Recollections of Foreign Travel (Volume 1); On Life, Literature, and Self-Knowledge (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825. Excerpt: ... LETTER XXIV. 7th August, 1824. The poet to whose genius Campbell, in his Specimens, has paid most lengthened attention, and whom he has treated with most favour, is Cowper. This i's the more pleasing, because Campbell's own school of poetry has little likeness to Cowper's. The memoir contains some very elegant and beautifully written criticism; but still it assumes principles of poetical excellence to which I cannot quite accede. It is rather an ungracious attempt to oppose the critic on the ground he has taken; but precision and certainty in the principles of poetry is of more importance than the charm of a few detached passages, however deeply attractive from their moral virtue as well as their elegance. The main passage to which I allude is this: --" We instantly recognize ' the true poet in the clearness, sweetness, "and fidelity of his scenic draughts; in his "power of giving novelty to what is com"mon; and in the high relish, the exqui"site enjoyment of rural sights and sounds, "which he communicates to the spirit." Now this is very delightful; but it does not, therefore, follow that it describes the proper power of the true poet. If invention be the poet's grand faculty it certainly does not. Let us examine this curious and difficult subject a little more minutely. It is the fidelity of a scenic draught; that is, it is a direct copy from nature, of which a great part of the excellence lies in the clearness and exactness. So far the poet does not go beyond the painter; he paints with words instead of colours, which are the more perfect medium: indeed he does not even go so far as the painter who executes from invention. It may be said, that there is something more intellectual in the application of words than of colours: I see no satisfactory reason ...