The Works of Samuel Johnson ...: Lives of the poetsTalboys and Wheeler, 1825 |
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Page 15
... numbers smooth without appearance of care . Of these tales there are only four . The Ladle ; which is introduced by a preface , neither necessary nor pleasing , neither grave nor merry . Paulo Purganti ; which has likewise a preface ...
... numbers smooth without appearance of care . Of these tales there are only four . The Ladle ; which is introduced by a preface , neither necessary nor pleasing , neither grave nor merry . Paulo Purganti ; which has likewise a preface ...
Page 17
... numbers were not smooth or neat . Prior excelled him in versification ; but he was , like Horace , " inventore minor ; " he had not Butler's exuberance of matter and variety of illustration . The spangles of wit which he could afford ...
... numbers were not smooth or neat . Prior excelled him in versification ; but he was , like Horace , " inventore minor ; " he had not Butler's exuberance of matter and variety of illustration . The spangles of wit which he could afford ...
Page 22
... numbers are such as mere diligence may attain ; they seldom offend the ear , and seldom sooth it ; they commonly want airiness , lightness , and facility ; what is smooth , is not soft . His verses always roll , but they seldom flow . A ...
... numbers are such as mere diligence may attain ; they seldom offend the ear , and seldom sooth it ; they commonly want airiness , lightness , and facility ; what is smooth , is not soft . His verses always roll , but they seldom flow . A ...
Page 68
... numbers ; her life written , books of letters and verses to her published , and pamphlets made even of her sayings and jests . Furthermore , it drove out of England , for that season , the Italian opera , which had carried all before it ...
... numbers ; her life written , books of letters and verses to her published , and pamphlets made even of her sayings and jests . Furthermore , it drove out of England , for that season , the Italian opera , which had carried all before it ...
Page 72
... numbers such as Waller's self might use . It was probably about this time that he wrote the poem to the earl of Peterborough , upon his accomplishment of the duke of York's marriage with the princess of Modena , whose charms appear to ...
... numbers such as Waller's self might use . It was probably about this time that he wrote the poem to the earl of Peterborough , upon his accomplishment of the duke of York's marriage with the princess of Modena , whose charms appear to ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance Addison afterwards appeared blank verse Bolingbroke censure character Cibber contempt criticism death delight diction diligence discovered Dryden duke Dunciad earl edition Edward Young elegant endeavoured English poetry epitaph Essay excellence expected faults favour Fenton fortune friends friendship genius honour Iliad imagination kind king known labour lady learning letter lines lived lord lord Halifax Lyttelton mankind ment mentioned mind nature never Night Thoughts numbers occasion once passion performance perhaps Pindar pleased pleasure poem poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's pounds praise present printed publick published queen racter reader reason received remarks reputation rhyme satire Savage says seems sir Robert Walpole solicited sometimes soon stanza sufficient supposed Swift Tatler Theophilus Cibber thing Thomson Tickell tion told tragedy translation Tyrconnel verses virtue Westminster Abbey whigs write written wrote Young
Popular passages
Page 267 - Then he instructed a young nobleman, that the best poet in England was Mr. Pope (a Papist), who had begun a translation of Homer into English verse, for which he must have them all subscribe. "For," says he, "the author shall not begin to print till I have a thousand guineas for him.
Page 294 - As fruits ungrateful to the planter's care, On savage stocks inserted, learn to bear, The surest virtues thus from passions shoot. Wild nature's vigour working at the root. What crops of wit and honesty appear From spleen, from obstinacy, hate, or fear ! See anger zeal and fortitude supply ; E'en avarice prudence, sloth philosophy ; Lust, through some certain strainers well refin'd, Is gentle love, and charms all womankind; Envy, to which th...
Page 325 - If the flights of Dryden therefore are higher, Pope continues longer on the wing. If of Dryden's fire the blaze is brighter, of Pope's the heat is more regular and constant. Dryden often surpasses expectation, and Pope never falls below it. Dryden is read with frequent astonishment, and Pope with perpetual delight.
Page 487 - Churchyard" abounds with images which find a mirror in every mind, and with sentiments to which every bosom returns an echo. The four stanzas, beginning "Yet even these bones," are to me original; I have never seen the notions in any other place, yet he that reads them here persuades himself that he has always felt them.
Page 487 - In the character of his Elegy I rejoice to concur with the common reader; for by the common sense of readers uncorrupted with literary prejudices, after all the refinements of subtilty and the dogmatism of learning, must be finally decided all claim to poetical honours.
Page 481 - You say you cannot conceive how Lord Shaftesbury came to be a philosopher in vogue ; I will tell you : first, he was a lord ; secondly, he was as vain as any of his readers ; thirdly, men are very prone to believe what they do not understand ; fourthly, they will believe any thing at all, provided they are under no obligation to believe it...
Page 324 - Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners. The notions of Dryden were formed I by comprehensive speculation, and those of Pope by minute \ attention. There is more dignity in the knowledge of Dryden, and more certainty in that of Pope.
Page 340 - Having exalted himself into the chair of wisdom, he tells us much that every man knows, and much that he does not know himself; that we see but little, and that the order of the universe is beyond our comprehension; an opinion not very uncommon ; and that there is a chain of subordinate beings "from infinite to nothing," of which himself and his readers are equally ignorant.
Page 270 - Pope's excavation was requisite, as an entrance to his garden ; and, as some men try to be proud of their defects, he extracted an ornament from an inconvenience, and vanity produced a grotto, where necessity enforced a passage.
Page 32 - Looking tranquillity ! It strikes an awe And terror on my aching sight ; the tombs And monumental caves of death look cold, And shoot a chillness to my trembling heart. Give me thy hand, and let me hear thy voice; Nay, quickly speak to me, and let me hear Thy voice — my own affrights me with its echoes.