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hat a little too much on one side； as they do here and there along
the Connecticut River； and sometimes on our city sidewalks； when
they've got a new beaver； they got him； I say； to give us boys and
girls lessons in dancing and deportment。 He was as gray and as
lively as a squirrel； as I remember him； and used to spring up in the
air and 〃cross his feet；〃 as we called it； three times before he came
down。 Well； at the end of each term there was what they called an
〃exhibition ball；〃 in which the scholars danced cotillons and
country…dances； also something called a 〃gavotte；〃 and I think one or
more walked a minuet。 But all this is not whatI wanted to say。 At
this exhibition ball he used to bring out a number of hoops wreathed
with roses； of the perennial kind； by the aid of which a number of
amazingly complicated and startling evolutions were exhibited； and
also his two daughters； who figured largely in these evolutions； and
whose wonderful performances to us； who had not seen Miss Taglioni or
Miss Elssler； were something quite bewildering； in fact； surpassing
the natural possibilities of human beings。 Their extraordinary
powers were； however； accounted for by the following explanation；
which was accepted in the school as entirely satisfactory。 A certain
little bone in the ankles of each of these young girls had been
broken intentionally； secundum artem； at a very early age； and thus
they had been fitted to accomplish these surprising feats which threw
the achievements of the children who were left in the condition of
the natural man into ignominious shadow。
Thank you；said I；you have helped out my illustration so as to
make it better than I expected。 Let me begin again。 Every poem that
is worthy of the name； no matter how easily it seems to be written；
represents a great amount of vital force expended at some time or
other。 When you find a beach strewed with the shells and other
spoils that belonged once to the deep sea； you know the tide has been
there； and that the winds and waves have wrestled over its naked
sands。 And so； if I find a poem stranded in my soul and have nothing
to do but seize it as a wrecker carries off the treasure he finds
cast ashore； I know I have paid at some time for that poem with some
inward commotion； were it only an excess of enjoyment； which has used
up just so much of my vital capital。 But besides all the impressions
that furnished the stuff of the poem； there has been hard work to get
the management of that wonderful instrument I spoke of；…the great
organ； language。 An artist who works in marble or colors has them
all to himself and his tribe； but the man who moulds his thought in
verse has to employ the materials vulgarized by everybody's use； and
glorify them by his handling。 I don't know that you must break any
bones in a poet's mechanism before his thought can dance in rhythm；
but read your Milton and see what training； what patient labor； it
took before he could shape our common speech into his majestic
harmonies。
It is rather singular； but the same kind of thing has happened to me
not very rarely before； as I suppose it has to most persons； that
just when I happened to be thinking about poets and their conditions；
this very morning； I saw a paragraph or two from a foreign paper
which is apt to be sharp； if not cynical； relating to the same
matter。 I can't help it； I want to have my talk about it； and if I
say the same things that writer did； somebody else can have the
satisfaction of saying I stole them all。
＇I thought the person whom I have called hypothetically the Man of
Letters changed color a little and betrayed a certain awkward
consciousness that some of us were looking at him or thinking of him；
but I am a little suspicious about him and may do him wrong。＇
That poets are treated as privileged persons by their admirers and
the educated public can hardly be disputed。 That they consider
themselves so there is no doubt whatever。 On the whole； I do not
know so easy a way of shirking all the civic and social and domestic
duties； as to settle it in one's mind that one is a poet。 I have；
therefore； taken great pains to advise other persons laboring under
the impression that they were gifted beings； destined to soar in the
atmosphere of song above the vulgar realities of earth； not to
neglect any homely duty under the influence of that impression。 The
number of these persons is so great that if they were suffered to
indulge their prejudice against every…day duties and labors； it would
be a serious loss to the productive industry of the country。 My
skirts are clear （so far as other people are concerned） of
countenancing that form of intellectual opium…eating in which rhyme
takes the place of the narcotic。 But what are you going to do when
you find John Keats an apprentice to a surgeon or apothecary？ Is n't
it rather better to get another boy to sweep out the shop and shake
out the powders and stir up the mixtures； and leave him undisturbed
to write his Ode on a Grecian Urn or to a Nightingale？ Oh yes； the
critic I have referred to would say； if he is John Keats； but not if
he is of a much lower grade； even though he be genuine； what there is
of him。 But the trouble is； the sensitive persons who belong to the
lower grades of the poetical hierarchy do notknow their own
poetical limitations； while they do feel a natural unfitness and
disinclination for many pursuits which young persons of the average
balance of faculties take to pleasantly enough。 What is forgotten is
this； that every real poet； even of the humblest grade； is an artist。
Now I venture to say that any painter or sculptor of real genius；
though he may do nothing more than paint flowers and fruit； or carve
cameos； is considered a privileged person。 It is recognized
perfectly that to get his best work he must be insured the freedom
from disturbances which the creative power absolutely demands； more
absolutely perhaps in these slighter artists than in the great
masters。 His nerves must be steady for him to finish a rose…leaf or
the fold of a nymph's drapery in his best manner； and they will be
unsteadied if he has to perform the honest drudgery which another can
do for him quite as well。 And it is just so with the poet； though he
were only finishing an epigram； you must no more meddle roughly with
him than you would shake a bottle of Chambertin and expect the
〃sunset glow〃 to redden your glass unclouded。 On the other hand； it
may be said that poetry is not an article of prime necessity； and
potatoes are。 There is a disposition in many persons just now to
deny the poet his benefit of clergy； and to hold him no better than
other people。 Perhaps he is not； perhaps he is not so good； half the
time； but he is a luxury； and if you want him you must pay for him；
by not trying to make a drudge of him while he is all his lifetime
struggling with the chills and heats of his artistic intermittent
fever。
There may have been some lesser interruptions during the talk I have
reported as if it was a set speech； but this was the drift of what I
said and should have said if the other man； in the Review I referred
to； had not seen fit to meddle with the subject； as some fellow
always does； just about the time when I am going to say something
about it。 The old Master listened beautifully； except for cutting in
once； as I told you he did。 But now he had held in as long as it was
in his nature to contain himself； and must have his say or go off in
an apoplexy； or explode in some way。 I think you're right about the
poets；he said。 They are to common folks what repeaters are to
ordinary watches。 They carry music in their inside arrangements； but
they want to be handled carefully or you put them out of order。 And
perhaps you must n't expect them to be quite as good timekeepers as
the professional chronometer watches that make a specialty of being
exact within a few seconds a month。 They think too much of
themselves。 So does everybody that considers himself as having a
right to fall back on what he calls his idiosyncrasy。 Yet a man has
such a right； and it is no easy thing to adjust the private claim to
the fair public demand on him。 Suppose you are subject to tic
douloureux； for instance。 Every now and then a tiger that nobody can
see catches one side of your face between his jaws and holds on till
he is tired and lets go。 Some concession must be made to you on that
score； as everybody can see。 It is fair to give you a seat that is
not in the draught； and your friends ought not to find fault with you
if you do not care to join a party that is going on a sleigh…ride。
Now take a poet like Cowper。 He had a mental neuralgia； a great deal
worse in many respects than tic douloureux confined to the face。 It
was well that he was sheltered and relieved； by the cares of kind
friends； especially those good women； from as many of the burdens of
life as they could lift off from him。 I am fair to the poets；don't
you agree that I am？
Why； yes；I said；you have stated the case fairly enough； a good
deal as I should have put it myself。
Now； then；the Master continued；I 'll tell you what is necess