Poetry for Poetry's Sake An Inaugural Lecture Delivered on June 5, 1901

A distinguished professor returns to the university that shaped his career, delivering an inaugural lecture that blends personal reflection with scholarly ambition. He notes the recent founding of a School of English, a development he welcomes as a sign of growing respect for literary study, and hints at future talks aimed specifically at its students. The address sets the stage for a thoughtful examination of poetry’s place within academic life.

Focusing on the timeless phrase “poetry for poetry’s sake,” the speaker seeks to define poetry by its own internal qualities—meter, language, and the succession of sensory experiences that compose a poem. He promises to untangle common misunderstandings of the slogan and to explore a single, concrete problem that illustrates his view of poetry as an art that exists independent of external purpose. Listeners can expect a clear, measured discussion that celebrates the intrinsic beauty of verse while grounding it in the realities of teaching and criticism.