Literary Reminiscences: Literary novitiate. Sir H. Davy; Mr. Godwin; Mrs. Grant. Recollections of Charles Lamb. Walladmor. Samuel Taylor Coleridge. William Wordsworth

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Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1851

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Page 342 - I thought of Chatterton, the marvellous Boy, The sleepless Soul that perished in his pride ; Of Him who walked in glory and in joy Following his plough, along the mountain-side: By our own spirits are we deified : We Poets in our youth begin in gladness; But thereof come in the end despondency and madness.
Page 345 - But how can He expect that others should Build for him, sow for him, and at his call Love him, who for himself will take no heed at all...
Page 230 - Though I should gaze for ever On that green light that lingers in the west: I may not hope from outward forms to win The passion and the life, whose fountains are within.
Page 354 - The Youth of green savannahs spake, And many an endless, endless lake, With all its fairy crowds Of islands, that together lie As quietly as spots of sky Among the evening clouds.
Page 269 - Her eyes were not soft, as Mrs. Wordsworth's, nor were they fierce or bold; but they were wild and startling, and hurried in their motion. Her manner was warm and even ardent ; her sensibility seemed constitutionally deep ; and some subtle fire of impassioned intellect apparently burned within her, which, being alternately pushed forward into a conspicuous expression by the irrepressible instincts of her temperament, and then immediately checked, in obedience to the decorum of her sex and age, and...
Page 266 - ... of criticism — nay, generally pronounced very plain— to exercise all the practical fascination of beauty, through the mere compensatory charms of sweetness all but angelic, of simplicity the most entire, womanly self-respect and purity of heart speaking through all her looks, acts, and movements.
Page 268 - She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleamed upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament; Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair; Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful Dawn; A dancing Shape, an Image gay, To haunt, to startle, and waylay.
Page 265 - I heard a step, a voice, and, like a flash of lightning, I saw the figure emerge of a tallish man, who held out his hand, and saluted me with most cordial expressions of welcome.
Page 124 - There need not schools, nor the Professor's chair, Though these be good, true wisdom to impart; He, who has not enough for these to spare Of time, or gold, may yet amend his heart, And teach his soul, by brooks and rivers fair: Nature is always wise in every part.
Page 357 - The Blessing of my later years Was with me when a boy : She gave me eyes, she gave me ears ; And humble cares, and delicate fears ; A heart, the fountain of sweet tears ; And love, and thought, and joy.

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