lyrical poetry - OUDL Home

"THENINETIESmetaphysical, religious. By Reason of Thy Law is aslightly different rendering of the older poet's RememberedGrace, a little more personal in reference.But Thompson's thought is set forth with a wealthof description and imagery and hyperbole that is verydifferent from Patmore's dignified, sinewy style. He isa great rhetorician, a rhetoriqueur, reviving or coiningwords, accumulating imagery more deliberately sensuousthan that of Keats, more industriously learnedthan that of Donne. His Nature imagery is moregorgeous than sensitive. His descriptions are richlycoloured canvases, like the historical pictures of MrAbbey. They never give you the authentic thrill ofsome of Meredith's readings or Bridges' "The northwind came up yesternight." "The country was neverhis true home nor did he ever learn to distinguish theoak from the elm," His descriptions are decorativeand ritualistic:Lo, in the sanctuaried East,Day, a dedicated priest,In all his robes pontifical exprest,Lifteth slowly, lifteth sweetly,From out its Orient tabernacle drawn,Yon orbed sacrament confest,Which sprinkles benediction through the dawn ;And when the grave procession's ceased,The earth with due illustrious riteBlessed,—ere the frail fingers featlyOf twilight, violet-cassocked acolyte,His sacerdotal stoles unvest—Sets, for high close of the mysterious feast,The sun in exposition meetly. Within the flaming monstrance of the West.That is not entirely characteristic, for Thompson'simagery is often more paganly riotous, but it does well147