John Bartlett (18201905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
Page 657
Edgar Allan Poe. (18091849) (continued)
6636 The object, Truth, or the satisfaction of the intellect, and the object, Passion, or the excitement of the heart, are, although attainable, to a certain extent, in poetry, far more readily attainable in prose.
The Philosophy of Composition.
6637 I would define, in brief, the Poetry of words as the Rhythmical Creation of Beauty. Its sole arbiter is Taste.
The poetic Principle.
6638 Can it be fancied that Deity ever vindictively Made in his image a mannikin merely to madden it? 1
The Rationale of Verse.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. (18061861)
6639 There Shakespeare, on whose forehead climb The crowns o the world; oh, eyes sublime With tears and laughter for all time!
A Vision of Poets.
6640 And Chaucer, with his infantine Familiar clasp of things divine.
A Vision of Poets.
6641 And Marlowe, Webster, Fletcher, Ben, Whose fire-hearts sowed our furrows when The world was worthy of such men.
A Vision of Poets.
6642 Knowledge by suffering entereth, And life is perfected by death.
A Vision of Poets. Conclusion.
6643 Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west.
Toll slowly.
6644 And I smiled to think Gods greatness flowed around our incompleteness, Round our restlessness His rest.
Rhyme of the Duchess.
Note 1. FitzGerald: Omar Khayyám. What! out of senseless Nothing to provoke A conscious Something to resent the yoke. [back ]