Chapter 2

Lest one should conclude that this is the verdict of an exclusively artistic spirit, bent upon the development of "art for art's sake" alone, disregardful of the spiritual essence involved, let him read the following passage by Dr. William Hayes Ward, scholar, archæologist, critic, editor of a great religious journal. Treating of "The Elements of True Poetry," he lays down this:

"What, then, is poetry? It is the verbal expression of thought under the paramount control of the principle of beauty. The thought must be as beautiful as possible; the expression must be as beautiful as possible. Essential beauty and formal beauty must be wedded, and the union is poetry. Other principles than beauty may govern a literary production. The purpose may be, first, absolute clearness. That will not make poetry. It will make good mathematical demonstration; it may make a good news item; but not poetry. The predominant sentiment may be ethical. That may give us a sermon, but it will not give a poem. A poem is first of all beautiful, beautiful in its content of thought, and beautiful in its expression through words....

"The first and chief element in a poem is beauty of thought, and that beauty may relate to any department, material, mental, or spiritual, in which beauty can reside. Such poetry may describe a misty desert, a flowery mead, a feminine form, a ruddy sky, a rhythmic waterfall, a blue-bird's flutterings, receding thunder, a violet's scent, the spicy tang of apples, the thrill of clasped arms and a lover's kiss. Or it may rise higher, and rest in the relations of things, in similes and metaphors; it may infuse longing and love and passion; it may descant fair reason and meditative musing. Or, in highest flight, beauty may range over the summits of lofty purpose, inspiring patriotism, devotion, sacrifice, till it becomes one with the love of man and the love of God, even as the fading outline of a mountain melts into the blue sky which envelops it....

"Dominant over all beauty is moral beauty. All highest flights of poetry must range in the empyrean."

Thus, in poetry, all other graces and powers, be they lower or higher, must come under control of the principle of beauty--the pleasing harmony that brings delight. And the almost "infinite variety" of beautiful modes and styles offered in such a gathering of poems as the present finds argument for its worth in the brief extract with which our _mélange_ of opinions may well conclude. It is taken from a series of articles in the New York _Independent_ on "A Theory of Poetry," by the Southern poet, Henry Timrod. Making a protest against the limitation of taste and the poetic vision in certain directions, instead of cultivating a broader range of taste, he says:

"I have known more than one young lover of poetry who read nothing but Browning, and there are hundreds who have drowned all the poets of the past and present in the deep music of Tennyson. But is it not possible, with the whole wealth of literature at our command, to attain views broad enough to enable us to do justice to genius of every class and character? That certainly can be no true poetical creed that leads directly to the neglect of those masterpieces which, though wrought hundreds or thousands of years ago, still preserve the freshness of perennial youth.... The injury [of such neglect] falls only on such as slight them; and the penalty they pay is a contracted and a contracting insight, the shutting on them forever of many glorious vistas of mind, and the loss of thousands of images of grace and grandeur.

"Oh! rest assured that there are no stereotyped forms of poetry. It is a vital power, and may assume any guise and take any shape, at one time towering like an Alp in the darkness and at another sunning itself in the bell of a tulip or the cup of a lily; and until one shall have learned to recognize it in all its various developments he has no right to echo back the benison of Wordsworth:

"'Blessings be on them and eternal praise, The poets, who on earth have made us heirs Of truth and pure delight in heavenly lays.'"

* * * * *

By no means, then, to attempt a new definition where so many more competent have failed, we may nevertheless gather some points of certainty from the opinions cited above.

Poetry concerns itself with the ideal and the emotional, in nature, life, and thought. Its language must be choice, for aptness of expression and for melodious sound. Its form will embody the recurrence of rhythmic measures, which, however elaborated and varied in later times, originated in the dim past, when singing and dancing moved hand in hand for the vivid utterance of feeling--in mirthful joy and in woe, love and hate, worshipful devotion and mortal defiance, the fierceness of battle and the serenity of peace. While through all and over all must breathe the informing spirit of Beauty--whether of the delicate or the sublime, whether of sweetness or of power--harmonizing both the interior essence and its outward expression.

In the ejaculations of delight, fear, or wonder of primitive man at the phenomena of nature--in his imaginative efforts to explain the mystery of power behind light, darkness, the seasons, storm, calm--lie the beginnings of poetry; and religion grows from the same seed--the desire of the finite to lay hold on the Infinite. Every man is a potential poet, just so far as he responds to these yearnings after some expression of the ideal and the ineffable.

Poetry, indeed, finds its inspiration in all things, from the humblest creation to the Creator himself,--nothing too low or too high for its interest. In turn, it has inspired humanity's finest deeds; and so long as humanity's aims and joys and woes persist, will mankind seek uplift and delight in its charm.

[Signature: JR Howard]

PREFACE

The Poets, by the very necessity of their vocation, are the closest students of language in any literature. They are the most exacting in their demands upon the resources of words, and the most careful of discriminations in their use. "Easy writing's curst hard reading," said an English wit; but for the poet there is no such thing as easy writing. He must "wreak thought upon expression." The veteran Bryant wrote:

"Thou who wouldst wear the name Of Poet midst thy brethren of mankind, And clothe in words of flame Thoughts that shall live within the general mind, Deem not the framing of a deathless lay The pastime of a drowsy summer day. But gather all thy powers," etc.

The prose-writer should, and the great one does, carefully weigh, select, and place his words; but the Poet must,--if he is to make any least claim to the title. Therefore poetical quotations are, as a rule, more skillfully apt to the purpose of expressing shades of thought than are the more natural and therefore usually less careful phrases of prose, even when conveying "thoughts that shall live within the general mind."

A gathering of poetical quotations is valuable in two ways. It may afford the most vivid and significant representation of a thought or feeling for some specific occasion, or it will open to the reader an alluring field for wandering at will--or even aimlessly, yet with ever-fresh interest. In case one seeks some particular phrase, some familiar quotation which is vaguely remembered but desired for more accurate use, it may easily be that the phrase sought is not among the assemblage of notable fragments in this volume, but in its own place, embodied in the poem where it had its origin, in some of the other volumes of this work. In this volume, however, will be found some 2,700 memorable passages from poems not included in the others. They are alphabetically arranged under more than 300 appropriate titles, for general topics; and the "Index of Topics" will show cross-references to other and kindred themes, so that if desired a subject may be pursued into thoughts of related interest.

It is hoped that this gathering up of admirable fragments that should not be lost to familiar use, even though their original sources could find no proper place in the plan of the work at large, will prove to be helpfully suggestive, whether to the seeker for specific thoughts and expressions or to the general appreciative reader.

THE EDITORS.

INDEX OF TOPICS.

WITH CROSS-REFERENCES.

VOL. X

INDEX OF TOPICS.

* * * * *

WITH CROSS-REFERENCES.

* * * * *

Absence Farewell Parting

Action Deeds Labor Resolution Success

Admiration Beauty Blush Compliment Eye Face Love Praise Woman

Adornment Beauty Dress Fashion Hair Jewel

Adventure Battle Courage Heroism Hunting War

Adversity Comfort Consolation Cowardice Grief Life Loss Memory Patience Pity Poverty Sorrow Wealth

Advice Instruction Wisdom

Age Death Life Time

Air Cloud Nature Night Season Wind

Ambition Fame Praise Reputation State-craft

Angel Deeds Spirits

Anger Hate Passion Revenge

Angling Fish

Animals Cat Dog Horse Mouse Ox Sheep Deer Wolf

Anthology Poet, The Poetry

Apparition Angel Ghost Imagination Spirits Visions

Appearance Admiration Adornment Beauty Compliment Dress Face Fashion Hair Woman

Architecture Art

Argument Conversation Oratory Reasons Speech

Aristocracy Courtesy Gentleman Labor Man Manners Nobility

Art Architecture Fancy Imagination Music Nature Painting Poet, The Poetry Sculpture

Aspiration Faith God Hope Prayer Religion

Authority Power Royalty

Authorship Book Criticism Journalism Learning Pen Poet, The Poetry Reading

Baby Childhood Mother

Battle Courage Heroism Soldier War

Beauty Admiration Blush Compliment Bye Face Hair Love Praise Woman

Bell Boating Sabbath

Bible God Jesus Christ

Birds Blackbird Bluebird Bobolink Bullfinch Cock Canary Crow Cuckoo Eagle Falcon Goose Hawk Humming-bird Lark Mocking-bird Nightingale Owl Robin Summer Swallow Swan Wren

Blessing God Gratitude

Blush Face Kiss

Boating Adventure Fortune Ship Waters

Books Authorship Criticism Instruction Learning Pen Philosophy Poet, The Poetry Reading

Borrowing Care Gratitude

Boy Childhood Mother Rod, The School Youth

Care Adversity Contentment Merriment

Chance Fate Fortune God Opportunity

Change Contentment Discontent Fate Fortune Future

Charity Duty Good Poverty

Childhood Baby Boy Mother School Youth

Christmas Home Jesus Christ

Church Clergy Ecclesiasticism Preaching Religion Sabbath

City Athens London Manhattan Nature Rome Rural Life Venice

Clergy Church Ecclesiasticism Preaching Religion

Cloud Day Moon Rain Seasons Sky Star Spring Storm To-morrow

Comfort Contentment Rest Sleep

Compliment Beauty Blush Bye Face Love Praise Woman

Conceit Fool Pride Vanity

Conscience Contentment Duty Remorse Retribution Sin

Consolation Adversity Friendship Heaven Memory Mourning Pity Resignation Sorrow

Constancy Fidelity Inconstancy Resolution Virtue

Contentment Change Discontent Fate Fortune Future Happiness Peace Rest

Conversation Argument Oratory Silence Society Speech

Coquetry Woman

Countries America England Italy

Courage Adventure Battle Heroism Resolution War

Courtesy Gentleman Manners Temper

Cowardice Courage Fear Fright Resolution

Creed Action Deeds Ecclesiasticism Faith Jesus Christ Religion Theology Truth

Crime Conscience Murder Remorse Retribution Revenge Shame Stealing Temptation

Criticism Authorship Book Opinion Pen Perfection Poet, The Poetry Reading Satire Taste

Custom Change Fashion

Day Cloud Evening Morning Seasons Sky Sun

Death Consolation Dying Fate Grave, The Illness Immortality Memory Mourning

Deceit Devil Falsehood Hypocrisy Sincerity Stealing

Deeds Action Labor

Defeat Adversity Despair Disappointment Resolution Success

Despair Disappointment Fate Hope

Devil Deceit Hell Temptation

Dew, Morning, Spring

Disappointment Defeat Discontent Fate Hope

Discontent Contentment Fate Fortune Future

Distance Mountains

Doubt Creed Faith Resolution Theology Truth

Dream Imagination Vision

Dress Adornment Appearance Fashion Jewel Perfume

Drink Waters Wine

Duty Action Deeds

Dying Death Illness Life

Easter Jesus Christ

Ecclesiasticism Creed Theology Religion

Eternity Immortality Present, The Time

Evening Dew Moon Night Sun

Expectation Faith Future Hope

Eye Admiration Face

Face Admiration Appearance Beauty Eye

Fairy Moon

Faith Creed Fidelity Hope Religion Truth Theology

Falsehood Deceit Devil Hypocrisy Sincerity

Fame Ambition Glory Praise Reputation

Fancy Dreams Imagination Visions

Farewell Absence Parting

Farming Animals Labor Seasons: Autumn

Fashion Adornment Appearance Custom Dress

Fate Adversity Death Faith Fortune Future Life

Fault Conscience Sin

Fear Courage Cowardice Doubt Fright

Feeling Anger Love Oratory Silence Sympathy

Fidelity Faith Love's Unity Matrimony Resolution Treason

Fish Angling

Flattery Compliment Deceit Hypocrisy Sincerity

Flowers Apple-blossoms Arbutus Aster Bluebell Buttercup Carnation Columbine Cowslip Daffodil Daisy Dandelion Eglantine Foxglove Gillyflower Golden-rod Hawthorn Heliotrope Ivy Jasmine Lily Lily of the Valley Muskrose Nightshade Oxlip Pansy Primrose Rose Rosemary Sweetbriar Sweet-pea Thyme Tuberose Violet Wildrose Woodbine

Fool Flattery Man Vanity Wisdom

Forget Forgive Grief Inconstancy Memory

Forgive Forget Nobility

Fortune Adversity Contentment Fate Future Wealth

Freedom Countries Patriotism Power Tyranny

Friendship Age Constancy Help Hospitality Jealousy Jesus Christ Secret Sympathy Table, The

Fright Fear

Future Eternity Immortality Past, The Present, The Time To-morrow

Gentleman Aristocracy Courtesy Labor Man Manners Nobility Temper.

Ghost Apparition Spirits

Glory Ambition Fame Praise War

God Comfort Faith Nature Prayer Religion

Gods, The

Good Charity Creed Deeds Virtue

Gratitude Help Ingratitude

Grave, The Death Mourning

Greatness Ambition Fame Nobility State-craft

Grief Adversity Death Grave Mourning Resignation

Habit Custom Fault Temptation

Hair Appearance Compliment

Hand Beauty

Happiness Contentment Heaven Home Joy Merriment Pleasure

Hate Anger Jealousy Passion Revenge Suspicion

Heart Contentment Happiness Heaven Home Jesus Christ

Heaven Eternity Immortality Sky Star

Hell Defeat Despair Devil Hate Remorse

Help Charity Friendship Gratitude Ingratitude Sympathy

Heroism Adventure Battle Courage Soldier War

Home Baby Boy Childhood Hospitality Matrimony Mother Reading Wife Youth

Hope Expectation Faith Future Heaven To-morrow

Horsemanship Animals Hunting

Hospitality Friendship Home Table

Humility Contentment Pride

Hunting Animals Horsemanship

Hypocrisy Deceit Falsehood Sincerity

Idleness Labor Rest

Illness Medicine Pain

Imagination Dream Fancy Poet Poetry Visions

Immortality Consolation Eternity Heaven Soul

Inconstancy Constancy Fidelity Promise

Ingratitude Gratitude Help

Inn Ben Jonson

Innocence Virtue Youth

Insects Bee Butterfly Flea Fly Glow-worm Katydid Moth Spider

Instruction Books Mind Rod School

Invention Mind Science

Jealousy Hate Inconstancy Passion Suspicion

Jesus Christ Friendship Humility Virtue

Jewel Adornment Dress

Journalism Criticism Inn Learning Thought

Joy Happiness Home Memory Merriment Pleasure

Kiss Love Romance

Knowledge Learning Science Wisdom

Labor Deeds Farming Rural Life

Law Crime Murder Order Stealing

Learning Instruction Invention Knowledge Science Wisdom

Letters Pen

Life Death Deeds Expectation Hope Regret Success

Loss Adversity Disappointment Memory Opportunity Regret Wealth

Love Admiration Blush Constancy Friendship Inconstancy Kiss Matrimony Moderation Sigh Wife Woman

Man Age Death Gentleman Immortality Life Mind Progress Thought Time Virtue

Manners Aristocracy Gentleman Man Temper

Matrimony Baby Childhood Home Love's Unity Mother Wife Woman

Medicine Illness Pain

Melancholy Discontent Regret Sorrow

Memory Blessing Grief Happiness Joy Mourning Regret Remorse Sorrow

Mercy

Merriment Care Rural Life

Mind Instruction Knowledge Learning Reading Soul Thought Wisdom

Missions Religion

Moderation Contentment Humility

Moon Autumn Night Star

Morning Day Dew Star Sun

Mother Baby Childhood Home

Mountain

Mourning Death Grief Immortality Memory Sorrow

Murder Crime Hate Law Passion

Music Memory

Name Aristocracy Fame Greatness Reputation Scandal

Nature Animals Birds City Cloud Evening Fish Flowers Insects Moon Morning Mountains Night Rain Rainbow Rural Life Sea Seasons Sky Star Storm Sun Tree Waters

Night Evening Moon Sky Star

Nobility Greatness Virtue

Opinion Criticism Mind Reasons Thought

Opportunity Chance Defeat Success

Oratory Conversation Reasons Speech

Order Aristocracy God Law

Pain Illness Medicine

Painting Art

Parting Absence Farewell

Passion Anger Hate Jealousy Revenge Suspicion

Past, The Memory Present, The Time

Patience Adversity Grief Mourning Resolution Sorrow

Patriotism Countries Freedom Power Treason Tyranny

Peace Quarrel War

Pen, The Authorship Letters Poet, The

People, The Freedom Man Politics

Perfection Beauty Criticism

Perfume

Personal Bacon, Lord Burke, E. Carlyle, T. Chatterton, T. Chaucer Cowley, A. Cromwell Emerson Galileo Garrick Hawthorne Hogarth Holmes Johnson King Charles II Luther Marlborough Milton Poe Shakespeare Sheridan Sidney Spenser Thomson Warwick Washington Wellington Whittier Wickliffe

Philosophy Argument Mind Science Thought

Pity Charity Good Mercy Sympathy

Pleasure Joy Pain Merriment Youth

Poet, The Authorship Criticism Books Fancy Imagination Pen Poetry Reading

Poetry See under _The Poet_

Politics Freedom Man People, The State-craft

Possession Contentment Discontent Expectation Love's Unity

Poverty Adversity Charity Comfort Fortune Good Gratitude Ingratitude Wealth

Power Authority State-craft

Praise Compliment Flattery People, The

Prayer Aspiration God

Preaching Clergy Creed Ecclesiasticism Instruction Oratory Speech Theology

Present, The Eternity Memory Past Time To-morrow

Pride Conceit Fool Vanity

Progress Ambition Man

Promise Fidelity Sincerity

Quarrel Anger Jealousy

Rain Cloud Rainbow Seasons Storm

Rainbow Cloud Rain Sky

Reading Authorship Books Learning Philosophy Poetry

Reasons Argument Oratory Speech

Regret Doubt Melancholy Memory Past, The Remorse

Religion Creed Doubt Faith God Hope Truth Theology

Remorse Conscience Memory Regret Sin Temptation

Reputation Fame Name Praise Scandal

Resignation Adversity Comfort Grief Sorrow

Resolution Adventure Constancy Courage Fidelity Success

Rest Heaven Labor Night Sleep

Retribution Conscience Crime Passion

Revenge Anger Hate Passion

Rod, The Boy School

Romance Imagination Poet, The Poetry Reading

Royalty Authority People, The Power War

Rural Life See under _Nature_

Sabbath Bell Church Rest

Satire

Scandal Fame Name Reputation

School Boy Instruction Rod, The Youth

Science Mind Philosophy Thought

Scold Anger Quarrel Temper

Sculpture Art

Sea Adventure Ship Storm Wind

Seasons Flowers Nature Spring Summer Autumn Winter

Secret Conversation Friendship Silence

Shame Fame Name Reputation Scandal

Ship Sea Storm Wind

Sigh Love's Pains Melancholy Speech

Silence Conversation Evening Night Summer

Sin Conscience Crime Remorse Retribution Temptation

Sincerity Fidelity Innocence Truth

Sky Cloud Day Moon Night Seasons Star Storm

Sleep Death Night Rest

Smile Merriment Sigh

Society Conversation Friendship Home Hospitality Scandal Speech