On poetic interpretation of nature by John Campbell Shairp
QR code
"On Poetic Interpretation of Nature" by John Campbell Shairp is a philosophical work written in the late 19th century. The book explores the relationship between human imagination and the natural world, emphasizing how poetry serves to express the profound beauty and truths found in nature. It seeks to highlight that the understanding of nature is not wholly confined to scientific explanations but also encompasses deeper emotional and aesthetic experiences that only poetry
can articulate. The opening of the work introduces the author's intent, outlining the origins of the book as a series of lectures aimed at a general audience, particularly the youth. Shairp discusses the importance of acknowledging both the contributions of physical sciences and the emotional, imaginative responses of humanity to the natural world. He posits that while science can explain various phenomena, it is poetry that truly captures the essence of beauty in nature and the profound connection it has with the human spirit. By exploring this idea, Shairp invites readers to appreciate nature not just as a scientific subject, but as an emotional and poetic experience, one that enriches our understanding of existence itself. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Shairp, John Campbell, 1819-1885 |
|---|---|
| Title | On poetic interpretation of nature |
| Original Publication | United States: Houghton, Mifflin,1900. |
| Contents | The sources of poetry -- The poetic feeling awakened by the world of nature -- Poetic and scientific wonder -- Will science put out poetry? -- How far science may modify poetry -- The mystical side of nature -- Primeval imagination working on nature: Language and mythology -- Some of the ways in which poets deal with nature -- Nature in Hebrew poetry, and in Homer -- Nature in Lucretius and Virgil -- Nature in Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton -- Return to nature begun by Allan Ramsay and Thomson -- Nature in Collins, Gray, Goldsmith, Cowper, and Burns -- Wordsworth as an interpreter of nature. |
| Credits | Bryan Ness and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 57.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections |
| Subject | Poetry -- History and criticism |
| Subject | Nature in literature |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 68066 |
| Release Date | May 13, 2022 |
| Last Update | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 434 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!