Book Quote by Samuel Laman Blanchard
“Perhaps the author cited is one of those, who, shunning the practice of the world, have taught the world to shun return! whose poetry is too finely spun, whose philosophy is too and mystified for popular demand: perhaps we have experienced feeling which Mr. Wordsworth alludes to, in a poem worthy of simplicity and loneliness of the sentiment "Often have I sighed to measure By myself a lonely pleasure; Sighed to think I read a book Only read perhaps by me!”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unknown, possibly 19th‑century literary criticism
The author suggests that some thinkers reject worldly practices, creating works too refined for mass appeal, yet these works can evoke deep, solitary reflection.
In simple terms: Refined works may be misunderstood but inspire personal insight.
Key Takeaway
Value depth over popularity.
Themes
art
philosophy
solitude
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- personal reading
- creative writing
Key Concepts
refinement
elitism
loneliness
Questions to Reflect On
- How does exclusivity affect a work’s impact?
- Can refined art be made accessible?
A Different Perspective
Such works may alienate broader audiences.
![“Poetry was a discipline grounded in experience that drew its life and worth from a source much greater than oneself, and as it realized its potential to touch others in their innermost being, what [Kathleen] Fraser has termed their "yearning side," it could be a profoundly communal act. Poetry…” quote by Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aee/kathleen-norris-7283_discipline_poetry-was-a-discipline-grounded-in-expe_449388.jpg)
![“For more than twenty years he [Blanchard] toiled on through the most fatiguing paths of literary composition, mostly in periodicals, often anonymously; pleasing and lightly instructing thousands, but gaining none of the prizes, whether of weighty reputation or popular renown, which more fortunate…” quote by Samuel Laman Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/58f/samuel-laman-blanchard-25787_chance_for-more-than-twenty-years-he-blanchard_393277.jpg)
