Swinburne also wrote much prose, in the field of criticism, possessing many of the char acteristics of his verse, vehemence, imagery and lack of self-restraint. Although he pos sessed the gift of the illuminative phrase and displays at times a profound insight, his critcism as a rule shows no refinement of judg ment. It was his avowed conception of the mission of criticism not to weigh narrowly and to examine minutely, but generously to praise. But though Swinburne was so far un true to his position in that he sometimes hated as well as loved, he hated and loved with un restrained passion. He wrote eulogies on 'Charlotte Bronte' (1877). 'Shakespeare' (1880) ; 'Victor Hugo) (1886), and 'Ben Jon son) (1889). To Robert Buchanan's assault on the 'Fleshly School of Poetry,) including Swin burne, Rossetti and Morris. the first replied in his scathing 'Under the Microscope.' Among his other works of criticism are 'Essays and Studies) (1875) ; (1886), and 'Studies in Prose and Poetry) (1894). Men tion should also be made of The Modern Heptalogia,> a volume of parodies on contem porary poets, which appeared anonymously in 1881 and has not been, as yet, officially acknowl edged as a work of Swinburne. His it was,
however, by common consent and that in spite of the fact that among the most amusing bur lesques is the one on himself. Swinburne's position in English literature is to be assigned him on his merits as a master of verse form and poetic rhetoric. With no especial pro fundity of thought, with no definite theory of life, with no deep insight into human char acter, he stood pre-eminent as a molder of exquisite melodies. It is his manner that should give him a permanently high rank among Eng lish poets. (See tN CALYDON ) . Con sult Wrateslaw, Theodore, Algernon Charles Swinburne, a (London 1900) ; Shepherd, R. H., The Bibliography of Swinburne) (ib. 1887); Mackail, J. W., (Oxford 1909); Thomas, Edward, (New York 1912); Drinkwater, John, (Swinburne: An (ib. 1913); Woodberry, G. E., (ib. 1905).