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Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 1792-1822

"Adonais"

3. _Death ... blushed to annihilation._ This very daring
hyperbole will hardly bear--nor does it want--manipulation into prose.
Briefly, the nature of Death is to be pallid: therefore Death, in
blushing, abnegates his very nature, and almost ceases to be Death.
11. 3, 4. _The breath Revisited those lips_, &c. As Death tended towards
'annihilation,' so Adonais tended towards revival.
1. 7. _'Silent lightning.'_ This means, I suppose, lightning
unaccompanied by thunder--summer lightning.
+Stanza 26,+ 1. 1. _'Stay yet awhile.'_ See Bion (p. 64): 'Stay, Adonis!
stay, dearest one!'
1. 2, _'Kiss me, so long but as a kiss may live.'_ See as above:--
'That I may kiss thee now for the last time--
But for as long as one short kiss may live!'

1. 3. _'My heartless breast.'_ Urania's breast will henceforth be
heartless, in the sense that, having bestowed her whole heart upon
Adonais, she will have none to bestow upon any one else: so I understand
the epithet.
1. 4. _'That word, that kiss, shall all thoughts else survive,'_ &c. See
Bion (p. 64): 'This kiss will I treasure,' &c.
11.


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