Excerpt: ...I love it infinitely, and am able to give a tolerable judgment of other men's works; but, in good earnest, when I apply myself to it, I play the child, and am not able to endure myself. A man may play the fool in everything else, but not in poetry; "Mediocribus esse poetis Non dii, non homines, non concessere columnae." "Neither men, nor gods, nor the pillars (on which the poets offered their writings) permit mediocrity in poets." -Horace, De Arte Poet., 372. I would to God this sentence was written over the ...
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Excerpt: ...I love it infinitely, and am able to give a tolerable judgment of other men's works; but, in good earnest, when I apply myself to it, I play the child, and am not able to endure myself. A man may play the fool in everything else, but not in poetry; "Mediocribus esse poetis Non dii, non homines, non concessere columnae." "Neither men, nor gods, nor the pillars (on which the poets offered their writings) permit mediocrity in poets." -Horace, De Arte Poet., 372. I would to God this sentence was written over the doors of all our printers, to forbid the entrance of so many rhymesters! "Verum Nihil securius est malo poetae." "The truth is, that nothing is more confident than a bad poet." -Martial, xii. 63, 13. Why have not we such people?-As those about to be mentioned.- Dionysius the father valued himself upon nothing so much as his poetry; at the Olympic games, with chariots surpassing all the others in magnificence, he sent also poets and musicians to present his verses, with tent and pavilions royally gilt and hung with tapestry. When his verses came to be recited, the excellence of the delivery at first attracted the attention of the people; but when they afterwards came to poise the meanness of the composition, they first entered into disdain, and continuing to nettle their judgments, presently proceeded to fury, and ran to pull down and tear to pieces all his pavilions: and, that his chariots neither performed anything to purpose in the race, and that the ship which brought back his people failed of making Sicily, and was by the tempest driven and wrecked upon the coast of Tarentum, they certainly believed was through the anger of the gods, incensed, as they themselves were, against the paltry Poem; and even the mariners who escaped from the...
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
