Memoirs of John Dryden, Volumes 1-2A. & W. Galignani, 1826 |
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... to rule a court and people , as much distinguished for literature as for commerce and arms . Shakspeare was in the zenith of his reputation , and England possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , 2 LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN .
... to rule a court and people , as much distinguished for literature as for commerce and arms . Shakspeare was in the zenith of his reputation , and England possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , 2 LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN .
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Walter Scott. possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , indeed , the higher order of whose plays may claim to be ranked above the infe- rior dramas ascribed to him . Among these we may reckon Massinger , who approached to ...
Walter Scott. possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , indeed , the higher order of whose plays may claim to be ranked above the infe- rior dramas ascribed to him . Among these we may reckon Massinger , who approached to ...
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... , he finds he is possessed of double the information he had when he commenced it . The kindness of Mr Octavius Gilchrist , who undertook a journey to Northamptonshire to examine the present state of Rushton vi ADVERTISEMENT .
... , he finds he is possessed of double the information he had when he commenced it . The kindness of Mr Octavius Gilchrist , who undertook a journey to Northamptonshire to examine the present state of Rushton vi ADVERTISEMENT .
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... to rule a court and people , as much distinguished for literature as for commerce and arms . Shakspeare was in the zenith of his reputation , and England possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , 2 LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN .
... to rule a court and people , as much distinguished for literature as for commerce and arms . Shakspeare was in the zenith of his reputation , and England possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , 2 LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN .
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Walter Scott. possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , indeed , the higher order of whose plays may claim to be ranked above the infe- rior dramas ascribed to him . Among these we may reckon Massinger , who approached to ...
Walter Scott. possessed other poets inferior to Shakspeare alone ; or , indeed , the higher order of whose plays may claim to be ranked above the infe- rior dramas ascribed to him . Among these we may reckon Massinger , who approached to ...
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Page 156 - ... The style of Dryden is capricious and varied, that of Pope is cautious and uniform; Dryden obeys the motions of his own mind, Pope constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is sometimes vehement and rapid; Pope is always smooth, uniform, and gentle. Dryden's page is a natural field, rising into inequalities, and diversified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation; Pope's is a velvet lawn, shaven by the scythe, and levelled by the roller. Of genius, that power which constitutes...
Page 150 - With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon, And these the gems of heaven, her starry train: But neither breath of morn, when she ascends With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit...
Page 10 - What recks it them? What need they? They are sped; And, when they list, their lean and flashy songs Grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw; The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed, But, swoln with wind and the rank mist they draw, Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread : Besides what the grim wolf with privy paw Daily devours apace, and nothing said: But that two-handed engine at the door Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more.
Page 149 - With thee conversing I forget all time ; All seasons and their change, all please alike. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds...
Page 201 - They have not the formality of a settled style, in which the first half of the sentence betrays the other. The clauses are never balanced, nor the periods modelled; every word seems to drop by chance, though it falls into its proper place. Nothing is cold or languid ; the whole is airy, animated, and vigorous : what is little is gay; what is great is splendid.
Page 108 - I shall say the less of Mr Collier, because in many things he has taxed me justly; and I have pleaded guilty to all thoughts and expressions of mine which can be truly argued of obscenity, profaneness, or immorality, and retract them.
Page 180 - I'm out of favour with a certain poet, whom I have admired for the disproportion of him and his attributes. He is a rarity which I cannot but be fond of, as one would be of a hog that could fiddle, or a singing owl. If he falls on me at the blunt, which is his very good weapon in wit, I will forgive him if you please ; and leave the repartee to black Will with a cudgel...
Page 8 - Jeroms, compelled me to embrace the superior merits of celibacy, the institution of the monastic life, the use of the sign of the cross, of holy oil, and even of images, the invocation of saints, the worship of relics, the rudiments of purgatory in prayers for the dead, and the tremendous mystery of the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ, which insensibly swelled into the prodigy of transubstantiation.
Page 5 - Thy rate and price, and mark thee for a treasure, Hearken unto a Verser, who may chance Rhyme thee to good, and make a bait of pleasure : A verse may find him, who a Sermon flies, And turn delight into a Sacrifice.
Page 107 - This last is indeed the representation of nature, but 'tis nature wrought up to an higher pitch. The plot, the characters, the wit, the passions, the descriptions are all exalted above the level of common converse, as high as the imagination of the poet can carry them, with proportion to verisimility.