For The Stage Displays The First Vigorous

It Seems Difficult, Sometimes, To Believe That There Was A Time When Sentiments Now Become Habitual, Sentiments That Imply Not Only The Original Imperative Of Conduct, But The Original Metaphysic Of Living, Were By No Means Altogether Habitual.

The Epic Poet Has Behind Him A Tradition Of Matter And A Tradition Of Style; And That Is What Every Other Poet Has Behind Him Too; Only, For The Epic Poet, Tradition Is Rather Narrower, Rather More Strictly Compelling.

There Is Only One Thing Which Can Master The Perplexed Stuff Of Epic Material Into Unity; And That Is, An Ability To See In Particular Human Experience Some Significant Symbolism Of Man's General Destiny.

Poetry Is The Work Of Poets, Not Of Peoples Or Communities; Artistic Creation Can Never Be Anything But The Production Of An Individual Mind.

Traditional Matter Must Be Glorified, Since It Would Be Easier To Listen To The Re-creation Of Familiar Stories Than To Quite New And Unexpected Things; The Listeners, We Must Remember, Needed Poetry Chiefly As The Re-creation Of Tired Hours.