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 other poets, being beyond all other poets—in one word, and the only proper word—divine.

Shortly after the publication of these slight and rapid notes, the appearance of the edition whose advent was here hopefully invoked gave a fresh impulse and opened a wider way to the study of Shelley. The ardour and labour expended on his glorious task by Mr. W. M. Rossetti must link his name for ever in honourable association with that of the poet to whom he has done such loyal and noble service. He has lightened the darkness that perplexed us at so many turns of a labyrinth which others had done their best to darken; he has delivered all students from the bondage of Medwin and Hogg: at those muddy springs no future "mental traveller" will ever need again to slake or to cheat his thirst for some dubious drop of information as to how the god of song might have appeared on earth to the shepherds or the swineherds of Admetus. He has done much more than this; he has had the glory of giving to the world fresh verse of Shelley's. Whole poems and priceless fragments, fresh instalments of imperfect but imperishable work, we owe to the labour of his love. Often too he has found means to elucidate and to rectify much that was corrupt and obscure. For all these benefits he deserves all the gratitude that can be given by lovers of Shelley whose love has borne no such fruit and done no such service as his. Outside the precincts of Grubstreet