The Brown Book

1871 (probable)

Overview

Wagner contrasts political activity and state formation with poetic originality in a speculative claim about mixed and unmixed nations. He adds a note on the different character of English prose and poetry.

Content

1871 (probable):

Mixed nations fortunate for political development but not for mental productivity. — Originality. Naivety — etc. Whilst mixed nations are active and make history, new formations of states (Normans), the unmixed nation retains a natural view of things — writes creatively. (Saxons — Shakespeare.) Originality of language: difference between English prose and poetry.