Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> On Jul 24, 2006, at 10:36 AM, Carl Remick quoted WBY:
>
> > The best lack all convictions, while the worst
> > Are full of passionate intensity.
>
> According to Harold Bloom, this passage reflects Yeats's fascist
> sympathies.
That makes sense. The domain of both "the best" & "the worst" would be his fellow Irish, not continental powers. Hence it would be from "outside" that convictions might come to impassion that "best" and suppress "the worst."
Carrol