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Lord Byron and his Times: http://lordbyron.org
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These Graces, however, are re-appearing; and one of the greatest
evidences is the little volume before us; for the work is not one of mere imitation, or a
compilation of ingenious and promising things that merely announce better, and that after all
might only help to keep up a bad system; but here is a young poet giving himself up to his own
impressions, and revelling in real poetry for its own sake. He has had his advantages, because
others have cleared the way into those happy bowers; but it shews the strength of his natural
tendency, that he has not been turned aside by the lingering enticements of a former system,
and by the self-love which interests others in enforcing them. We do not, of course, mean to
say, that
The very faults indeed of
The former error is visible in several parts of the book, but chiefly though
mixed with great beauties in the Epistles, and more between pages 28 and 47, where are
collected the author’s earliest pieces, some of which, we think, might have been omitted,
especially the string of magistrate-interrogatories about a shell and a copy of verses. See
also (p. 61) a comparison of wine poured out in heaven to the appearance of a falling star, and
(p. 62) the sight of far-seen fountains in the same region to “silver streaks across a
dolphin’s fin.” It was by thus giving way to every idea that came across him, that
And the same kind of specimen is afforded in poetry by
but by no contrivance of any sort can we prevent this from jumping out of the heroic
measure into mere rhythmicality,—
We come now however to the beauties; and the reader will easily perceive that they not only outnumber the faults a hundred fold, but that they are of a nature decidedly opposed to what is false and inharmonious. Their characteristics indeed are a fine ear, a fancy and imagination at will, and an intense feeling of external beauty in it’s most natural and least expressible simplicity.
We shall give some specimens of the least beauty first, and conclude with a noble extract or two that will shew the second, as well as the powers of our young poet in general. The harmony of his verses will appear throughout.
The first poem consists of a piece of luxury in a rural spot, ending with an
allusion to the story of Excursion
The first page of the book presents us with a fancy, founded, as all beautiful
fancies are, on a strong sense of what really exists or occurs. He is speaking of
Any body who has seen a throng of young beeches, furnishing those natural clumpy seats at
the root, must recognize the truth and grace of this description. The remainder of this part of
the poem, especially from— A gentle Air in Solitude
Young Trees
down to the bottom of page 5, affords an exquisite proof of close observation of nature as
well as the most luxuriant fancy.
This last line is in the taste of the Greek simplicity. The Moon
Fir Trees
A starry Sky
Sound of a Pipe
The Specimen of
an Induction to a PoemCalidore
and when