Literary notes about Limn (AI summary)
The term "limn" is employed with remarkable versatility in literature. In poetic and artistic contexts it is often used to denote the act of depicting or sketching vividly, whether describing the beauty of a landscape or capturing a likeness with sensitive detail—as seen when a poet speaks of limning "the beauty of the earth and sky" [1] or an artist is tasked "to limn a great picture" [2]. At the same time, the word appears in more technical or scientific settings, where it names natural elements, notably freshwater snails, and even geographic sites, evidenced by its use in designating species like Limnæa stagnalis [3] or in references to specific locations [4]. Thus, "limn" serves both as a verb of creative expression and as a precise term in natural science, highlighting its multifaceted role in literature.
- Seek'st thou, in living lays, To limn the beauty of the earth and sky?
— from Selections from American poetry, with special reference to Poe, Longfellow, Lowell and Whittier - Then, by the Prior’s command, Hilarius set himself to limn a great picture for the High Altar.
— from The Gathering of Brother Hilarius by Michael Fairless - It is the common Water-snail ( Limnæa stagnalis ), which abounds in our streams where the current is not very strong.
— from Nature's Teachings: Human Invention Anticipated by Nature by J. G. (John George) Wood - Limnæ, t. of Messenia, i. 385 ; ii. 39 , 40 . ——, t. of the Thracian Chersonese, i. 517 ; iii. 5 . ——, suburb of Sparta, ii. 40 .
— from The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3 (of 3) by Strabo
