The Golden Treasury Selected From The Best Songs And Lyrical Poems In The English Language PDF Download

Excerpt from The Golden Treasury: Selected From the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language and Arranged With Notes In the arrangement, the most poetically-effective order has been attempted. The English mind has passed through phases of thought and cultivation sovarious and so Opposed during these three centuries oi Poetry, that a rapid passage between old and new, like rapid alteration of the eye's focus in looking at the landscape, will always be wearisome and hurtful to the sense of Beauty. The poems have been there fore distributed into Books corresponding, I to the ninety years closing about 1616, II thence to 1700, III to 1800, IV to the half century just ended. Or, looking at the Poets who more, or less give each portion its distinctive character, they might be called the Books of Shakespeare, Milton, Gray, and Words worth. The volume, in this respect, so far as the limitations of its range allow, accurately re ects the natural growth and evolution of our Poetry. A rigidly chronological sequence, however, rather fits a collection aiming at instruction than at pleasure, and the wisdom which comes through pleasure -within each book the pieces have therefore been arranged in gradations of feeling or subject. And it is hoped that the contents of this Anthology will thus be found to present a certain unity, as episodes, ' in the noble language of Shelley, 'to that great Poem which all poets, like the co-operating thoughts of one great mind, have built up since the beginning of the world.' As he closes his long survey, the Editor trusts he may add without egotism, that he has found the vague general verdict of popular Fame more just than those have thought, who, with too severe a criticism, would confine judgments on Poetry to the selected few of many generations.' Not many appear to have gained reputation without some gift or performance that, in due degree, deserved it and if no verses by certain writers who show less strength than sweetness, or more thought than mastery of expression, are printed in this volume, it should not be imagined that they have been excluded without much hesitation and regret, far less that they have been slighted. Throughout this vast and pathetic array of Singers now silent, few have been honoured with the name Poet, and have not possessed a skill in words, a sympathy with beauty, a tenderness of feeling, or seriousness in re ection, which render their works, although never perhapsattaining that loftier and finer excellence here required, - better worth reading than much of what fills the scanty hours that most men spare for self-improve. Ment, or for pleasure in any of its more elevated and permanent forms - And if this be true of even mediocre poetry, for how much more are we indebted to the best Like the fabled fountain of the Azores, but with a more various power, the magic of this Art can confer on each period of life its appropriate blessing: on early years Experience, on maturity Calm, on age, Youthfulness. Poetry gives treasures 'more golden than gold, ' leading us in higher and healthier ways than those of the world, and interpret ing to us the lessons of Nature. But she speaks best for herself. Her true accents, if the plan has been executed with success, may be heard throughout the following pages - wherever the Poets of England are honoured, wherever the dominant language of the world is spoken, it is hoped that they will find fit audience. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com"