15 Lord Byron Quotes on Poetry

Lord Byron quotes on poetry

1. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (1812-1818)

22. I had a dream, which was not all a dream.

75. The fatal facility of the octosyllabic verse.

85. She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

95. She was his life, The ocean to the river of his thoughts, Which terminated all.

102. So, we'll go no more a roving So late into the night, Though the heart be still as loving, And the moon be still as bright.

103. For the sword outwears its sheath, And the soul wears out the breast, And the heart must pause to breathe, And love itself have rest.

104. Though the night was made for loving, And the day returns too soon, Yet we'll go no more a roving By the light of the moon.

106. Soprano, basso, even the contra-alto, Wished him five fathom under the Rialto.

107. His heart was one of those which most enamour us, Wax to receive, and marble to retain: He was a lover of the good old school, Who still become more constant as they cool.

109. I love the language, that soft bastard Latin, Which melts like kisses from a female mouth, And sounds as if it should be writ on satin, With syllables which breathe of the sweet South, And gentle liquids gliding all so pat in, That not a single accent seems uncouth, Like our harsh northern whistling, grunting guttural, Which we're obliged to hiss, and spit, and sputter all.

110. Heart on her lips, and soul within her eyes, Soft as her clime, and sunny as her skies.

111. O Mirth and Innocence! O milk and water! Ye happy mixtures of more happy days.

130. Lord Byron is great only as a poet; as soon as he reflects, he is a child.

132. In a room at the end of the garden to this house was a magnificent rocking-horse, which a friend had given my little boy; and Lord Byron, with a childish glee becoming a poet, would ride upon it. Ah! why did he ever ride his Pegasus to less advantage?