ESSAYS ON THE POETS, AND OTHER ENGLISH WRITERS. BY THOMAS DE QUINCEY, AUTHOR OF "CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM-EATER," ETC. ETC. BOSTON: TICKNOR AND FIELDS. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF MRS. THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON OCT 9 1940 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by TICKNOR, REED, AND FIELDS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Stereotyped by New England Type and Stereotype Foundry, ON WORDSWORTH'S POETRY. HERETOFORE, upon one impulse or another, I have retraced fugitive memorials of several persons celebrated in our own times; but I have never undertaken an examination of any man's writings. The one labor is, comparatively, without an effort; the other is both difficult, and, with regard to contemporaries, is invidious. In genial moments the characteristic remembrances of men expand as fluently as buds travel into blossoms; but criticism, if it is to be conscientious and profound, and if it is applied to an object so unlimited as poetry, must be almost as unattainable by any hasty effort as fine poetry itself. "Thou hast convinced me," says Rasselas to Imlac, "that it is impossible to be a poet; so vast had appeared to be the array of qualifications. But, with the same ease, Imlac might have convinced the prince that it was impossible to be a critic. And hence it is, that, in the sense of absolute and philosophic criticism, we have little or none; for, before that can exist, we must have a good psychology; whereas, at present, we have none at all. If, however, it is more difficult to write critical sketches than sketches of personal recollections, often |