Non-Fiction > Books > London, 1881 - Virginibus Puerisque, and other papers

74 ''Virginibus Puerisqud'
as touched upon in Shakespeare, to express
which, Hke a pioneer, you must venture forth
into zones of thought still unsurveyed, and
become yourself a literary innovator ? For even
in love there are unlovely humours ; ambiguous
acts, unpardonable words, may yet have sprung
from a kind sentiment. If the injured one
could read your heart, you may be sure that he
would understand and pardon ; but, alas ! the
heart cannot be shown — it has to be demon-
strated in words. Uo you think it is a hard
thing to write poetry .? Why, that is to write
poetry, and of a high, if not the highest,
order.
I should even more admire " the lifelong and
heroic literary labours " of my fellow-men, pa-
tiently clearing up in words their loves and their
contentions, and speaking their autobiography
daily to their wives, were it not for a circumstance
which lessens their difficulty and my admiration
by equal parts. F'or life, though largely, is not