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il; hence, the carriage by which the mail is transported. I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness, which I should not care to hazard by the common post. Pope.

ly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem. This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever Ran on the greensward. Shak.

used except with reference to discourse written or spoken; as, a prolix oration; a prolix poem; a prolix sermon. With wig prolix, down flowing to his waist. Cowper.

The preface or introduction to a discourse, poem, or performance; as, the prologue of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales;" esp., a discourse or poem spoken before a dramatic performance

n acquired or artificial quality; that which is given by art, or bestowed by man; as, the poem has the properties which constitute excellence.

The part of a poem in which the author states the subject or matter of it. Leaves of proposition (Jewish Antiq.), the showbread. Wyclif (Luke vi. 4).

The first part of a drama, of a poem, or the like; the introduction; opposed to epitasis. B. Jonson.

In a purposed manner; according to purpose or design; purposely. A poem composed purposedly of the Trojan war. Holland.

A poem of fourteen lines; a sonnet. R. H. Stoddard.

A celebrated Sanskrit poem having for its subject the Raghu dynasty.

The more ancient of the two great epic poems in Sanskrit. The hero and heroine are Rama and his wife Sita.

ony of receiving guests; as, a hearty reception; an elaborate reception. What reception a poem may find. Goldsmith.

do, make, or utter again; to iterate; to recite; as, to repeat an effort, an order, or a poem. "I will repeat our former communication." Robynson (More's Utopia). Not well conceived of God; who, though his power Creation could repeat, yet would be loth Us to abolish. Milton.

Hence, one who recites or sings poems for a livelihood; one who makes and repeats verses extempore. The same populace sit for hours listening to rhapsodists who recite Ariosto. Carlyle.

A recitation or song of a rhapsodist; a portion of an epic poem adapted for recitation, or usually recited, at one time; hence, a division of the Iliad or the Odyssey; -- called also a book.

Verses, usually two, having this correspondence with each other; a couplet; a poem containing rhymes.

Quatrians; as, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Sometimes in pl. construed as sing., a poem in such stanzas.

keen or severe exposure of what in public or private morals deserves rebuke; an invective poem; as, the Satires of Juvenal.

ne of the ancient Scandinavian poets and historiographers; a reciter and singer of heroic poems, etc., among the Norsemen; more rarely, a bard of any of the ancient Teutonic tribes. [Written also skald.] A war song such as was of yore chanted on the field of battle by the scalds of the yet heathen Saxons. Sir W. Scott.…

s of a play; the disposition and arrangement of the scenes in which the action of a play, poem, etc., is laid; representation of place of action or occurence.