The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-06-27
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| form OF tyranny. Shelley thought
there could be no law made to govern
ali men as each man had a different
standpoint. In his opinions, crude as
| they often were, were somtimes ex-
pressed unwisely and recklessly,
there was much that might reasonably
offend. And these remarks alone
caused Shelley to have many enemies.
Because he thought all men must gov
ern their actions according to the
conditions surrounding their own NOR
al obligations. He held the most ad-
vanced position, not only in religion,
| but in respect to the institution of
marriage, the use of property, ad the
welfare of the masses of mankind.
The first complete expression of his
| opinion. was given in Queen Nab" a
crude poem after the style of Southey,
| by which he was long, best and most
unfavorably known; he recognized its
immaturity and sought to suppress an
edition that was published in his last
years. To this chiefly be 1t attributed
that while he lived, his genius met
with no wide appreciation, but since
| Ii has been amply recognized, no
writer of his time ranks higher on
the whole than he.
He began work as a poet early. but
| it was not until after his association
with Mary Goodwin had begun that he
| had found the contentment of spirit
necessary to a poet. His "Alastoi"
was his first great work. This was
written in England, but the most of
his great works were written in Italy.
Italy, southern, dreamy and poetical,
agreed with a nature like Shelley's,
to whom all poetical surroundings ap-
pealed. Such longing, such ecstacy
are found in no other place. Italy
was the poets home.
Meantime my spirit lifts its pinions
In music's most serene dominions,
Catching the winds that fan the hap
py heavens"
| Shelley wrote about nature just for
the lyrical point it would bring out.
Hail to thee. blithe spirit.
| Bird thou never vert,
That from heaven or near It,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of premeditated
art"
He is no deep thinker, but his splen-
dor of imagery is perfect, as shown
in the cloud "Ode to the West Wind"
and the ''Skylark.'
He is essentially a poet of human
| ity.
Waking or asleep.
Thou of death must deem
Things more true and deep
Than we mortals dream
Or how could thy words flow in such
a crystal stream?
We look before and after.
And pine for what is not,
| Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught
Our sweetest songs are those that tell
of saddest thought.
No poet in so short time ever put
forth so great quantity of the high
est quality or verse as Shelley did the
four short years he was destined to
live in Italy.
Shelley wrot poetry because he
wished to give to the world some of
his views of life and he knew Of no
! better way to give them than in
poetry.
Shelley's passion was his predomi
mating characteristic; his poetry shows
| this all the way through.
He is also a poet of nature as shown
! in The Cloud"
F., Il bring fresh showers for the thirst
/ lug uOWcIS
| From the seas and streams.
/ | bear the light shade for the braves
When laid in their MONDAY dreams,
that waken
| The sweet birds every one
| When rocked to rest on their mothers
| breast
AS she dances about the sun"
L ahax,
sive in all channels of human nature.
Imperfect lyrical poetry. Shelley sur
passes every other writer His diction
is not more remarkable for its rich
ness than for it's expressive sublety
with which he defines the refinements
of feeling and thought and his pages
fash with imagery. But often while
he dazzles, he bewilders. He is is
fond of ETHEREAL things unsubstantial,
clouds, or dreams Throughout all
of his larger works though beautiful
and lyrical to the extreme, one feels
the need Cf clear and firm outlines.
In many of his shorter lyrics are ex-
pressed three successive moods, long
ing, ecstacy and despair.
Ode to the West Wind" In form
and diction is faultless and blondes
to interpret nature In its elements.
His passionate desire to lose himself
in nature to become one with that
spirit of love and beauty which was
to him in the place of God
IF | were a dead leaf thou highest
bear;
IL | were a swift cloud to fly with
thee;
A wave to plant beneath thy power
and share
The impulse of thy strength only
/ less free
Than thou, o uncomfortable. II ever
were as in my boyhood. and could be
The comrade of thy wanderings over
heaven,
AS then, when to outstrife thy skyey
speed
Scarce seemed vision-I would ne'er