_ It did not sound sad to Keats at first, but as it
dies away it takes colour from his own melancholy and sounds
pathetic
to
him.
Keats
ll. 69-70. _magic . . . forlorn._ Perhaps inspired by a picture of
Claude's, 'The Enchanted Castle,' of which Keats had written before in a
poetical epistle to his friend Reynolds--'The windows [look] as if
latch'd by Fays and Elves.'
PAGE 112. l. 72. _Toll._ To him it has a deeply melancholy sound, and it
strikes the death-blow to his illusion.
l. 75. _plaintive.
_ It did not sound sad to Keats at first, but as it
dies away it takes colour from his own melancholy and sounds
pathetic
to
him.
Cf. _Ode on Melancholy_: he finds both bliss and pain in the
contemplation of beauty.
ll. 76-8. _Past . . . glades._ The whole country speeds past our eyes in
these three lines.
NOTES ON THE ODE ON A GRECIAN URN.
This poem is not, apparently, inspired by any one actual vase, but by
many Greek sculptures, some seen in the British Museum, some known only
from engravings. Keats, in his imagination, combines them all into one
work of supreme beauty.
Perhaps Keats had some recollection of Wordsworth's sonnet 'Upon the
sight of a beautiful picture,' beginning 'Praised be the art.'
