"In general, the more
strongly
peppered passages pleased him the
best.
best.
Byron
.
" . . . I alone to the poet. . . .
"I read to him the _Vision of Judgment_. He enjoyed it like a
child; but his criticisms went little beyond the exclamatory 'Toll!
Ganz grob! himmlisch! unubertrefflich! ' etc. , etc.
"In general, the more strongly peppered passages pleased him the
best. Stanza 9 he praised for the clear distinct painting; 10 he
repeated with emphasis,--the last two lines conscious that his own
age was eighty; 13, 14, and 15 are favourites with me. G. concurred
in the suggested praise. The stanza 24 he declared to be sublime.
The characteristic speeches of Wilkes and Junius he thought most
admirable.
"Byron 'hat selbst viel ubertroffen;' and the introduction of
Southey made him laugh heartily.
"August 16.
"Lord B. he declared to be inimitable. Ariosto was not so _keck_ as
Lord B. in the _Vision of Judgment_. "
PREFACE
It hath been wisely said, that "One fool makes many;" and it hath been
poetically observed--
"[That] fools rush in where angels fear to tread. "
[POPE'S _Essay on Criticism_, line 625. ]
If Mr. Southey had not rushed in where he had no business, and where he
never was before, and never will be again, the following poem would not
have been written.
" . . . I alone to the poet. . . .
"I read to him the _Vision of Judgment_. He enjoyed it like a
child; but his criticisms went little beyond the exclamatory 'Toll!
Ganz grob! himmlisch! unubertrefflich! ' etc. , etc.
"In general, the more strongly peppered passages pleased him the
best. Stanza 9 he praised for the clear distinct painting; 10 he
repeated with emphasis,--the last two lines conscious that his own
age was eighty; 13, 14, and 15 are favourites with me. G. concurred
in the suggested praise. The stanza 24 he declared to be sublime.
The characteristic speeches of Wilkes and Junius he thought most
admirable.
"Byron 'hat selbst viel ubertroffen;' and the introduction of
Southey made him laugh heartily.
"August 16.
"Lord B. he declared to be inimitable. Ariosto was not so _keck_ as
Lord B. in the _Vision of Judgment_. "
PREFACE
It hath been wisely said, that "One fool makes many;" and it hath been
poetically observed--
"[That] fools rush in where angels fear to tread. "
[POPE'S _Essay on Criticism_, line 625. ]
If Mr. Southey had not rushed in where he had no business, and where he
never was before, and never will be again, the following poem would not
have been written.
