A history of English literature, in a series of biographical sketches |
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Page 10
... story had perished when the fathers of the tribe were gathered to their rest . In some nations the earliest records were knotted cords . Strings of different colours , with knots of various sizes and variously arranged , contained the ...
... story had perished when the fathers of the tribe were gathered to their rest . In some nations the earliest records were knotted cords . Strings of different colours , with knots of various sizes and variously arranged , contained the ...
Page 13
... story of the year . denoting calamity , is found in two of them . But the chief story is told by the coloured forms of the centre , where we have the sovereign painted twice , as a stern - looking head , capped with a serpent crest ...
... story of the year . denoting calamity , is found in two of them . But the chief story is told by the coloured forms of the centre , where we have the sovereign painted twice , as a stern - looking head , capped with a serpent crest ...
Page 13
... story of the year . denoting calamity , is found in two of them . But the chief story is told by the coloured forms of the centre , where we have the sovereign painted twice , as a stern - looking head , capped with a serpent crest ...
... story of the year . denoting calamity , is found in two of them . But the chief story is told by the coloured forms of the centre , where we have the sovereign painted twice , as a stern - looking head , capped with a serpent crest ...
Page 14
... story of the ambassadors ; and , crossing two of these from the right , there comes a red arm to announce the introduction to the royal presence . To attempt a description of the symbols here would be absurd . No fewer than twenty ...
... story of the ambassadors ; and , crossing two of these from the right , there comes a red arm to announce the introduction to the royal presence . To attempt a description of the symbols here would be absurd . No fewer than twenty ...
Page 16
... story of their deeds to their children , was couched in rough metre , in order that the ring of the lines might help the memory to retain the tale . Oldest of all British literature , or , indeed , of all literature in modern Europe ...
... story of their deeds to their children , was couched in rough metre , in order that the ring of the lines might help the memory to retain the tale . Oldest of all British literature , or , indeed , of all literature in modern Europe ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addison Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury beauty became Bible born brilliant Bruges called Cambridge Canterbury Canterbury Tales CHAPTER Charles Chaucer chief chiefly Church College coloured Confessio Amantis Court death died Dublin early Edinburgh England English English Reformation Essays Faerie Queene fame father favour finest France genius heart Henry History honour Illustrative extract James John John Gower John Wycliffe King lady land Latin learned Leicestershire letters literary literature lived London Lord Lutterworth Miles Coverdale Milton mind minstrels monk night noble Oxford pension picture play poem poet poet's poetic poetry poor Pope prose published Puritan Queen Raleigh reign Richard Richard Hooker ROGER ASCHAM romance round royal scenes Scottish Shakspere Shakspere's song SPECIMEN Spenser spent story style Supplementary List sweet Swift Thomas thought took tragedy translation Twickenham verse Westminster William words writer written wrote Wycliffe young
Popular passages
Page 312 - twas a pleasing fear, For I was as it were a child of thee, And trusted to thy billows far and near, And laid my hand upon thy mane— as I do here.
Page 385 - Kent. Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass! He hates him That would upon the rack of this tough world Stretch him out longer.
Page 311 - His steps are not upon thy paths, — thy fields Are not a spoil for him, — thou dost arise And shake him from thee; the vile strength he wields For earth's destruction thou dost all despise, Spurning him from thy bosom to the skies, And send'st him, shivering in thy playful spray And howling to his Gods, where haply lies His petty hope in some near port or bay, And dashest him again to earth : — there let him lay.
Page 374 - All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things. Therefore am I still A lover of the meadows and the woods, ' And mountains ; and of all that we behold From this green earth; of all the mighty world Of eye and ear, both what they half create *, And what perceive...
Page 377 - I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all.
Page 121 - Fairies' coach-makers. And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love : On courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight : O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees : O'er ladies...
Page 169 - The other Shape — If shape it might be called that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb ; Or substance might be called that shadow seemed, For each seemed either — black it stood as Night, 670 Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell, And shook a dreadful dart : what seemed his head The likeness of a kingly crown had on.
Page 284 - Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed, though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less ; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, My lord, Your lordship's most humble, Most obedient servant, SAM. JOHNSON.
Page 169 - No sooner had the Almighty ceased but — all The multitude of Angels, with a shout Loud as from numbers without number, sweet As from blest voices, uttering joy — Heaven rung With jubilee, and loud hosannas filled The eternal regions.
Page 169 - Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence : 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...