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15th Century 16th Century European Poetry france french Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux Uncategorized

“The Art of Poetry [an excerpt]” by Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (1636 – 1711)


An Excerpt from a #Poem:

“…One perfect whole, of all the pieces join’d.
Keep your subject close, in all you say;
Nor for a sounding Sentence ever stray.”


The Art of Poetry [an excerpt]

Gently make haste, of Labour not afraid;
A hundred times consider what you’ve said:
Polish, repolish, every Colour lay,
And sometimes add; but oft’ner take away.
‘Tis not enough, when swarming Faults are writ,
That here and there are scattered Sparks of Wit;
Each Object must be fix’d in the due place,
And diff’ring parts have Corresponding Grace:
‘Till, by a curious Art dispos’d, we find
One perfect whole, of all the pieces join’d.
Keep your subject close, in all you say;
Nor for a sounding Sentence ever stray.

By TDarris

Thinker. Reader. Writer--- of, and about, a plethora of things.

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