Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold, That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne, When a new planet swims into his ken; Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes He stared at the Pacific, and all his men Look'd at each other with a wild surmise,Silent, upon a peak in Darien. KEATS. On first looking into CHAPMAN'S HOMER. Cortez confused with Balboa. 12 O ye dead Poets, who are living still 13 The clear, sweet singer with the crown of snow Not whiter than the thoughts that housed below! LOWELL-Epistle to George William Curtis. L. 43. Postscript. 14 A terrible thing to be pestered with poets! She never will cry till she's out of the wood! 15 Sithe of our language he was the lodesterre. LYDGATE-The Falls of Princes. Referring to CHAUCER. For his chaste Muse employed her heaventaught lyre None but the noblest passions to inspire, Poets are sultans, if they had their will: 20 Valeant mendacia vatum. Good-bye to the lies of the poets. 21 Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand. PLATO-The Republic. Bk. II. Sec. V. 22 Tamen poetis mentiri licet. Nevertheless it is allowed to poets to lie. (Poetical license.) PLINY the Younger-Epistles. Bk. VI. 21. 23 While pensive poets painful vigils keep, Sleepless themselves to give their readers sleep. POPE-Dunciad. Bk. I. L. 93. 24 Dulness! whose good old cause I yet defend, With whom my muse began, with whom shall end. POPE-Dunciad. Bk. I. L. 165. |