If those ancient poets in whom this mythology remains, are to be
received sometimes as delivering known and accepted names as beings,
sometimes as supplying from their momentary inventions unreceived names,
then this view of the case also affords proof of the same disposition we
have spoken of. It shows the disposition of men to believe in powers the
immediate causes of impressive effects; and the Poet must be conceived
as suggesting and delivering the shape and name of Powers which it is
already believed must be, though themselves are not known—not as
inventing them deliberately and ornamentally, nor as declaring them from
an assured and assumed knowledge. This disposition to produce shapes of
powers which in early ages is attended with positive belief, afterwards
remains in imagination—art, though not extinct in the work of our mind
for dealing in realities. Do we, sir, ever divest ourselves of a belief
in Death, Chance, Fate, Time? But a strong belief overrules with us all
such illusions of fancy, withdrawing all power to the great source of
power. Therefore, such a disposition, though it continues, is in real
thought much oppressed and stifled, and shows itself almost
accidentally, as it were, rather than in any constant opinion, for in
deliberate opinion it cannot hold. But in Poetry, even in Eloquence, it
remains. There we allow ourselves in illusion; and the mind leaps up
with a sort of rejoicing, to recover its old liberty of deceiving itself
with splendid fictions.
SEWARD.
Which is again an instance of the two different forms in which
Imagination is seen in the earlier and later age—in the first, realised
in belief—in the last, having its domain in the avowedly ideal world of
Poetry.
NORTH.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account