Tag Archives: William Wordsworth

“I take it to be my portion in this life, joined with a strong propensity of nature, to leave something so written to aftertimes, as they should not willingly let it die.” — John Milton

Posted on December 9, 2025 by sheila

Milton was born on this day in 1608. Although he left Oxford without completing his degree, he remained a thinker, a propagandist/pamphleteer, a scholar till the end of his days. The isolated poet, focused on self and personal emotion, would … Continue reading →

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“My thoughts bustle along like a Surinam toad, with little toads sprouting out of back, side, and belly, vegetating while it crawls.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Posted on October 21, 2025 by sheila

He looked at his own Soul with a telescope. What seemed all irregular, he saw and shewed to be beautiful Constellations: and he added to the Consciousness hidden worlds within worlds. –Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Notebooks It’s his birthday today. I’ll … Continue reading →

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“When I aim at praise, they say I bite.” — Alexander Pope

Posted on May 21, 2025 by sheila

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! -— Alexander Pope, from “Eloisa to Abelard” Alexander Pope was born on this day in 1688. He was so huge … Continue reading →

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“Those evils that inflame the imagination and make the heart sick, ought not to leave the head cool.” — William Hazlitt

Posted on April 10, 2025 by sheila

Self-portrait by William Hazlitt, who was born on this day in 1778. “We are cold to others only when we are dull in ourselves, and have neither thoughts nor feelings to impart to them. Give a man a topic in … Continue reading →

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“For never has such soothing voice / Been to your shadowy world convey’d…” — Matthew Arnold on William Wordsworth

Posted on April 7, 2025 by sheila

“I have said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity; the emotion is contemplated till by a species of reaction the tranquillity gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to … Continue reading →

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“Since when was genius found respectable?” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Posted on March 6, 2025 by sheila

It’s her birthday today. I have a beautiful red-leather bound copy of The Complete Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, bought at a second-hand store. The publication date is 1882, with a foreword by Mrs. Browning herself. She died in … Continue reading →

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“Gie me ae spark o’ nature’s fire / That’s a’ the learning I desire…” — Robert Burns, “the Ploughman Poet” of Scotland

Posted on January 25, 2025 by sheila

“For my own part I never had the least thought or inclination of turning poet till I got once heartily in Love, and then Rhyme and Song were, in a manner, the spontaneous language of my heart.” — Robert Burns … Continue reading →

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“Best be yourself, imperial, plain, and true.” – Robert Browning

Posted on May 7, 2023 by sheila

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?” — Robert Browning “Andrea del Sarto” It’s Robert Browning’s birthday today. “Imperial”. Spoken like a true Victorian. We had to read Robert Browning’s poem “Meeting at … Continue reading →

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2022 Books Read

Posted on January 6, 2023 by sheila

Some re-reads this year, but a lot of new-to-me authors as well. New novels written by faves. Been a year of upheaval and transitions. I’ve managed to keep up my regular reading schedule. I just don’t feel right if I’m … Continue reading →

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The Books: On the Pleasure of Hating, ‘The Fight’, by William Hazlitt

Posted on January 14, 2013 by sheila

On the essays shelf: On the Pleasure of Hating, by William Hazlitt William Hazlitt is not as well known as he should be; much of this is because most of his work is now out of print. But if you … Continue reading →

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