Nature
‹ 7 · Outline · 9 ›
8.Nature and art in poetry and the arts
8a.Art as imitation of nature
See also: Art 3b · Poetry 9b · Truth 4d
Pliny the Younger, Letters of PlinyVol. 9
- p. 266Elegant regularity is contrasted with an imitation of rural nature's negligent beauties.read · scan
Benvenuto Cellini, The Autobiography of Benvenuto CelliniVol. 31
- p. 59–60Hints for animal and bird motifs are taken from wild flowers, combined with fanciful imaginings by draughtsmen.read · scan
- p. 260His salt-cellar allegory unites sea and earth with animals, fishes, shells and cornucopia of natural treasures.read · scan
William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkVol. 46
- p. 148–149Acting must not overstep the modesty of nature; bad players imitate humanity abominably.read · scan
John Dryden, Dedication of the AeneisVol. 13
- p. 9–10Only imitation of nature gives sincere pleasure; otherwise it is grotesque painting.read · scan
John Dryden, Preface to Fables, Ancient and ModernVol. 39
- p. 159–160Thoughts are measured by propriety, flowing naturally from the persons described; unnatural conceits are nauseous.read · scan
Henry Fielding, Preface to Joseph AndrewsVol. 39
- p. 177Insists the comic writer confine himself strictly to nature; burlesque exhibits the monstrous and unnatural, whereas pleasure flows from just imitation.read · scan
Samuel Johnson, Preface to ShakespeareVol. 39
- p. 209–210Only just representations of general nature please many and please long.read · scan
- p. 213–214Appeal lies from criticism to nature; mingled drama approaches nearer to the appearance of life.read · scan
- p. 223–224The drama's chief grace is to copy nature and instruct life.read · scan
Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and BeautifulVol. 24
- p. 47The true standard of the arts lies in observing common things in nature.read · scan
- p. 94–95Observation of vegetable and animal creation shows delicate things are held beautiful.read · scan
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Introduction to the PropyläenVol. 39
- p. 251–252Youth thinks it can quickly penetrate Nature and Art; the man remains in the outer court.read · scan
- p. 254–255Nature is studied and imitated by the artist yet separated from Art by a chasm that genius cannot bridge unaided.read · scan
- p. 255Perceived things are raw material; the artist must know organic and inorganic nature and her general operations.read · scan
- p. 257–258Artists' instinctive handling of colors approaches the general laws of Nature; Nature is a treasure chamber of material.read · scan
- p. 258–259Nature places best possessions in the circle of perfection but elsewhere degenerates into ugliness and indifference.read · scan
- p. 260–261Distinguishes the law-giving artist striving for truth of art from the lawless one striving for the reality of Nature; imitating nature lowers art.read · scan
- p. 261–262Concerns exact criticism of antique art and casts versus originals; nature is not really treated here, only art appreciation and the training of perception.read · scan
William Wordsworth, Prefaces to Various Volumes of PoemsVol. 39
- p. 282–284The poet's subject includes the entire world of nature and the universal passions of men.read · scan
William Wordsworth, Essay Supplementary to PrefaceVol. 39
- p. 322Pope wrongly believed nature not to be trusted in pastoral; Gay's burlesque still showed reality and truth, and Thomson owed everything to nature.read · scan
- p. 323Poetry between Milton and Thomson lacks any new image of external nature, showing neglected observation of natural appearances.read · scan
- p. 328Real nature is distinct yet not defined into isolated singleness; Macpherson's imagery contradicts what the mountain-bred poet has seen.read · scan
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, On Poesy or ArtVol. 27
- p. 255Art mediates between nature and man, infusing human thought and passion into natural objects.read · scan
- p. 258Art must imitate the beautiful in nature, presupposing a bond between nature and the human soul.read · scan
- p. 260–261Artist imitates the spirit of nature, the Natur-geist, working within the thing.read · scan
Walter Savage Landor, PoemsVol. 41
- p. 903–905Landor declares he loved Nature and, next, Art.read · scan
Thomas Babington Macaulay, MachiavelliVol. 27
- p. 383Quotes Shakespeare that the end of playing is to hold the mirror up to nature.read · scan
Victor Hugo, Preface to CromwellVol. 39
- p. 344–345Poetry should do as nature does, mingling darkness and light without confounding them.read · scan
- p. 354–355Everything that exists in nature exists in art.read · scan
- p. 364–365Only the eternal general laws of nature and the subject's own conditions are true rules of art.read · scan
- p. 366Distinguishes reality according to art from reality according to nature.read · scan
- p. 367Demanding literal naturalness in the theatre is absurd and leads to ridiculous consequences.read · scan
- p. 370–371Nature and truth survive poorly amid the false art of conventional tragedy.read · scan
- p. 385Rules of species are said contrary to nature and art.read · scan
Walt Whitman, Preface to Leaves of GrassVol. 39
- p. 402Natural models and the open air's perfect facts are the standard for shapes and ornament.read · scan
8b.Art that surpasses, improves or conquers nature
See also: Art 3d · Animal 6b
The Book of JobVol. 44
- p. 113Man mines the earth's metals, sapphires and gold, out of which comes bread.read · scan
William Harrison, A Description of Elizabethan EnglandVol. 35
- p. 238Art improves nature in gardens; God gave each country sufficient commodities for its own needs.read · scan
- p. 241–242Gardeners presume to know nature's whole trade and command her course.read · scan
- p. 242Marvellous rose with triple the leaves Pliny reported, and abundant variety in Harrison's small garden.read · scan
Sir Philip Sidney, The Defense of PoesyVol. 27
- p. 9–10All arts and sciences depend on nature as object; only the poet goes beyond it, making things better or wholly new.read · scan
Francis Bacon, The New AtlantisVol. 3
- p. 171–172Human empire is to be enlarged over nature, effecting all things possible.read · scan
- p. 172–173Study of winds, rain, snow, meteors and streams in the Upper and Middle Regions, and making earth fruitful.read · scan
- p. 174Art is shown surpassing and altering natural courses of growth, seasons and species.read · scan
John Webster, The Duchess of MalfiVol. 47
- p. 775Grafting as improving nature.read · scan
René Descartes, Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason and Seeking the Truth in the SciencesVol. 34
- p. 49Aims to master nature by knowing the action of fire, water, air and stars.read · scan
John Milton, Paradise LostVol. 4
- p. 155Eden's garden of rivers, trees, lawns and flowers shows Nature poured forth profusely, surpassing nice Art.read · scan
- p. 180Eden's Nature wanton above rule or art, pouring forth sweets.read · scan
John Milton, Paradise RegainedVol. 4
- p. 371Grove seems nature's own work, nature teaching art; Satan flatters that nature serves Christ as lordread · scan
Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and BeautifulVol. 24
- p. 78Men impose artificial geometric ideas on nature, as in formal gardens; nature has escaped such discipline.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Man the ReformerVol. 5
- p. 54Compares making a planet with atmosphere, rivers and forests, beyond human tools, to building a heavenly society; society's custom and institutions opposed.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, English TraitsVol. 5
- p. 330–331Alfieri contrasts Italy, where nature triumphs over bad governments, with England, where art conquers nature.read · scan
- p. 362England's climate, geography and products are artificial, as if man arranged the conditions; nature overcome by art.read · scan
- p. 363Natural resources are superseded by artificial aids; climate is altered by coal and drainage.read · scan
Charles Darwin, The Origin of SpeciesVol. 11
- p. 48Man can only select variations first given him by nature, never create them himself.read · scan
- p. 90–91Nature's productions are truer and better adapted than man's; she cares only for usefulness.read · scan
- p. 107–108Nature's unconscious selection compared with man's selection of domestic races within the natural polity.read · scan
- p. 485Nature causes variation by acting on organisms exposed to new conditions; man only selects and accumulates it.read · scan
Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the BeagleVol. 29
- p. 318The mule hybrid seems to surpass its natural parents.read · scan
- p. 468–469Wonder at islands built by minute animals, greater than the Pyramids, seen by the eye of reason.read · scan
- p. 498Tropical luxuriance of vegetation overpowers the artificial labour of man even near large cities.read · scan
- p. 498–499The land is a wild luxuriant hothouse made by Nature, taken possession of by man.read · scan
John Ruskin, Sesame and LiliesVol. 28
- p. 120–121English despoil natural scenery with railways, tunnels, hotels and gunpowder, despising its sacred sensations.read · scan
William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, The Wave Theory of LightVol. 30
- p. 270–271Accounts for the colour of the natural sky and its imitation in Tyndall's experiment.read · scan
Sir Archibald Geikie, Geographical EvolutionVol. 30
- p. 349Man's contest with nature transforms forest into cornfields, yet clearance causes drought; ice-age glaciers left worn rocks and lakes.read · scan
- p. 350–351Man must master the earth by obeying nature's laws and enlisting them, not defying them; deforestation shows ruinous results of opposing nature.read · scan
8c.Nature as source of the poet and the natural style
See also: Poetry 9c
Confucius, The Sayings of ConfuciusVol. 44
- p. 20Confucius contrasts nature and art: nature alone gives roughness, art alone pedantry; the gentleman blends both. Also says man is born upright.read · scan
- p. 38Tzu-kung: nature and art are of equal worth; the fur makes the tiger's hide.read · scan
Sir Philip Sidney, The Defense of PoesyVol. 27
- p. 48–49Good style follows what practice finds fittest to nature; pedants flee nature.read · scan
William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King LearVol. 46
- p. 293Lear says nature is above art.read · scan
Ben Jonson, PoemsVol. 40
- p. 301Nature was proud of his designs; ancient comic writers are not of Nature's family.read · scan
- p. 301The poet's matter is Nature.read · scan
Richard Crashaw, Wishes for the Supposed Mistress; Upon the Book and Picture of the Seraphical Saint TeresaVol. 40
- p. 359–362Her beauty comes from Nature's hand, not the artificial shop.read · scan
Blaise Pascal, ThoughtsVol. 48
- p. 14Restrict oneself to the simple and natural.read · scan
- p. 17–18Natural style honors nature, which can speak on everything.read · scan
- p. 21–22Masking and disguising nature with grand titles.read · scan
Blaise Pascal, Minor WorksVol. 48
- p. 410Excellence is found in the common and familiar; nature alone is good and wholly familiar.read · scan
- p. 411True rules are natural rather than artificial and constrained.read · scan
John Dryden, Preface to Fables, Ancient and ModernVol. 39
- p. 157Each poet excels by following his natural inclination in design and execution.read · scan
- p. 160–162Chaucer follows nature more closely than the French-style turns of words that suit no strong passion.read · scan
- p. 162Chaucer followed Nature everywhere but never went beyond her; contrasted with affectation.read · scan
John Dryden, PoemsVol. 40
- p. 386–387Nature supplied what art lacked, and her verse seemed borrowed where it was only born.read · scan
- p. 396The force of nature could go no further than joining the two earlier poets to make Milton.read · scan
Voltaire, Letters on the EnglishVol. 34
- p. 135English poetic genius compared to a tree planted by Nature that dies if forced into formal shape.read · scan
Samuel Johnson, Life of Addison, 1672-1719Vol. 27
- p. 197–198Dennis says Chevy Chase pleases because natural; deviations from nature are bombast, affectation or imbecility.read · scan
Samuel Johnson, Preface to ShakespeareVol. 39
- p. 210–211Shakespeare's characters spring from common humanity and general passions, not local customs or fashions; he is the poet of nature.read · scan
- p. 212–213Shakespeare makes nature predominate over accident, attending to essential human character rather than rank or country.read · scan
- p. 216Characters based on genuine passion are natural and therefore durable, like rock against sand, unlike fashionable peculiarities.read · scan
- p. 220Shakespeare, poet of nature, follows the order of real events rather than a regular intrigue.read · scan
- p. 227–228Native force set against scholastic education and critical precepts as source of his excellence.read · scan
- p. 229–230Power of nature is only the power of using materials which diligence procures.read · scan
- p. 230–231He surveyed the inanimate world exactly, describing things as they really exist.read · scan
- p. 249Shakespeare drew the images of nature effortlessly, needing no books to read nature, finding her within.read · scan
Oliver Goldsmith, PoemsVol. 41
- p. 509Spontaneous joys where nature has play are dearer than the gloss of art.read · scan
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Tragedy of Faust, Part IVol. 19
- p. 14The poet's harmony orders nature's tangled thread of life and gives meaning to storm, evening and spring.read · scan
Robert Burns, Poems and SongsVol. 6
- p. 80–82Native gift matters more than schooling, a spark of nature's fire.read · scan
- p. 220–222Natural scenery and Nature's inspiration of the untaught bard compared with woman's charms.read · scan
- p. 409–411Ramsay paints old Nature in Caledonian lines; rural loves are Nature's selfread · scan
- p. 447–449Natural simplicity contrasted with affected, tortured art.read · scan
Charles Lamb, On the Tragedies of ShakspereVol. 27
- p. 303–304Shakspere's plays are natural because grounded deep in nature, so deep that most cannot reach them.read · scan
Thomas Carlyle, CharacteristicsVol. 25
- p. 323–324Asserts the superiority of the Natural over the Artificial in all forms of intellect, marked by spontaneity and unconsciousness.read · scan
- p. 329The artificial society is conscious and mechanical; the natural is unconscious and dynamical, as in poetry, morality and wisdom.read · scan
Victor Hugo, Preface to CromwellVol. 39
- p. 365The same nature nourishes diverse geniuses like sap through the forest's trees.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, The PoetVol. 5
- p. 162Nature stands ready to render service to man, but impressions fall too feebly on us.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, English TraitsVol. 5
- p. 444–445Wordsworth had no master but nature and solitude.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 1249–1250The poet-naturalist knows every plant and bird and Nature yields her shows to him.read · scan
Hans Christian Andersen, TalesVol. 17
- p. 230–231The Princess scorns the rose because it is natural, not made, and doubts the nightingale is a real bird.read · scan
- p. 301–302The Nightingale in the wood by the lake is prized above the palace's artifice.read · scan
- p. 303–304The Nightingale says its song sounds best in the greenwood.read · scan
- p. 305–306The real bird, unpredictable, flies back to the greenwood while the court prefers the artificial bird.read · scan
- p. 308–309The living bird triumphs over the artificial one.read · scan
Giuseppe Mazzini, Byron and GoetheVol. 32
- p. 388To Goethe nature is the whole symphony; to Byron only the prelude and occasion for his verse.read · scan
Henry David Thoreau, WalkingVol. 28
- p. 413–414Good books are as natural as wild flowers; literature has rarely expressed Nature herself.read · scan
- p. 414He finds no literature that contents him regarding the Nature he knows.read · scan
Walt Whitman, Preface to Leaves of GrassVol. 39
- p. 393Land, sea, animals and forests are not small themes; outdoor people show a native perception of the poetic.read · scan
Andrew Lang, Sonnet ("Homer, thy song men liken to the sea")Vol. 22
- p. 335Sea and river imagery are used to characterise Homer's verse.read · scan
8d.The artificial taken up into the natural
Blaise Pascal, ThoughtsVol. 48
- p. 15–16Nature made her truths independent of one another; our art makes them dependent, which is unnatural.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, The PoetVol. 5
- p. 169Nature quickly adopts artificial things into her vital circles; ugliness arises only from detachment from the life of God.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, NatureVol. 5
- p. 230Artificial life is also natural; the courtier has an animal nature, and nature made the mason and the house.read · scan
Ralph Waldo Emerson, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 1248Buildings grow like nests, shells and pines, adopted into nature's race.read · scan
Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the BeagleVol. 29
- p. 501The reef looks strikingly artificial, like a breakwater built by Cyclopean workmen, though it is a natural structure.read · scan
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