the works of edgar allan poe-5-第32章

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the　pen　of　poet。　It　is　the　soul…elevating　idea　that　no　man　can　consider
himself　entitled　to　complain　of　Fate　while　in　his　adversity　he　still
retains　the　unwavering　love　of　woman。

　　　　From　Alfred　Tennyson；　although　in　perfect　sincerity　I　regard　him　as
the　noblest　poet　that　ever　lived；　I　have　left　myself　time　to　cite　only　a
very　brief　specimen。　I　call　him；　and　_think　_him　the　noblest　of　poets；
_not　_because　the　impressions　he　produces　are　at　_all　_times　the　most
profound　_not　_because　the　poetical　excitement　which　he　induces　is　at
_all　_times　the　most　intensebut　because　it　is　at　all　times　the　most
etherealin　other　words；　the　most　elevating　and　most　pure。　No　poet　is　so
little　of　the　earth；　earthy。　What　I　am　about　to　read　is　from　his　last　long
poem；　〃The　Princess〃：

　　　　Tears；　idle　tears；　I　know　not　what　they　mean；
Tears　from　the　depth　of　some　divine　despair
Rise　in　the　heart；　and　gather　to　the　eyes；
In　looking　on　the　happy　Autumn　fields；
And　thinking　of　the　days　that　are　no　more。

　　　　Fresh　as　the　first　beam　glittering　on　a　sail；
That　brings　our　friends　up　from　the　underworld；
Sad　as　the　last　which　reddens　over　one
That　sinks　with　all　we　love　below　the　verge；
So　sad；　so　fresh；　the　days　that　are　no　more。

　　　　Ah；　sad　and　strange　as　in　dark　summer　dawns
The　earliest　pipe　of　half…awaken'd　birds
To　dying　ears；　when　unto　dying　eyes
The　casement　slowly　grows　a　glimmering　square；
So　sad；　so　strange；　the　days　that　are　no　more。

　　　　Dear　as　remember'd　kisses　after　death；
And　sweet　as　those　by　hopeless　fancy　feign'd
On　lips　that　are　for　others；　deep　as　love；
Deep　as　first　love；　and　wild　with　all　regret；
O　Death　in　Life；　the　days　that　are　no　more。

　　　　Thus；　although　in　a　very　cursory　and　imperfect　manner；　I　have
endeavored　to　convey　to　you　my　conception　of　the　Poetic　Principle。　It　has
been　my　purpose　to　suggest　that；　while　this　principle　itself　is　strictly
and　simply　the　Human　Aspiration　for　Supernal　Beauty；　the　manifestation　of
the　Principle　is　always　found　in　_an　elevating　excitement　of　the　soul；
_quite　independent　of　that　passion　which　is　the　intoxication　of　the　Heart；
or　of　that　truth　which　is　the　satisfaction　of　the　Reason。　For　in　regard　to
passion；　alas！　its　tendency　is　to　degrade　rather　than　to　elevate　the　Soul。
Love；　on　the　contraryLovethe　true；　the　divine　Erosthe　Uranian　as
distinguished　from　the　Diona~an　Venusis　unquestionably　the　purest　and
truest　of　all　poetical　themes。　And　in　regard　to　Truth；　if；　to　be　sure；
through　the　attainment　of　a　truth　we　are　led　to　perceive　a　harmony　where
none　was　apparent　before；　we　experience　at　once　the　true　poetical　effect；
but　this　effect　is　referable　to　the　harmony　alone；　and　not　in　the　least
degree　to　the　truth　which　merely　served　to　render　the　harmony　manifest。

　　　　We　shall　reach；　however；　more　immediately　a　distinct　conception　of
what　the　true　Poetry　is；　by　mere　reference　to　a　few　of　the　simple　elements
which　induce　in　the　Poet　himself　the　poetical　effect　He　recognizes　the
ambrosia　which　nourishes　his　soul　in　the　bright　orbs　that　shine　in
Heavenin　the　volutes　of　the　flowerin　the　clustering　of　low
shrubberiesin　the　waving　of　the　grain…fieldsin　the　slanting　of　tall
eastern　trees　　in　the　blue　distance　of　mountains　　in　the　grouping　of
clouds　in　the　twinkling　of　half…hidden　brooksin　the　gleaming　of　silver
rivers　in　the　repose　of　sequestered　lakesin　the　star…mirroring　depths
of　lonely　wells。　He　perceives　it　in　the　songs　of　birdsin　the　harp　of
Bolos　in　the　sighing　of　the　night…windin　the　repining　voice　of　the
forest　in　the　surf　that　complains　to　the　shorein　the　fresh　breath　of
the　woods　in　the　scent　of　the　violetin　the　voluptuous　perfume　of　the
hyacinthin　the　suggestive　odour　that　comes　to　him　at　eventide　from　far
distant　undiscovered　islands；　over　dim　oceans；　illimitable　and　unexplored。
He　owns　it　in　all　noble　thoughtsin　all　unworldly　motivesin　all　holy
impulsesin　all　chivalrous；　generous；　and　self…sacrificing　deeds。　He
feels　it　in　the　beauty　of　womanin　the　grace　of　her　stepin　the　lustre
of　her　eyein　the　melody　of　her　voicein　her　soft　laughter；　in　her
sighin　the　harmony　of　the　rustling　of　her　robes。　He　deeply　feels　it　in
her　winning　endearmentsin　her　burning　enthusiasmsin　her　gentle
charitiesin　her　meek　and　devotional　endurancesbut　above　allah；　far
above　all；　he　kneels　to　ithe　worships　it　in　the　faith；　in　the　purity；　in
the　strength；　in　the　altogether　divine　majestyof　her　love。

　　　　Let　me　conclude　by　　the　recitation　of　yet　another　brief　poem　　one
very　different　in　character　from　any　that　I　have　before　quoted。　It　is　by
Motherwell；　and　is　called　〃The　Song　of　the　Cavalier。〃　With　our　modern　and
altogether　rational　ideas　of　the　absurdity　and　impiety　of　warfare；　we　are
not　precisely　in　that　frame　of　mind　best　adapted　to　sympathize　with　the
sentiments；　and　thus　to　appreciate　the　real　excellence　of　the　poem。　To　do
this　fully　we　must　identify　ourselves　in　fancy　with　the　soul　of　the　old
cavalier：　

Then　mounte！　then　mounte；　brave　gallants　all；
　　　　And　don　your　helmes　amaine：
Deathe's　couriers。　Fame　and　Honor　call
　　　　No　shrewish　teares　shall　fill　your　eye
When　the　sword…hilt's　in　our　hand；　
　　　　Heart…whole　we'll　part；　and　no　whit　sighe
For　the　fayrest　of　the　land；
　　　　Let　piping　swaine；　and　craven　wight；
Thus　weepe　and　poling　crye；
　　　　Our　business　is　like　men　to　fight。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



OLD　ENGLISH　POETRY　*

IT　should　not　be　doubted　that　at　least　one…third　of　the　affection　with
which　we　regard　the　elder　poets　of　Great　Britain　should　be…attributed　to
what　is；　in　itself；　a　thing　apart　from　poetry…we　mean　to　the　simple　love
of　the　antique…and　that；　again；　a　third　of　even　the　proper　_poetic
sentiment　_inspired_　_by　their　writings　should　be　ascribed　to　a　fact
which；　while　it　has　strict　connection　with　poetry　in　the　abstract；　and
with　the　old　British　poems　themselves；　should　not　be　looked　upon　as　a
merit　appertaining　to　the　authors　of　the　poems。　Almost　every　devout
admirer　of　the　old　bards；　if　demanded　his　opinion　of　their　productions；
would　mention　vaguely；　yet　with　perfect　sincerity；　a　sense　of　dreamy；
wild；　indefinite；　and　he　would　perhaps　say；　indefinable　delight；　on　being
required　to　point　out　the　source　of　this　so　shadowy　pleasure；　he　would　be
apt　to　speak　of　the　quaint　in　phraseology　and　in　general　handling。　This
quaintness　is；　in　fact；　a　very　powerful　adjunct　to　ideality；　but　in　the
case　in　question　it　arises　independently　of　the　author's　will；　and　is
altogether　apart　from　his　intention。　Words　and　their　rhythm　have　varied。
Verses　which　affect　us　to…day　with　a　vivid　delight；　and　which　delight；　in
many　instances；　may　be　traced　to　the　one　source；　quaintness；　must　have
worn　in　the　days　of　their　construction；　a　very　commonplace　air。　This　is；
of　course；　no　argument　against　the　poems　now…we　mean　it　only　as　against
the　poets　_thew。　_There　is　a　growing　desire　to　overrate　them。　The　old
English　muse　was　frank；　guileless；　sincere；　and　although　very　learned；
still　learned　without　art。　No　general　error　evinces　a　more　thorough
confusion　of　ideas　than　the　error　of　supposing　Donne　and　Cowley
metaphysical　in　the　sense　wherein　Wordsworth　and　Coleridge　are　so。　With
the　two　former　ethics　were　the　end…with　the　two　latter　the　means。　The　poet
of　the　〃Creation〃　wished；　by　highly　artificial　verse；　to　inculcate　what　he
supposed　to　be　moral　truth…the　poet　of　the　〃Ancient　Mariner〃　to　infuse　the
Poetic　Sentiment　through　channels　suggested　by　analysis。　The　one　finished
by　complete　failure　what　he　commenced　in　the　grossest　misconception；　the
other；　by　a　path　which　could　not　possibly　lead　him　astray；　arrived　at　a
triumph　which　is　not　the　less　glorious　because　hidden　from　the　profane
eyes　of　the　multitude。　But　in　this　view　even　the　〃metaphysical　verse〃　of
Cowley　is　but　evidence　of　the　simplicity　and　single…heartedness　of　the
man。　And　he　was　in　this　but　a　type　of　his　school…for　we　may　as　well
designate　in　this　way　the　entire　class　of　writers　whose　poems　are　bound　up
in　the　volume　before　us；　and　throughout　all　of　whom　there　runs　a　very
perceptible　general　character。　They　used　little　art　in　composition。　Their
writings　sprang　immediately　from　the　soul…and　partook　intensely　of　that
soul's　nature。　Nor　i