Lascelles Abercrombie

It seems difficult, sometimes, to believe that there was a time when sentiments now become habitual, sentiments that imply not read more

It seems difficult, sometimes, to believe that there was a time when sentiments now become habitual, sentiments that imply not only the original imperative of conduct, but the original metaphysic of living, were by no means altogether habitual.

Poetry is the work of poets, not of peoples or communities; artistic creation can never be anything but the production read more

Poetry is the work of poets, not of peoples or communities; artistic creation can never be anything but the production of an individual mind.

Epic poetry exhibits life in some great symbolic attitude. It cannot strictly be said to symbolize life itself, but always read more

Epic poetry exhibits life in some great symbolic attitude. It cannot strictly be said to symbolize life itself, but always some manner of life.

But the gravest difficulty, and perhaps the most important, in poetry meant solely for recitation, is the difficulty of achieving read more

But the gravest difficulty, and perhaps the most important, in poetry meant solely for recitation, is the difficulty of achieving verbal beauty, or rather of making verbal beauty tell.

An epic is not made by piecing together a set of heroic lays, adjusting their discrepancies and making them into read more

An epic is not made by piecing together a set of heroic lays, adjusting their discrepancies and making them into a continuous narrative.