"That sense of a life in natural objects, which in most poetry is but a rhetorical artifice, was, then, in Wordsworth the assertion of what was for him almost literal fact.“


-Walter Pater

posted in poetry


That sense of a life in natural objects, which in most poetry is but a rhetorical artifice, was, then, in Wordsworth the assertion of what was for him almost literal fact.

Other Quotes You Might Like

Discover more inspiring quotes from our collection

"One of the most beautiful passages of Rousseau is that in the sixth book of Confessions, where he describes the awakening in him of the literary sense. Of such wisdom, the poetic passion, the desire of beauty, the love of art for its own sake, has most."

-Walter Pater

wisdomView Quote
"To burn always with this hard, gem-like flame, to maintain this ecstasy, is success in life."

-Walter Pater

successView Quote
"No account of the Renaissance can be complete without some notice of the attempt made by certain Italian scholars of the fifteenth century to reconcile Christianity with the religion of ancient Greece."

-Walter Pater

religionView Quote
"Such discussions help us very little to enjoy what has been well done in art or poetry, to discriminate between what is more and what is less excellent in them, or to use words like beauty, excellence, art, poetry, with a more precise meaning than they would otherwise have."

-Walter Pater

poetryView Quote
"Many attempts have been made by writers on art and poetry to define beauty in the abstract, to express it in the most general terms, to find some universal formula for it."

-Walter Pater

poetryView Quote
"A very intimate sense of the expressiveness of outward things, which ponders, listens, penetrates, where the earlier, less developed consciousness passed lightly by, is an important element in the general temper of our modern poetry."

-Walter Pater

poetryView Quote

More Quotes About poetry

Explore other inspiring quotes in this category

"I write poetry in order to live more fully."

-Judith Rodriguez

poetryView Quote
"He fertilizes a phrase or a line of poetry for weeks and then gives birth to it in a speech."

-John Colville

poetryView Quote
"Poetry uses the hub of a torque converter for a jello mold."

-Diane Glancy

poetryView Quote
"Poetry asks people to have values, form opinions, care about some other part of experience besides making money and being successful on the job."

-Toi Derricotte

poetryView Quote
"For there is a sound reasoning upon all flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ."

-Christopher Smart

poetryView Quote
"I don't know a better preparation for life than a love of poetry and a good digestion."

-Zona Gale

poetryView Quote