Tieck[19] says: 'In Calderon's poetry, and that
of his contemporaries, we often find, in romances and song-like
metres, most charming descriptions of the sea, mountains, gardens,
and woody valleys, but almost always used allegorically, and with an
artistic polish which ends by giving us, not so much a real
impression of Nature, as one of clever description in musical verse,
repeated again and again with slight variations.' This is true of
Leon, but far more of Calderon, since it belongs to the very essence
of drama. But, despite his passion for description and his Catholic
and conventional tone, there is inexhaustible fancy, splendid colour,
and a modern element of individuality in his poems. His heroes are
conscious of their own ego, feel themselves to be 'a miniature
world,' and search out their own feelings 'in the wild waves of
emotion' (as Aurelian, for example, in _Zenobia_).
Fernando says in _The Constant Prince_:
These flowers awoke in beauty and delight
At early dawn, when stars began to set;
At eve they leave us but a fond regret,
Locked in the cold embraces of the night.
These shades that shame the rainbow's arch of light.
Where gold and snow in purple pomp are met,
All give a warning man should not forget,
When one brief day can darken things so bright.
'Tis but to wither that the roses bloom--
'Tis to grow old they bear their beauteous flowers,
One crimson bud their cradle and their tomb.
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