Interludes being Two Essays, a Story, and Some Verses (eBook)

Horace Smith (not to be confused with the Roman poet of a similar name, Quintus Horatius Flaccus) was an English writer, perhaps best known for his participation in a sonnet-writing contest with Percy Bysshe Shelley on the subject of the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II. This literary engagement birthed the composition 'Ozymandias', a poem that Shelley is widely celebrated for, while Smith's own version, though less known, was admired for its cogent moral reflections. In his oeuvre, 'Interludes being Two Essays, a Story, and Some Verses' stands as a testament to his versatility and ability to mingle prose with poetry to invoke thoughtful contemplation. His literary style is marked by a strain of romanticism, reflecting the intellectual and artistic movement of his time, and often delves into the philosophical and the observational, offering insights into both the human condition and the social mores. Though his corpus may not have achieved the immortality of his contemporaneous peers', Horace Smith's work nonetheless contributes a distinct voice to the tapestry of English literature, intertwining wit, reflection, and a keen eye for the narrative.