WethenspokeofthegreatbeautyandimportanceofDemocracy，andwereatmuchtroubleinimpressingtheCountwithaduesenseoftheadvantagesweenjoyedinlivingwheretherewassuffrageadlibitum，andnoking。
Helistenedwithmarkedinterest，andinfactseemednotalittleamused。
Whenwehaddone，hesaidthat，agreatwhileago，therehadoccurredsomethingofaverysimilarsort。ThirteenEgyptianprovincesdeterminedallatoncetobefree，andtosetamagnificentexampletotherestofmankind。Theyassembledtheirwisemen，andconcoctedthemostingeniousconstitutionitispossibletoconceive。Forawhiletheymanagedremarkablywell；onlytheirhabitofbraggingwasprodigious。Thethingended，however，intheconsolidationofthethirteenstates，withsomefifteenortwentyothers，inthemostodiousandinsupportabledespotismthatwaseverheardofuponthefaceoftheEarth。
Iaskedwhatwasthenameoftheusurpingtyrant。
AswellastheCountcouldrecollect，itwasMob。
Notknowingwhattosaytothis，Iraisedmyvoice，anddeploredtheEgyptianignoranceofsteam。
TheCountlookedatmewithmuchastonishment，butmadenoanswer。Thesilentgentleman，however，gavemeaviolentnudgeintheribswithhiselbowstoldmeIhadsufficientlyexposedmyselfforonceanddemandedifIwasreallysuchafoolasnottoknowthatthemodernsteam-engineisderivedfromtheinventionofHero，throughSolomondeCaus。
Wewerenowinimminentdangerofbeingdiscomfited；but，asgoodluckwouldhaveit，DoctorPonnonner，havingrallied，returnedtoourrescue，andinquiredifthepeopleofEgyptwouldseriouslypretendtorivalthemodernsintheall-importantparticularofdress。
TheCount，atthis，glanceddownwardtothestrapsofhispantaloons，andthentakingholdoftheendofoneofhiscoat-tails，helditupclosetohiseyesforsomeminutes。Lettingitfall，atlast，hismouthextendeditselfverygraduallyfromeartoear；butIdonotrememberthathesaidanythinginthewayofreply。
Hereuponwerecoveredourspirits，andtheDoctor，approachingtheMummywithgreatdignity，desiredittosaycandidly，uponitshonorasagentleman，iftheEgyptianshadcomprehended，atanyperiod，themanufactureofeitherPonnonner’slozengesorBrandreth’spills。
Welooked，withprofoundanxiety，forananswerbutinvain。Itwasnotforthcoming。TheEgyptianblushedandhungdownhishead。Neverwastriumphmoreconsummate；neverwasdefeatbornewithsoillagrace。
Indeed，IcouldnotendurethespectacleofthepoorMummy’smortification。Ireachedmyhat，bowedtohimstiffly，andtookleave。
UpongettinghomeIfounditpastfouro’clock，andwentimmediatelytobed。ItisnowtenA。M。Ihavebeenupsinceseven，penningthesememorandaforthebenefitofmyfamilyandofmankind。TheformerIshallbeholdnomore。Mywifeisashrew。Thetruthis，Iamheartilysickofthislifeandofthenineteenthcenturyingeneral。Iamconvincedthateverythingisgoingwrong。Besides，IamanxioustoknowwhowillbePresidentin2045。Assoon，therefore，asIshaveandswallowacupofcoffee，IshalljuststepovertoPonnonner’sandgetembalmedforacoupleofhundredyears。
ThePoeticPrincipleINspeakingofthePoeticPrinciple，Ihavenodesigntobeeitherthoroughorprofound。Whilediscussing，verymuchatrandom，theessentialityofwhatwecallPoetry，myprincipalpurposewillbetociteforconsideration，somefewofthoseminorEnglishorAmericanpoemswhichbestsuitmyowntaste，orwhich，uponmyownfancy，haveleftthemostdefiniteimpression。By“minorpoems“Imean，ofcourse，poemsoflittlelength。Andhere，inthebeginning，permitmetosayafewwordsinregardtoasomewhatpeculiarprinciple，which，whetherrightfullyorwrongfully，hasalwayshaditsinfluenceinmyowncriticalestimateofthepoem。I
holdthatalongpoemdoesnotexist。Imaintainthatthephrase，“alongpoem。”issimplyaflatcontradictioninterms。
Ineedscarcelyobservethatapoemdeservesitstitleonlyinasmuchasitexcites，byelevatingthesoul。Thevalueofthepoemisintheratioofthiselevatingexcitement。Butallexcitementsare，throughapsychalnecessity，transient。Thatdegreeofexcitementwhichwouldentitleapoemtobesocalledatall，cannotbesustainedthroughoutacompositionofanygreatlength。Afterthelapseofhalfanhour，attheveryutmost，itflagsfailsarevulsionensuesandthenthepoemis，ineffect，andinfact，nolongersuch。
Thereare，nodoubt，manywhohavefounddifficultyinreconcilingthecriticaldictumthatthe“ParadiseLost“istobedevoutlyadmiredthroughout，withtheabsoluteimpossibilityofmaintainingforit，duringperusal，theamountofenthusiasmwhichthatcriticaldictumwoulddemand。
Thisgreatwork，infact，istoberegardedaspoetical，onlywhen，losingsightofthatvitalrequisiteinallworksofArt，Unity，weviewitmerelyasaseriesofminorpoems。If，topreserveitsUnityitstotalityofeffectorimpressionwereaditaswouldbenecessaryatasinglesitting，theresultisbutaconstantalternationofexcitementanddepression。Afterapassageofwhatwefeeltobetruepoetry，therefollows，inevitably，apassageofplatitudewhichnocriticalprejudgmentcanforceustoadmire；butif，uponcompletingthework，wereaditagain，omittingthefirstbookthatistosay，commencingwiththesecondweshallbesurprisedatnowfindingthatadmirablewhichwebeforecondemnedthatdamnablewhichwehadpreviouslysomuchadmired。
Itfollowsfromallthisthattheultimate，aggregate，orabsoluteeffectofeventhebestepicunderthesun，isanullity：andthisispreciselythefact。
InregardtotheIliad，wehave，ifnotpositiveproof，atleastverygoodreasonforbelievingitintendedasaseriesoflyrics；but，grantingtheepicintention，Icansayonlythattheworkisbasedinanimperfectsenseofart。Themodemepicis，ofthesupposititiousancientmodel，butaninconsiderateandblindfoldimitation。Butthedayoftheseartisticanomaliesisover。If，atanytime，anyverylongpoem_were_popularinreality，whichIdoubt，itisatleastclearthatnoverylongpoemwilleverbepopularagain。
Thattheextentofapoeticalworkis，_ceterisparibus，_themeasureofitsmerit，seemsundoubtedly，whenwethusstateit，apropositionsufficientlyabsurdyetweareindebtedforittotheQuarterlyReviews。Surelytherecanbenothinginmere_size，_abstractlyconsideredtherecanbenothinginmere_bulk，so_farasavolumeisconcerned，whichhassocontinuouslyelicitedadmirationfromthesesaturninepamphlets！Amountain，tobesure，bythemeresentimentofphysicalmagnitudewhichitconveys，_does_impressuswithasenseofthesublimebutnomanisimpressedafter_this_fashionbythematerialgrandeurofeven“TheColumbiad。”EventheQuarterlieshavenotinstructedustobesoimpressedbyit。As_yet，_theyhavenot_insisted_onourestimatingLamar“tinebythecubicfoot，orPollockbythepoundbutwhatelseareweto_infer_fromtheircontinualplatingabout“sustainedeffort“？
If，by“sustainedeffort。”anylittlegentlemanhasaccomplishedanepic，1*usfranklycommendhimfortheeffortifthisindeedbeathingconkmendablebutletusforbearpraisingtheepicontheeffort’saccount。Itistobehopedthatcommonsense，inthetimetocome，willpreferdecidinguponaworkofArtratherbytheimpressionitmakesbytheeffectitproducesthanbythetimeittooktoimpresstheeffect，orbytheamountof“sustainedeffort“whichhadbeenfoundnecessaryineffectingtheimpression。Thefactis，thatperseveranceisonethingandgeniusquiteanothernorcanalltheQuarterliesinChristendomconfoundthem。Byandby，thisproposition，withmanywhichIhavebeenjusturging，willbereceivedasself-evident。Inthemeantime，bybeinggenerallycondemnedasfalsities，theywillnotbeessentiallydamagedastruths。
Ontheotherhand，itisclearthatapoemmaybeimproperlybrief。
Unduebrevitydegeneratesintomereepigrammatism。Averyshortpoem，whilenowandthenproducingabrilliantorvivid，neverproducesaprofoundorenduringeffect。Theremustbethesteadypressingdownofthestampuponthewax。DeBerangerhaswroughtinnumerablethings，pungentandspirit-stirring，butingeneraltheyhavebeentooimponderoustostampthemselvesdeeplyintothepublicattention，andthus，assomanyfeathersoffancy，havebeenblownaloftonlytobewhistleddownthewind。
Aremarkableinstanceoftheeffectofunduebrevityindepressingapoem，inkeepingitoutofthepopularview，isaffordedbythefollowingexquisitelittleSerenade
IarisefromdreamsoftheeInthefirstsweetsleepofnight，Whenthewindsarebreathinglow，Andthestarsareshiningbright。
Iarisefromdreamsofthee，AndaspiritinmyfeetHasledmewhoknowshow？
Tothychamber-window，sweet！
ThewanderingairstheyfaintOnthedarkthesilentstream
ThechampakodorsfailLikesweetthoughtsinadream；
Thenightingale’scomplaint，Itdiesuponherheart，AsImustdieonshine，O，belovedasthouart！
O，liftmefromthegrass！
Idie，Ifaint，Ifail！
LetthyloveinkissesrainOnmylipsandeyelidspale。
Mycheekiscoldandwhite，alas！
Myheartbeatsloudandfast：
O，pressitclosetoshineagain，Whereitwillbreakatlast。
VeryfewperhapsarefamiliarwiththeselinesyetnolessapoetthanShelleyistheirauthor。Theirwarm，yetdelicateandetherealimaginationwillbeappreciatedbyall，butbynonesothoroughlyasbyhimwhohashimselfarisenfromsweetdreamsofonebelovedtobatheinthearomaticairofasouthernmidsummernight。
OneofthefinestpoemsbyWillistheverybestinmyopinionwhichhehaseverwrittenhasnodoubt，throughthissamedefectofunduebrevity，beenkeptbackfromitsproperposition。notlessintheTheshadowslayalongBroadway，’Twasnearthetwilight-tide
AndslowlytherealadyfairWaswalkinginherpride。
Alonewalk’dshe；but，viewlessly，Walk’dspiritsatherside。
Peacecharm’dthestreetbeneathherfeet，AndHonorcharm’dtheair；
Andallastirlookedkindonher，Andcalledhergoodasfair
ForallGodevergavetoherShekeptwithcharycare。
ShekeptwithcareherbeautiesrareFromloverswarmandtrue
Forheartwascoldtoallbutgold，Andtherichcamenottowon，Buthonor’dwellhercharmstosell。
Ifprieststhesellingdo。
Nowwalkingtherewasonemorefair
Aslightgirl，lily-pale；
AndshehadunseencompanyTomakethespiritquail
’TwixtWantandScornshewalk’dforlorn，Andnothingcouldavail。
NomercynowcanclearherbrowFromthisworld’speacetoprayForaslove’swildprayerdissolvedinair，Herwoman’sheartgaveway！
ButthesinforgivenbyChristinHeavenBymaniscursedalway！
InthiscompositionwefinditdifficulttorecognizetheWilliswhohaswrittensomanymere“versesofsociety。”Thelinesarenotonlyrichlyideal，butfullofenergy，whiletheybreatheanearnestness，anevidentsincerityofsentiment，forwhichwelookinvainthroughoutalltheotherworksofthisauthor。
Whiletheepicmania，whiletheideathattomeritinpoetryprolixityisindispensable，hasforsomeyearspastbeengraduallydyingoutofthepublicmind，bymeredintofitsownabsurdity，wefinditsucceededbyaheresytoopalpablyfalsetobelongtolerated，butonewhich，inthebriefperiodithasalreadyendured，maybesaidtohaveaccomplishedmoreinthecorruptionofourPoeticalLiteraturethanallitsotherenemiescombined。Ialludetotheheresyof_TheDidactic。_Ithasbeenassumed，tacitlyandavowedly，directlyandindirectly，thattheultimateobjectofallPoetryisTruth。Everypoem，itissaid，shouldinculcateamoralsandbythismoralisthepoeticalmeritoftheworktobeadjudged。WeAmericansespeciallyhavepatronizedthishappyidea，andweBostoniansveryespeciallyhavedevelopeditinfull。Wehavetakenitintoourheadsthattowriteapoemsimplyforthepoem’ssake，andtoacknowledgesuchtohavebeenourdesign，wouldbetoconfessourselvesradicallywantinginthetruepoeticdignityandforce：butthesimplefactisthatwouldwebutpermitourselvestolookintoourownsoulsweshouldimmediatelytherediscoverthatunderthesunthereneitherexistsnor_can_existanyworkmorethoroughlydignified，moresupremelynoble，thanthisverypoem，thispoem_perse，_thispoemwhichisapoemandnothingmore，thispoemwrittensolelyforthepoem’ssake。
WithasdeepareverencefortheTrueaseverinspiredthebosomofman，Iwouldneverthelesslimit，insomemeasure，itsmodesofinculcation。Iwouldlimittoenforcethem。Iwouldnotenfeeblethembydissipation。ThedemandsofTrutharesevere。Shehasnosympathywiththemyrtles。All_that_whichissoindispensableinSongispreciselyall_that_withwhich_she_hasnothingwhatevertodo。Itisbutmakingheraflauntingparadoxtowreatheheringemsandflowers。Inenforcingatruthweneedseverityratherthanefflorescenceoflanguage。Wemustbesimple，precise，terse。Wemustbecool，calm，unimpassioned。Inaword，wemustbeinthatmoodwhich，asnearlyaspossible，istheexactconverseofthepoetical。_He_mustbeblindindeedwhodoesnotperceivetheradicalandchasmaldifferencebetweenthetruthfulandthepoeticalmodesofinculcation。Hemustbetheory-madbeyondredemptionwho，inspiteofthesedifferences，shallstillpersistinattemptingtoreconciletheobstinateoilsandwatersofPoetryandTruth。
Dividingtheworldofmindintoitsthreemostimmediatelyobviousdistinctions，wehavethePureIntellect，Taste，andtheMoralSense。I
placeTasteinthemiddle，becauseitisjustthispositionwhichintheminditoccupies。Itholdsintimaterelationswitheitherextreme；butfromtheMoralSenseisseparatedbysofaintadifferencethatAristotlehasnothesitatedtoplacesomeofitsoperationsamongthevirtuesthemselves。Neverthelesswefindthe_offices_ofthetriomarkedwithasufficientdistinction。JustastheIntellectconcernsitselfwithTruth，soTasteinformsusoftheBeautiful，whiletheMoralSenseisregardfulofDuty。Ofthislatter，whileConscienceteachestheobligation，andReasontheexpediency，Tastecontentsherselfwithdisplayingthecharms：