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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

5345 Walter Savage Landor 1775-1864 John Bartlett

 
NUMBER:5345
AUTHOR:Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864)
QUOTATION:Past are three summers since she first beheld
The ocean; all around the child await
Some exclamation of amazement here.
She coldly said, her long-lasht eyes abased,
Is this the mighty ocean? is this all?
That wondrous soul Charoba once possest,—
Capacious, then, as earth or heaven could hold,
Soul discontented with capacity,—
Is gone (I fear) forever. Need I say
She was enchanted by the wicked spells
Of Gebir, whom with lust of power inflamed
The western winds have landed on our coast?
I since have watcht her in lone retreat,
Have heard her sigh and soften out the name. 1
ATTRIBUTION:vBook ii. (1798).
 
Note 1.
These lines were specially singled out for admiration by Shelley, Humphrey Davy, Scott, and many remarkable men.—Forster: Life of Landor, vol. i. p. 95. [back]