The Spirit of Romance

249 Pages·1968·6.91 MB·English

by  Ezra Pound

E Z R A P O U N D
THE SPIRIT
OF
ROMANCE
-
A NEW DIRECTIONBSO OK
Copyrig1h9t6©b8 yE zrPaOl.m d.
LibraorfCy o ngrCeastsa lCoagrN du mbe5r3:- 5860.
(ISBNo: -8112-oi63-5)
Alrli ghrtess erEvxecde.fp ortb rief passaigne nsae wqsupoatpeedr ,
magazirnaed,io ort, e levriesviioennow p ,a rotft hibso omka yb e
reprodiunca endyf o rmo rb ya nym eanesl,e ctroormn eicchn aical,
includpihnogt ocopanydi rnegc ordoirbn yga ,n yin formatsiotorna ge
andr eitervsayls tweimt,h opuetr missiinwo rni tifronmgt hPeu blisher.
Firpsutb lisbhyNe edw D irectiin1o 9n5s2 .
Firpsutbi lshase Nde wD irectPiaopnesr b2o6o6ik n1 968.
in
Manufacturetdh Uen itSetda toefAs m erica.
PublisihneC da nadbay M cClell&a nSdt ewaLrttd,.
NewD irectBioooknassr peu blisfohrJe adm eLsa ughlin
byN ewD irectPiuobnlsi sChionrgp aotrion,
333S ixAtvhe nuNee,w Y ork
10014.
FOURTHP RINTING
CONTENTS
PAGE
PRAEFAATnIL OE CTOREELME CTU(M1 910) 5
PosTscR(1I P9T2 9) 8
PosTP-osTSCRIPT 9
I THEP HANTOM DAWN I I
III LM IGLIOFRA BBRO 22
IIIP ROEN($A 39
-·
IV GEsTAEN DR oMANCE 64
v PSYCHOLOAGNYDT ROUBADOURS 87
VI LINGUTAo scANA 101
118
VIID ANTE
alias
VIIIM oNTCORBIERV,I LLON !66
IX THEQ uALITOYFL oPDEE V EGA 179
X CAMOENS 214
223
XI PoETLIA TINI

PRAEFATAIDLO E CTOREEML ECTU(M1 910)
Thibso oikns o atp hilowloorgkiOc.na lblyy c ourctane sy
ibte s atiobd e a s tuidncy o mparlaititveer ature.
Ia mi nteirnpe osetteIhryd a. va et temtpoet xeadmc ienret ain
forecleesm,oe rqn utasl wihiticewhse rpeo tientn htme e dia!val
literaotftu hLreae titno nganudea sr,Ie b ,e lisetvpieol,tl e nt
ouorw n.
m
Thehi stoorfay na ritst hhei stoofmr ays ternwoootrf k ,
failourmr eedsi,o cTrhioetm yn.i shicsiteonwrtoi uadlnid s play
thmea stertphieceiacruea ssnet,dsh eiinrt er-Trheselt autdiyo n.
ofl iteirhsae truor-ew oIritsas rhi epf.i noermi,eyf no wtui, l l,
ap erverosfti hopanrt i mrietliivgei on.
Ih avfleo undseormeedwi hnaetff ectthuraotlluhygse hl ough
ofp hilobluoItlg oyo,fk o rwtaotr hdtie m ew heinwilt l b e
possfiobtrlh ele o voefpr o ettrosy t updoye tryt-ehvee n
poeotfrr yet ontdiimtaeens pd l aces-bwuirtdheohiniumnt­g
sewlift thhr ea gosfm orphoelpoiggyr,pa rpihvya,at nlde ben
thkei nddreeldio gfth htaesr chaeoorl"s o cghioclamalir nldy."
Ic onsiiqtdu eiartjs eu stitfihaaamb tal nse h owuilsdth os tudy
thpeo eatnrnydo thbiunttgh p eo eotfra yc ertpaeirnia osd ,
thhaets housltdui dtaysn tiquitioersp ,a lepohgornaepthiyc s
andb ea,tt heen odf h ilsa boiunrcsa,po afdb ilsec earnin g
refineomfse tnyotlr aeb anaolfdi itcyti on.
Thearreaen umboefsr c iecnocnneescw tiettdhh s et uodfy
literTahteuirrsiee n l. i teriatstteuhAlrerfe t w,hi cihsn ot,
andn evwilelrb ea,s cience.
Aritas f lumiodv ianbgo ovroe vetrhm ei nodfsm en.
Havivnigo loantceea dn oofmn o depmr obsyte h miest a­
physgiecnaelrI as lhiavtliylo,an l oattheIe s rh.am lalka efl orid
andm etaphcoormipcaarli son.
Arotra. n a ritns o unlti kaeri veirnt, h iaittps e rtuartb ed
timbeyts h qeu aolfit thryei vbeerbd u,it s a w ianiy n dependent
oft hbaetd T.h ceo looftr hw ea tdeerp eunpdotsnh s eu bstance
oft hbee andd b anikmsm edainapdtr ee cedSitnagt.i onary
objeacrrtees f lbeucttth eqedu ,a loifmt oyti oinos f t hrei ver.
T H ES PIRIOTF ROMCAEN
Thes cienitsci osntc ernweidt ahll o ft hesteh ingtshe,a rtist
witthh awth icflho ws.
Iti sd awna tJ erusawlheiml mied nighhto vearbsvo et he
PilloafrH se rculAelsla. g easr ec ontemporanIetio sBu .sc.. ,
leuts s ayin, M oroccToh.e M iddlAeg easr ien R ussiTah.e1
futusrteia rlsr eaidnty h em indosf t hef ew.T hiisse specially
truoef l iterawthuerrete,h er eatli mies i ndepenodfet nhte
appareanntdw, h ermea nyd eamde na reo urg randchildren's
contemporwahriilmeeas n,y o fo urc ontemporhaarvibeee se n
alreagdayt heirnetdAo b rahabmo'sso mo,rs omem orefi tting
receptacle.
Whatw e neeids a litersacrhyo larwshhiicpwh,i lwle igh
Theocranidt Yuesa wtist ohn eb alanacnedw, h icwhi ljlu dgdeu ll
deamde nas inexoraasbd luylw lr itoefrt so daayn,dw ilwli,t h
equigtiy,vp er aitsobe e aubteyf orreef ertroina gn a lmanack.
Arti saj oyotuhsi nIgt.hs a ppinaenstse deavteeWnsh ist;l er
apropoofws h icIhw oulidn a lsle rioupslneeafsdos ar greater
leviat myo,r eb efittlienvgi int yo,u rs tudoyft hea rts.
Gooda rnte vebro reosn eB.y t haItm eant haitti st hbeu si­
nesosft haer ttiosp tr eveenntn; u ii nt hliet eraarrtty,o r elieve,
refresrhe,v itvheemi nd oft her eaderr-eaats onianbtleer vals
-withs omef ormo fe cstabsyys ,o mes plenodfot rh ought,
somep resentoafts ihoene bre autys,o mel ightntiunmgo f
phrase-laiusgn hotm eera ne cstaGsoyo.da rbte giwnist ahn
escapfer omdu llness.
Thea imo ft hep resewnotr ki st oi nstruIctatsm. b itiiosn
toi nstrpuacitn lessly.
Theriesn oa ttemapthit s torciocmapll eteTnhees" Gsr.u nd­
risvso nG riibe"r c ovesrosm ewhtahtes amep eriaondd f alls
shoorftc ompleteIntec sosn.s iosf2t ,s1 00fo0l piaog easn,di s,
needlteoss asy T,e descTaont .h iasd mirabwloer kIc heerfully
recommeanndy onweh oh aasp assfioocrno mpleteOnmeists­.
tintgh ougihtd oesm,a nyo ft hef acctosn cermneidniga eval
literatiutyr eetc, o ntarienfse retnosc oemse h undreodfos t her
1910.
1
(9101)
PRAEFA TlO A D LECT OR EM EL ECTU M
workwsh eretihnce u rioosfit thyee a rnmeasyti ns ommee asure
bes laked.
Ast om y fitneosrsu nfitnetsosa ttemtphti tsr ea:t ise
G.H .P utmatne lulsst haitn,t hee arlrye gulatoifto hnes
facuolftt yh eU niverosfiP tayr ithsi,os a tihs p rescribed for
profes:s o"rs swI e atror eaadn dt ofi nisrhe ading twhiet hin
timsee bty t hes tatuttheebs o,o kasn dp arotfsb ookass signed
form y lects"u.2re Thilsa wI h avec,o ntrtaort yh ec ustom
ofl iterhairsyt oricaonmsp,l iweidt h.M y multitudinous
mistaaknedis n accuraarcemi oesst mlyy own.
Theb ookt reaotnslo yf s ucmhe diaewvo{lrlk asss tlip lossess
ani nteroetshtet rh ana rchaeolfoogrit chaecl o ntemporary
readwehro i sn ota specialMiys ctr.i ticiscmo nshiassint ed
selecrtaitohtneh rai nnp resentoafot piionni Coenr.t apionr tions
oft hbeo oakr ien t hset ricsteenossrtei girneasle arTchhr.o ugh­
outth eb ooK.a lclr itsitcaatle maernbeta ss eodna direcstt udy
oft htee xtthse msealnvdne ostu pocno mmentaries.
My thanakrse d uet o Dr.W m. P.S hepaorfd H amilton
Coelglew,h osree finaendd s ympathsecthiocl afirrsshltie pmd e
tos omek nowledogfFe r enIcathl,i aSnp,a nia.>nhdP roven�al,
andli kewtiosP ea drJeo sMea ridae E lizondfoo,rhi sk indness
tom e whens tudyiinnS gp ain.
Somes tigwmial dlo ubtlaetstsat cohM r.E rneRhsyts ,a t
whosien stigtahtepi roens evnotl umwea su ndertakGeuilnt.y
ofc ollushieio sni ,nn ow ayr esponsfiobril tfesa tusl.
Amplissaicmm aasu uq uater anscripsit .<!ratias.
Myt hanakrsde u et oM essSrmsi.t hE,l daenrd C o.f opre r­
misstiooq nu oftreo mJ .A .S ymondtsr'a nsloaftT ihoeSn o nnets
of
MichaAgenlo l;oa ndt oJ .M. D enfto rp ermistsoiq ouno te
fromt heT emplter ansloaft Diaonnt weh icIh h avei nt he
mainu sewdh erteh eriesn oi ndicattoit ohnec ontrary.
LondoIn9,I O E.P .
2T hism eantf romf ourt os ix bookfso rt heD octorosfL aw orM ediicne
Usualolnye p rofeshsaodro ne booonkw hictho l ecture.
ContinuAe.dD .1 929: Thisd oenso to fn ecessinidtiyc atthea eti thIeo rr t he
Doctorwsh ollyun derstotohde m attebre forues .
Toutmeessc hsceds ta endte
qunziaen Jse.p e ucxom menucneer
chonsuoev etlolluees s jours, mais
.fim r.. . ..i>
-Bran(cinuc soin ver)s ation.
POTSSRCIP(T1 929)
Myfi rsgtr opingst hceto onwcalrtudas biuolinnast t heed
precendtoiewnseg r peu bliisnLh oenddi on1n 9 1v0i a the
benevolence ohfa vnEeorn edstothu abRttwh oytrshk.e
I
cdb.e g rleyai tmprobvueotdn ,eki ndo fi mprovement
wdf.la sailtfe yoa nsoetft hmee aesmuerntthmsea, idi nff erence
ofo utlboeoiskni gm tphlaytt h eknn elwe asnshd a d more
I
ptaienActle e.ap saotrf tt hseuj bemcatt ttheetrnr ewaitleld
nobte mayrp reasceinadtnts dh, se t udweanntta innhdga ,v ing
ap eercrfti gthokt n ow hwahpaptie nna eg di vteinma en d
plawcdeb. e bneoto tffe rtb heoafrnem admeyp rminealiry
I
survey.
Three adedro enwsohw toa ntth iinosfr mactiaornne gard
ag ood odfwe haafltlo lo(wPsr olegaosfm ooetnnao)t e or
merper otohfa hta edx amiacn eerdat maoinuno tfw riting
I
beofrceo mintgom yc oncluTshideoe ntsa.cc rhiemtdai yc,
hopfemd,a tt he oeftn hwdeh osloem,se i gonfcs o herence,
I
somper otohfa stt awritteahdd e finiinttee natnitdoh na,t
I
whahtau spt on owa ppeaanar iemlde ss uppoi ftc ikdibnigt s
habse egno vebrnyea dp lwahni ch cbleecaaanrmmdeeo r r e
definaispt reeo ecded.
I
A goodde oaflw haitmm ediafllotoewlcsya n no btet aken
asc rimt,ib cusitis mpalsiy no frmaftroit ohno wsaen tian g
shoratcicsoohunfa tp eriTohdme.o doeft hset ateimtesn t,
idiojma rowgrio hllna ,vt soet aanpsda rctioaenlsf soifwoh ne re
I wains t hyee a1r91 0.
POST- POSTSCPRTI
Af ellnoawm eSdm itphu tm eo nt he roadl ewtdhio tc hhpe u b­
licatoift ohnib so ok- my firpsutb lisphreodsw eo rkH.e w asa
Philadeltprhaivaaeg le nwth omI h adfi rssete ansa b oyi,n I 8 98,
whenm y great-Faruanhntak dt akeunso na g rantdo uorf E u­
ropIer. e cognhiizme da gbayai p ne culiar moofvh eimlsee nftt
armt,h eel bow bheaedbn a dlrye swehte,n I w asg ettoiffnt go
Euroopnem y own,a ftCerra wfordsWviitUmhey . t ickheet
gavmee an otteo a m ani nL ondonna meSdu lliwvhaonh ad
somethtiond go w ithC ovenGta rdeMna rkeItd .on otk now
how,b uht ep ersuatdheLedo ndoPno lytetcohl nemitec g ivae
courosflee ctuthreersTe h:eD evelopomfeLnitt erianSt ouurteh ­
ernE urop�eh.e swee raev errya ws ummaroyft hingisn R en­
nartS'esm inaatrt heU niversoiftP ye nnsylvoauntoi fta h;e ir
condensatthiivoson l,u meM.y frieEnrdn eRshty sp ersuaded
].M. D entto p ubliitsi hn1 91A0sf. aa rs I r emembieter l icited
noc ommenftr otmh per esIhs a.dn oste ntth mea nusctroia pnty
literfiagruyrf eostr h eoipri niiotwn a,sn ott hper actiintc heo se
daybse,s iIdc eosu lndo tc onveniheanvtaelff yo rdtehdse t amps.
Younwgr itheursst floetrdh emsetlhveeansn dw erneo ts ubsi­
dizaesda mattoefcr o urbsyel oveorfCs ul turaen dt heF inAer ts.
Parotft heb ookw asr epubliisnth heefid r svto lumoef " Pro­
legom"e inna1 93bu2tt, h peu blis(h"eTr"oLs ,e Beau,sV saert,
Franwceer)ne e vearb lteob rionugt th see covnodl umAec .o m­
pletreelvyi esdeidt wiaosbn r ougohutit n E ngla(nPde Otweern )
andi nt hSet at(eNse wD irectiino1 n59s2).
Lookinbga cka,n dc onsideIrf ieneiglt,fi ttitnhgat thi sn ew
Amerirceapnr biend te dica"tteo'd S:m iwtiht'th h asn".k
EzRPAo uND
VneiMcaey,1, 9 68.