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Quote by George Farquhar

“Poetry's a mere drug, Sir.”

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George Farquhar, born in Ireland in 1677, was an outstanding British dramatist. His works are known for their wit and sharp social insight, having a profound impact on the world of theater. more

“The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains have been pealing along down the centuries, and though there have been mingled the discords of warring cannon and dying men, yet to the Christian philosopher and historian - the humble listener - there has been a Divine melody running through the song which speaks of hope and halcyon days to come.”

“Though philosophers like to define poetry as irrational fancy, for us it is practical, humorous, reasonable way of being ourselves.”

Way Poetry Humorous Philosopher Practicals Fancy Reasonable Irrational

Book:Some speculations on literature, history, and religion

Source: Some speculations on literature, history, and religion

“Philosophy is antipoetic. Philosophize about mankind and you brush aside individual uniqueness, which a poet cannot do without self-damage. Unless, for a start, he has a strong personal rhythm to vary his metrics, he is nothing. Poets mistrust philosophy. They know that once the heads are counted, each owner of a head loses his personal identify and becomes a number in some government scheme: if not as a slave or serf, at least as a party to the device of majority voting, which smothers personal views.”

Source: Some speculations on literature, history, and religion

“Abstract reason, formerly the servant of practical human reasons, has everywhere become its master, and denies poetry any excuse for existence. Though philosophers like to define poetry as irrational fancy, for us it is practical, humorous, reasonable way of being ourselves. Of never acquiescing in a fraud; of never accepting the secondary-rate in poetry, painting, music, love, friends. Of safeguarding our poetic institutions against the encroachments of mechanized, insensate, inhumane, abstract rationality.”

“Poetry is the mother-tongue of the human race.”

Humans Mother Poetry Race Tongue Human Race Poetry Is Mother Tongue

Book:Writings on Philosophy and Language

Source: Writings on Philosophy and Language

“A poem is good if it contains a new analogy and startles the reader out of the habit of treating words as counters.”

Ifs Poetry Reader Habit Analogies

Author:T. E. Hulme

“The essence of poetry is invention; such invention as, by producing something unexpected, surprises and delights.”

Poetry Essence Surprise Delight Invention Unexpected Poetry Is Something Unexpected

Book:The lives of the most eminent English poets, with critical observations on their works

Source: The lives of the most eminent English poets, with critical observations on their works

“Still may syllables jar with time, Still may reason war with rhyme, Resting never!”

May Stills War Reason Poetry Rhyme Jars Syllables

Author:Ben Jonson

“Poetry should begin with emotion in the poet, and end with the same emotion in the reader. The poem is simply the instrument of transferance.”

Should Ends Poetry Emotion Poet Reader Instruments

Author:Philip Larkin

Quote by George Farquhar

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