions to the development of modernist poetry and his work as a critic and editor.
Abercrombie's quote can be seen as a reminder of the importance of verbal beauty in poetry. It can also serve as a reminder of the need to carefully craft language to create a meaningful experience for the listener.