THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

2THE greatest poets are usually those whoarise either out of a large, simple and puissant environment orout of a movement of mind that is grandiose, forceful and elemental.When man becomes increasingly refined in intellect, curiousin aesthetic sensibility or minute and exact in intellectualreasoning, it becomes more and more difficult to write great andpowerful poetry. Ages of accomplished intellectuality and scholarshipor of strong scientific rationality are not favourable to thebirth of great poets or if they are born, not favourable to thefree and untrammelled action of their gifts. They remain great,but their greatness bends under a load: there is a lack of triumphantspontaneity and they do not draw as freely or directly fromthe sources of human action and character. An untameable elementalforce is needed to overcome more than partially the denialsof the environment. For poetry, even though it appeals inpassing to the intellect and aesthetic sense, does not proceed fromthem but is in its nature an elemental power proceeding fromthe secret and elemental Power within which sees directly andcreates sovereignly, and it passes at once to our vital and elementalparts. Intellect and the aesthetic faculties are necessaryto the perfection of our critical enjoyment; but they are onlyassistants, not the agents of this divine birth.(Incomplete)