Nay, come hither, O my lord, and
hear me and master thine indignation:
So I spake, but he answered me not a word, but strode from
me into the Darkness, following the others of the dead that
be departed.
Longinus goes on:
It is by all means necessary to point this out--that the truly
eloquent must be free from base and ignoble (or ill-bred)
thoughts. For it is not possible that men who live their lives
with mean and servile aims and ideas should produce what is
admirable and worthy of immortality. Great accents we expect to
fall from the lips of those whose thoughts are dignified.
Believe this and it surely follows, as concave implies convex,
that by daily converse and association with these great ones we
take their breeding, their manners, earn their magnanimity, make
ours their gifts of courtesy, unselfishness, mansuetude, high
seated pride, scorn of pettiness, wholesome plentiful jovial
laughter.
He that of such a height hath built his mind,
And rear'd the dwelling of his soul so strong
As neither fear nor hope can shake the frame
Of his resolved powers, nor all the wind
Of vanity or malice pierce to wrong
His settled peace, or to disturb the same;
What a fair seat hath he, from whence he may
The boundless wastes and wilds of man survey!
And with how free an eye doth he look down
Upon these lower regions of turmoil!
Where all the storms of passions mainly beat
On flesh and blood; where honour, power, renown,
Are only gay afflictions, golden toil;
Where greatness stands upon as feeble feet
As frailty doth; and only great doth seem
To little minds, who do it so esteem.
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