FEINBERG/WHITMAN NOTES and NOTEBOOKS NOTES--Reference UNDATED  Carlyle and Sainte-Beuve Quotations
Box 42 Folder 62

[*489*]

Quotations from Carlyle and Sainte-Beuve. A.MS. (1p. 15 x
20 cm.)

Written in ink on two slips of paper (one the verso of part of
a discarded letter, the other cut from a book, pasted on another
slip), both pasted to an irregularly torn piece of paper, 19 words:
(printed matter is in red)

new leader
.....Daily, too, I see that there is no true poetry but in
reality.[Carlyle.]

Carlyle
.....D[d]uring the period termed classic, ["says Sainte-Beuve,"] when
literature was governed by recognized rules, he was considered the
best poet who had composed the most perfect work, the most beautiful
poem, the most intelligible, the most agreeable to read, the
most complete in every respect, [the Æneid, the Gerusalemme, a
fine tragedy]. To-day, something else is wanted. For us, the greatest 
poet is he who in his  works most stimulates the reader's imagination
and refelction, who excites him the most himself to poetize 

[*[over]*]

[*490*]

The greatest poet is not he who has done the best; it is he
who suggests the most; he, not all of whose meaning is at first
obvious, and who leaves you much to desire, to explain, to study,
much to complete in your turn.["]
Saint=Beuve

[*3 en leader*] 

.....Daily, too, I see that there is no
true poetry but in reality.- [Carlyle]
Carlyle

.....[d] During the period termed classic. ["says Sainte Beuve*]
[?] when literature was governed by recognized rules, he was considered
the best poet who had composed the most perfect work,
the most beautiful poem, the most intelligible, the most agreeable
to read, the most complete in every respect,— [the AEneid, the
Gerusalemme, a fine tragedy.] To-day, something else is wanted.
For us, the greatest poet is he who in his works most stimulates
the reader's imagination and reflection, who excites him the most
himself to poetize. The greatest poet is not he who has done the 
best; it is he who suggests the most; he, not all of whose meaning
is at first obvious, and who leaves you much to desire, to
explain, to study, much to complete in your turn.["]

[*Sainte = Beuve*]

Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.