. The Methodist magazine and quarterly review . ess pictures of the poet of poverty, Crabbe. We had almostforgotten, too, that within the same period, Sir Walter Scott hasstood before the world as a candidate for the honors of the highestof all arts; but Marmion and the Lady of the Lake, although abun-dantly popular in their day, have ceased to be spoken of: theywere read, but they are forgotten—for with ali his powers of de-scription and mastery of poetic -diction, Sir Walter was no poet,—he wrote nothing that could live, because he wrote nothing illustra-tive of human character, or that coul
. The Methodist magazine and quarterly review . ess pictures of the poet of poverty, Crabbe. We had almostforgotten, too, that within the same period, Sir Walter Scott hasstood before the world as a candidate for the honors of the highestof all arts; but Marmion and the Lady of the Lake, although abun-dantly popular in their day, have ceased to be spoken of: theywere read, but they are forgotten—for with ali his powers of de-scription and mastery of poetic -diction, Sir Walter was no poet,—he wrote nothing that could live, because he wrote nothing illustra-tive of human character, or that could add one tittle to our know-ledge either of human nature or its destiny Shelley, too, withinthe same period, has bewildered himself in a maze of vain specula-tion, and endeavored to involve others in the same unhappiness;and too many youthful minds, fascinated by the brilliancy of hisfancy and the energy of his language, have overlooked his want ofgood sense, and imbibed from his writings the poison of a Qod-less Vol. X.— Oct., 1839. 57. 450 Wordsworths Poems. philosophy;—while, on the other hand, the pure mind of Montgo-mery has given birth to some of the sweetest poetry in the language,richly fraught with the spirit of religion, and breathing the benevo-lence of a heart at peace with God and man. During all this period—nay, longer, for his earliest poem bearsthe date of 1786—has William Wordsworth been devoted to theart of poetry. Cherishing the same high sentiments as Milton inregard to the dignity of that art; and knowing, as that great bardexpressed it, H what glorious and magnificent use might be made ofpoetry, both in divine and human things ; and feeling, in his inmostspirit, that consciousness of power which animates all who are en-dowed with the highest of intellectual gifts— the vision and thefaculty divine—he formed at an early period his determination towrite something that might live; and, having adopted a theory ofhis own in regard both to the na
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