This，however，ispersonification，whereinbothCollinsandShelleybuildonSpenser:thedizzyingachievementtowhichthemodernpoetcarriedpersonificationaccountsforbutamoiety，ifalargemoiety，ofhisvivifyingpoweroverabstractions。Takethepassage（alreadyalludedto）inthatgloriouschorustellinghowtheHourscomeFromthetempleshighOfman'searandeyeRoofedoverSculptureandPoesy，
　　FromthoseskieytowersWhereThought'scrownedpowersSitwatchingyourdance，yehappyHours！
　　Ourfeetnow，everypalm，Aresandalledwithcalm，Andthedewofourwingsisarainofbalm;
　　AndbeyondoureyesThehumanloveliesWhichmakesallitgazesonParadise。
　　Anypartialexplanationwillbreakinourhandsbeforeitreachestherootofsuchapower。Theroot，wetakeit，isthis。Hehadaninstinctiveperception（immenseinrangeandfertility，astonishingforitsdelicateintuition）oftheunderlyinganalogiesthesecretsubterraneanpassages，betweenmatterandsoul;thechromaticscales，whereatwedimlyguess，bywhichtheAlmightymodulatesthroughallthekeysofcreation。Because，themoreweconsiderit，themorelikelydoesitappearthatNatureisbutanimperfectactress，whoseconstantchangesofdressneverchangehermannerandmethod，whoisthesameinallherparts。
　　ToShelley'setherealvisionthemostrarifiedmentalorspiritualmusictraceditsbeautifulcorrespondingformsonthesandofoutwardthings。Hestoodthusattheveryjunction—linesofthevisibleandinvisible，andcouldshiftthepointsashewilled。Histhoughtsbecameamountedinfantry，passingwithbafflingswiftnessfromhorsetofootorfoottohorse。Hecouldexpressashelistedthematerialandtheimmaterialintermsofeachother。Neverhasapoetinthepastrivalledhimasregardsthisgift，andhardlywillanypoetrivalhimasregardsitinthefuture:menarelikefirsttoseethepromiseddoomlayitshandonthetreeofheavenandshakedownthegoldenleaves。{7}
　　ThefinestspecimensofthisfacultyareprobablytobesoughtinthatShelleiantreasury，PrometheusUnbound。ItisunquestionablythegreatestandmostprodigalexhibitionofShelley'spowers，thisamazinglyricworld，whereimmortalclaritiessighpastintheperfumesoftheblossoms，populatethebreathingsofthebreeze，throngandtwinkleintheleavesthattwirluponthebough;wheretheverygrassisalla—rustlewithlovelyspirit—things，andaweepingmistofmusicfillstheair。ThefinalscenesespeciallyaresuchaBacchicreelandroutandrevelryofbeautyasleavesonestaggeredandgiddy;poetryisspiltlikewine，musicrunstodrunkenwaste。Thechorusessweepdownthewind，tirelessly，flightafterflight，tillthebreathlesssoulalmostcriesforrespitefromtheunrollingsplendours。Yetthesescenes，sowonderfulfromapurelypoeticalstandpointthatnoonecouldwishthemaway，are（toourhumblethinking）neverthelesstheartisticerrorofthepoem。
　　Abstractedly，thedevelopmentofShelley'sidearequiredthatheshouldshowtheearthlyparadisewhichwastofollowthefallofZeus。Butdramaticallywiththatfalltheactionceases，andthedramashouldhaveceasedwithit。Afinalchorus，orchoralseries，ofrejoicings（suchasdoesultimatelyendthedramawherePrometheusappearsonthescene）wouldhavebeenlegitimateenough。
　　Instead，however，thebewilderedreaderfindsthedramaunfoldingitselfthroughsceneafterscenewhichleavestheactionpreciselywhereitfoundit，becausethereisnolongeranactiontoadvance。
　　Itisasifthechoralfinaleofanoperawereprolongedthroughtwoacts。
　　Wehave，nevertheless，calledPrometheusShelley'sgreatestpoembecauseitisthemostcomprehensivestorehouseofhispower。WereweaskedtonamethemostPERFECTamonghislongerefforts，weshouldnamethepoeminwhichhelamentedKeats:undertheshedpetalsofhislovelyfancygivingtheslainbirdasilkenburial。
　　Seldomisthedeathofapoetmournedintruepoetry。Notoftenisthesingercoffinedinlaurel—wood。Amongtheveryfewexceptionstosucharule，thegreatestisAdonais。IntheEnglishlanguageonlyLycidascompeteswithit;andwhenwepreferAdonaistoLycidas，wearefollowingtheprecedentsetinthecaseofCicero:
　　Adonaisisthelonger。Asregardscommandoverabstraction，itisnolesscharacteristicallyShelleianthanPrometheus。Itisthroughoutaseriesofabstractionsvitalisedwithdaringexquisiteness，fromMorningwhosought:
　　Hereasternwatch—tower，andherhairunbound，Wetwiththetearswhichshouldadorntheground，andwhoDimmedtheaerialeyesthatkindleday，totheDreamsthatweretheflockofthedeadshepherd，theDreamsWhomnearthelivingstreamsOfhisyoungspirithefed;andwhomhetaughtThelovethatwasitsmusic;
　　ofwhomonesees，asshehangsmourningoverhim，Uponthesilkenfringeofhisfainteyes，Likedewuponasleepingflower，thereliesAtearsomedreamhasloosenedfromhisbrain！
　　LostangelofaruinedParadise！
　　Sheknewnot'twasherown;aswithnostainShefadedlikeacloudwhichhathoutweptitsrain。
　　Inthesolarspectrum，beyondtheextremeredandextremevioletrays，arewholeseriesofcolours，demonstrable，butimperceptibletogrosshumanvision。Suchwritingasthiswehavequotedrendersvisibletheinvisibilitiesofimaginativecolour。
　　OnethingpreventsAdonaisfrombeingideallyperfect:itslackofChristianhope。YetwerememberwellthewriterofapopularmemoironKeatsproposingas"thebestconsolationforthemindpainedbythissadrecord"Shelley'sinexpressiblysadexpositionofPantheisticimmortality:
　　HeisaportionofthelovelinessWhichoncehemademorelovely，etc。
　　Whatdesolationcanitbethatdiscernscomfortinthishope，whosewancountenanceisasthecountenanceofadespair？Whatdeepestdepthofagonyisitthatfindsconsolationinthisimmortality:animmortalitywhichthrustsyouintodeath，themawofNature，thatyourdissolvedelementsmaycirculatethroughherveins？
　　Yetsuch，thepoettellsme，ismysolebalmforthehurtsoflife。
　　Iamasthevocalbreathfloatingfromanorgan。Itooshallfadeonthewinds，acadencesoonforgotten。SoIdissolveanddie，andamlostintheearsofmen:theparticlesofmybeingtwineinnewermelodies，andfrommyonedeathariseahundredlives。Why，throughthethinpartitionofthisconsolationPantheismcanhearthegroansofitsneighbour，Pessimism。Betteralmosttheblackresignationwhichthefatalistdrawsfromhisownhopelessness，fromthefiercekissesofmiserythathissagainsthistears。
　　Withsomegleams，itistrue，ofmorethanmocksolace，Adonaisislighted;buttheyareobtainedbyimplicitlyassumingthepersonalimmortalitywhichthepoemexplicitlydenies;aswhen，forinstance，togreetthedeadyouth，Theinheritorsofunfulfilledrenown[thoughtRosefromtheirthrones，builtbeyondmortalFarintheunapparent。
　　Andagainthefinalstanzaofthepoem:
　　ThebreathwhosemightIhaveinvokedinsongDescendsonme;myspirit'sbarkisdrivenFarfromtheshore，farfromthetremblingthrongWhosesailswerenevertothetempestriven;