Hillard's discourse on the relation of the poet to his age offers a thoughtful and nuanced reflection on the role of the poet in society. Drawing on examples from classical and contemporary poetry, Hillard argues that the poet has a unique power to reflect the spirit of his age and to shape the world around him. The discourse is a valuable contribution to the intellectual and cultural history of the mid-19th century. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.