William Maxwell

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...and resplendent--and shining out in all its brightened beams, " another and the same?" The allusion to the sun in the story seems to countenance this supposition: so we may say Phebus himself was the first to hint the idea of it to some favorite poet. Or was it merely the fanciful incarnation of some philosophical truth? And if so, what precious truth was it that was thus enshrined? Perhaps it was truth itself--pure, essential truth--that was thus symbolically and delightfully expressed, for truth certainly grows brighter with age, and'renews itself from time to time, even after the lapse of centuries, and springs out more triumphantly and rejoicingly from the flames of persecution and martyrdom in which it eemed to be consumed. Or was it nothing of all this, but just an "odoriferous fiction," made by the " desiring fantasy" of man, for its own sweet sake? After all, perhaps the first Phenix was only some beautiful woman, whose charms were as various and vivacious as those of the imaginary bird, and the idea of whose beauty deserved the compliment of being thus embraced in the envelope of this delectable conceit. If so, Tickell has only divined the secret of the fiction in those verses to a lady with which he introduces his translation of Claudian's poem on the subject; and which are at least elegant and pleasing enough to quote: Each fabled charm in matchless Celia meets, In heavenly colours and ambrosial sweets; Her virgin bosom chaster fire supplies, And beams more piercing guard her kindred eyes. O'erflowing wit th' imagined wonder drew, But fertile fancy ne'er can reach the true. Now buds your youth, your cheeks their bloom disclose, Th' untainted lily, and unfolding...

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