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INTRODUCTORY MEMOIR<br />
in life, she said, was to be a poet. The next day<br />
the boy was brought to the library. <strong>Isaac</strong> then<br />
seemed to be between ten and twelve years of age.<br />
He had already determined to be a poet and a<br />
painter. He interested and impressed Mr. Dainow,<br />
and in return for his friendly encouragement sent<br />
him a poem called " David's Harp." These are<br />
the earliest verses of <strong>Rosenberg</strong>'s that Mr.<br />
Bottomley or I have seen. They are not printed<br />
in this book, but they are interesting because<br />
they show how, even as a young boy, <strong>Rosenberg</strong><br />
cherished the traditions of his race and aspired to<br />
become a representative poet of his own nation.<br />
Moses and Judas Maccabaeus were intended to be<br />
themes of his maturer poetry. " David's Harp "<br />
is in fluent stanzas, and shows the passing influence<br />
of Byron.<br />
The pamphlet called " Night and Day," printed<br />
in 1912, contains probably all that <strong>Rosenberg</strong> cared<br />
to preserve of his early verse, though no doubt it<br />
represented but a small selection from what he<br />
had written.<br />
After leaving the Slade School, he found himself<br />
faced with a harder struggle than ever. But<br />
he never admitted defeat. He sold a few pictures<br />
and got a few poems into print, but his health<br />
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