Yale Book of American Verse (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Yale Book of American Verse

A statement of the sort just made is based, in truth, not only upon the assumption that the editor's acquaintance with the poetical literature of our race is absolutely complete, but that his judgment of the comparative excellence of the pieces composing it is absolutely perfect. No one would be willing to con cede the latter qualification and few the former. Every collection of poems must inevitably reflect to a great extent the limitation of the compiler's knowl edge. Many pieces which he would have been glad to include, had he been aware of their existence, are likely to have escaped his observation. But were there no lack of knowledge, the choice he makes will be certain to reflect the nature of his literary sym pathics, and even more the limitations of his literary taste; at all events its distinctive character. There are certain poems which it is always easy to select. Upon them the consent of the ages has already set the stamp of approval. Against this verdict of suc cessive generations there may be protest upon the part of the individual; but from it there can be no valid appeal.

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