OR

SELECTIONS FROM THE ENGLISH POETS

Illustrative of those First Requisites of their

rt;

WITII MARKINGS OF THE BEST PASSAGES, CRITICAL NOTICES

OF TUE WRITERS,

AND AN ESSAY IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION

"WHAT IS POETRY ?"

BY

LEIGHI HUNT.

NEW EDITION, COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME.

NEW YORK:
GEORGE P. PUT NAM, 155 BROADWAY.

1851.

CONTENTS.

Pago
. iii.
. 1

PREFACE :

. . . . . . . . ;

AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, “WHAT IS POETRY ?” .

SELECTIONS FROM SPENSER, WITH CRITICAL NOTICE

ARCHIMAGO's HERMITAGE AND THE HOUSE OF MORPHEUS

THE CAVE OF MAMMON AND GARDEN OF PROSERPINE .

A GALLERY OF PICTURES FROM SPENSER . . . .

(Spenser considered as the Poet of the Painters.)

CHARISSA, OR CHARITY . .

HOPE . . .

CUPID USURPING THE THRONE OF JUPITER

MARRIAGE PROCESSION OF THE THAMES AND MEDWAY ..

.

·

·

·

·

·

UNA, OR FAITH IN DISTRESS

JUPITER AND MAIA

. . . . . 82

NIGHT AND THE WITCH DUESSA .

. . . . 83

VENUS IN SEARCH OF CUPID, COMING TO DIANA . . . 85

MAY . . . . . . . . . .

AN ANGEL WITH A PILGRIM AND A FAINTING KNIGHT. . 87

AURORA AND TITHONUS . . . . . . . . 88

THE BRIDE AT THE ALTAR . . . . . . . . 89

A NYMPH BATHING

. . . . . . . 89

THE CAVE OF DESPAIR . . . . . . . . 90

A KNIGHT IN BRIGHT ARMOR, LOOKING INTO A CAVE . . 91

MALBECCO SEES HELLENORE DANCING WITH THE SATYRS . 99

LANDSCAPE, WITH DAMSELS CONVEYING A WOUNDED SQUIRE ON

HIS HORSE

· · · · · · · · 93

THE NYMPHS AND GRACES DANCING TO A SHEPHERD'S PIPE;

OR, APOTHEOSIS OF A POET'S MISTRESS . . . 93

Page

A PLUME OF FEATHERS AND AN ALMOND TREE

ENCHANTED MUSIC . . . . . .

.

SELECTIONS FROM MARLOWE, WITH CRITICAL NOTICE

THE JEW OF MALTA'S IDEA OF WEALTH .

A VISION OF HELEN . . . . . . .

MYTHOLOGY AND COURT AMUSEMENTS

BEAUTY BEYOND EXPRESSION

THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE . . .

. 102

103

. 103
. 104

. 100

. 108

. 116

SELECTIONS FROM SHAKSPEARE WITH CRITICAL NOTICE .

WHOLE STORY OF THE TEMPEST .

MACBETH AND THE WITCHES

THE QUARREL OF OBERON AND TITANIA

THE BRIDAL HOUSE BLESSED BY THE FAIRIES

LOVERS AND MUSIC

. . . . . . .

ANTONY AND THE CLOUDS

. 121

, 130

. 131

. 136

.

SELECTIONS FROM BEN JONSON, WITH CRITICAL NOTICE

TO CYNTHIA; THE MOON

THE LOVE-MAKING OF LUXURY . .

TOWERING SENSUALITY . . . . . . . .

THE WITCH

• 140

. 142

. 142

. 143

. 145

. 146

. 148

...

.

MELANCHOLY .

SELECTIONS FROM BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER, WITH CRITICAL

NOTICE · · · · · · · ·

. 150

. 152

A SATYR PRESENTS A BASKET OF FRUIT TO THE FAITHFUL

SHEPHERDESS · ·

153

A SPOT FOR LOVE TALES . . . . . . . . 155

MORNING . . . . . . . . . . . 155

THE POWER OF LOVE . . . . . . . . 156

INVOCATION TO SLEEP . . . . . . . . 157

SELECTIONS FROM MIDDLETON, DECKER, AND WEBSTER, WITH

CRITICAL NOTICE . . . . . . . . . 158

FLIGHT OF WITCHES . . . . . . . . . 162