Lectures on the English Poets; Delivered at the Surrey InstitutionHazlitt, William
History
Lectures on the English Poets; Delivered at the Surrey Institution
Hazlitt, William
English poetry -- History and criticism
Mr. Moore ought not to have written Lalla Rookh, even for three
thousand guineas. His fame is worth more than that. He should have
minded the advice of Fadladeen. It is not, however, a failure, so much
as an evasion and a consequent disappointment of public expectation. He
should have left it to others to break conventions with nations, and
faith with the world. He should, at any rate, have kept his with the
public. Lalla Rookh is not what people wanted to see whether Mr. Moore
could do; namely, whether he could write a long epic poem. It is four
short tales. The interest, however, is often high-wrought and tragic,
but the execution still turns to the effeminate and voluptuous side.
Fortitude of mind is the first requisite of a tragic or epic writer.
Happiness of nature and felicity of genius are the pre-eminent
characteristics of the bard of Erin. If he is not perfectly contented
with what he is, all the world beside is. He had no temptation to risk
any thing in adding to the love and admiration of his age, and more than
one country.
"Therefore to be possessed with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper light
To seek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess."
The same might be said of Mr. Moore's seeking to bind an epic crown, or
the shadow of one, round his other laurels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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