Suchapoet，itmaybe，mistswithsighsthewindowofhislifeuntilthetearsrundownit;thensomeairofsearchingpoetry，likeanairofsearchingfrost，turnsittoacrystalwonder。Thegodofgoldensongisthegod，too，ofthegoldensun;soperadventuresong—lightislikesunlight，anddarkensthecountenanceofthesoul。Perhapstheraysaretothestarswhatthornsaretotheflowers;andsothepoet，afterwanderingoverheaven，returnswithbleedingfeet。LesstragicinitsmerelytemporalaspectthanthelifeofKeatsorColeridge，thelifeofShelleyinitsmoralaspectis，perhaps，moretragicalthanthatofeither;hisdyingseemsamyth，afigureofhisliving;thematerialshipwreckafigureoftheimmaterial。
Enchantedchild，bornintoaworldunchildlike;spoileddarlingofNature，playmateofherelementaldaughters;\"pard—likespirit，beautifulandswift，\"lairedamidsttheburningfastnessesofhisownfervidmind;boldfootalongthevergesofprecipitousdream;
lightleaperfromcragtocragofinaccessiblefancies;toweringGenius，whosesoulroselikealadderbetweenheavenandearthwiththeangelsofsongascendinganddescendingit;—heisshrunkenintothelittlevesselofdeath，andsealedwiththeunshatterablesealofdoom，andcastdowndeepbelowtherollingtidesofTime。Mightymeatforlittleguests，whentheheartofShelleywaslaidinthecemeteryofCaiusCestius！Beauty，music，sweetness，tears—themouthofthewormhasfedofthemall。Intothatsacredbridal—
gloomofdeathwhereheholdshisnuptialswitheternityletnotourrashspeculationsfollowhim。Letushoperatherthatas，amidstmaterialnature，whereourdulleyesseeonlyruin，thefinereyeofsciencehasdiscoveredlifeinputridityandvigourindecay，—
seeingdissolutionevenanddisintegration，whichinthemouthofmansymbolisedisorder，tobeintheworksofGodundeviatingorder，andthemannerofourcorruptiontobenolesswonderfulthanthemannerofourhealth，—so，amidstthesupernaturaluniverse，sometenderundreamedsurpriseoflifeindoomawaitedthatwildnature，which，wornbywarfarewithitself，itsMaker，andalltheworld，nowSleeps，andneverpalatesmorethedug，Thebeggar\'snurse，andCaesar\'s。