Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VII. Descriptive: Narrative. 1904. | | | | Descriptive Poems: I. Personal: Great Writers | | Shakespeare | | Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) |
| | From “Prologue”
| | [Spoken by Mr. Garrick at the opening of the Theatre in Drury Lane, in 1747.] |
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WHEN Learning’s triumph o’er her barbarous foes | |
| First reared the stage, immortal Shakespeare rose; | |
| Each change of many-colored life he drew, | |
| Exhausted worlds, and then imagined new: | |
| Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign, | 5 |
| And panting Time toiled after him in vain: | |
| His powerful strokes presiding Truth impressed, | |
| And unresisted Passion stormed the breast. | | | |
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