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 Ah, poet-dreamer, within those walls
 What triumphs shall be yours!
  For all are happy and rich and read more 
 Ah, poet-dreamer, within those walls
 What triumphs shall be yours!
  For all are happy and rich and great
   In that City of By-and-by. 
 And poets by their sufferings grow,--
 As if there were no more to do,
  To make a read more 
 And poets by their sufferings grow,--
 As if there were no more to do,
  To make a poet excellent,
   But only want and discontent. 
 Ovid's a rake, as half his verses show him,
 Anacreon's morals are a still worse sample,
  Catullus read more 
 Ovid's a rake, as half his verses show him,
 Anacreon's morals are a still worse sample,
  Catullus scarcely has a decent poem,
   I don't think Sappho's Ode a good example,
    Although Longinus tells us there is no hymn
     Where the sublime soars forth on wings more ample;
      But Virgil's songs are pure, except that horrid one
       Being with "Formosum Pastor Corydon." 
 God's prophets of the Beautiful,
 These Poets were.  
 God's prophets of the Beautiful,
 These Poets were. 
 Happy the poet who with ease can steer
 From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
  [Lat., read more 
 Happy the poet who with ease can steer
 From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
  [Lat., Heureux qui, dans ses vers, sait d'une voix legere
   Passer du grave au doux, du plaisant au severe.] 
 Poets alone are sure of immortality; they are the truest diviners 
of nature.  
 Poets alone are sure of immortality; they are the truest diviners 
of nature. 
The most important thing for poets to do is to write as little as possible.
The most important thing for poets to do is to write as little as possible.
 Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name,
 But England's Milton equals both in fame.  
 Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name,
 But England's Milton equals both in fame. 
 I have never yet known a poet who did not think himself 
super-excellent.
 [Lat., Adhue neminem cognovi poetam, read more 
 I have never yet known a poet who did not think himself 
super-excellent.
 [Lat., Adhue neminem cognovi poetam, qui sibi non optimus 
videretur.]