A Poet's Memoranda [a chapter from Thorndale; or, the Conflict of Opinions] The speaker is discussing his travels with Luxmore, a poet who is at the end of his literary life, in London.  Luxmore’s bitter writings about his lost poetry in poetic form are included.  Some themes that are explored are:  youth, fame, the artist and his art, literary criticism, poetic imagery, poetry vs. prose, truth.