The Poetical Decameron, Or, Ten Conversations on English Poets and Poetry: Particularly of the Reigns of Elizabeth and James I. |
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Page vii
... never consist of more than the Muses , or of fewer than the Graces : the latter has been chosen in this instance for greater convenience and simplicity , and as much diversity of character has been displayed as the nature of the ...
... never consist of more than the Muses , or of fewer than the Graces : the latter has been chosen in this instance for greater convenience and simplicity , and as much diversity of character has been displayed as the nature of the ...
Page xiii
... never has been a time when the laurel has flourished in this kingdom with greater beauty or vigour . Of late years it has made many new and hardy shoots , and every day fresh burgeons are forcing themselves through the rind , giving ...
... never has been a time when the laurel has flourished in this kingdom with greater beauty or vigour . Of late years it has made many new and hardy shoots , and every day fresh burgeons are forcing themselves through the rind , giving ...
Page xvi
... never man distinguish , less divide . " It was here inserted by Morton , that there would , at least , be as much difficulty in doing so as Hector found in " Troilus and Cressida , " when he alleged , as a reason for not persevering in ...
... never man distinguish , less divide . " It was here inserted by Morton , that there would , at least , be as much difficulty in doing so as Hector found in " Troilus and Cressida , " when he alleged , as a reason for not persevering in ...
Page xviii
... never been equalled , perhaps never can be excelled , and very rarely if ever approached . For the rest , gene- rally speaking , I think the common observation un- answerable , that had they deserved to be as well known as the poets I ...
... never been equalled , perhaps never can be excelled , and very rarely if ever approached . For the rest , gene- rally speaking , I think the common observation un- answerable , that had they deserved to be as well known as the poets I ...
Page xix
... never without the hard compulsion of general approbation , they admit that a living poet deserves to be read : Vivis quod fama negatur , Et sua quod rarus tempora lector amat . : You have little reason to say so now ( replied Morton ) ...
... never without the hard compulsion of general approbation , they admit that a living poet deserves to be read : Vivis quod fama negatur , Et sua quod rarus tempora lector amat . : You have little reason to say so now ( replied Morton ) ...
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Common terms and phrases
Ben Jonson Bibliographer blank verse BOURNE called certainly Chapman copy curious dare say death DECAMERON Donne doth Drayton edition ELLIOT English satirist epigrams Epistle extract Fitzgeffrey Francis Meres George Chapman George Peele giue Hall hath haue hear heauen John John Marston John Webster Jonson kind Latin lines liue Lodge's Lord loue Marlow Marston mean mentioned Momus MORTON Muses Nash night noble observe Parasitaster passage Peele Peele's perhaps pieces Pigmalions play poem Poesie poet POETICAL DECAMERON poetry praise printed probably production prose published Queen quotation quoted rarity recollect remarkable reprint rhyme rime Ritson satires satirist Satyres seems seen Shakespeare Sidney Sir Francis Drake sonnet speaking specimen Spenser stanza suppose sweete thee thing Thomas thou tion tract translation vertue vnto vpon Webster Whetstone words worth writers written wrote
Popular passages
Page 270 - Oft expectation fails, and most oft there Where most it promises ; and oft it hits, Where hope is coldest, and despair most sits.
Page 22 - Shakespeare that from his works may be collected a system of civil and economical prudence ; yet his real power is not shown in the splendour of particular passages, but by the progress of his fable and the tenor of his dialogue ; and he that tries to recommend him by select quotations, will succeed like the pedant in Hierocles, who, when he offered his house to sale, carried a brick in his pocket as a specimen.
Page xix - ... genius through the shades of age, as the eye surveys the sun through artificial opacity. The great contention of criticism is to find the faults of the moderns and the beauties of the ancients.
Page 244 - Here we may reign secure: and in my choice. To reign is worth ambition, though in hell ; Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
Page 68 - ENTITLED To the noble and vertuous Gentleman, most worthy of all titles both of learning and chevalrie, MA1STER PHILIP SIDNEY.
Page xliii - Of a Jew, who would for his Debt have a Pound of the Flesh of a Christian.
Page xliv - Wonder not (for with thee will I first begin), thou famous gracer of tragedians, that Greene, who hath said with thee like the fool in his heart, "There is no God...
Page 160 - twixt each drop, he nigardly, As loth to enrich mee, so tells many a lie. More than ten Hollensheads, or Halls, or Stowes, Of triviall houshold trash he knowes ; He knowes When the Queene frown'd, or smil'd, and he knowes what A subtle States-man may gather of that...
Page 251 - I can willinglyer conceive then dare to prescribe; yet let me have the substance rough, not the shadow. I cannot, nay, I will not delude your sight with mists; yet I dare defend my plainenesse against the verjuice-face of the crabbedst Satyrist that ever stuttered.
Page 90 - tis true ; but now, if any Should for that cause despise it, we have many Reasons, both just and pregnant, to maintain Antiquity, and those, too, not all vain. We know (and not long since) there was a time, Strong lines were not look'd after ; but if rhyme, Oh ! then 'twas excellent...