Letters on Literature, Taste, and Composition: Addressed to His Son, Volume 1Phillips, 1808 - Books and reading |
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Page 3
... picture ; for narrative is a pic- ture in words , so that it shall be full , clear , and impressive , and keep awake the reader's atten- tion through the whole . The difficulties which I have now enumerated will in some measure ...
... picture ; for narrative is a pic- ture in words , so that it shall be full , clear , and impressive , and keep awake the reader's atten- tion through the whole . The difficulties which I have now enumerated will in some measure ...
Page 9
... picture , we see , and con-- verse with the man . Lastly , if you have to describe any natural ' phenomenon , it will be right to acquaint your- self philosophically with its causes and its ef- fects , and this will operate against your ...
... picture , we see , and con-- verse with the man . Lastly , if you have to describe any natural ' phenomenon , it will be right to acquaint your- self philosophically with its causes and its ef- fects , and this will operate against your ...
Page 19
... picture to the mind of the reader . They lose not the matter in general , but the principal ac- tors and characters are before our eyes . This is strongly exemplified in the transactions of Samuel with Eli , and afterwards with Saul ...
... picture to the mind of the reader . They lose not the matter in general , but the principal ac- tors and characters are before our eyes . This is strongly exemplified in the transactions of Samuel with Eli , and afterwards with Saul ...
Page 27
... picture of thy mind ; " Thine was the praise bright models to afford " To Cæsar's rival pen and rival sword , " & c . Xenophon was much studied by the Roman warriors , as affording the best instructions in the military art , and ...
... picture of thy mind ; " Thine was the praise bright models to afford " To Cæsar's rival pen and rival sword , " & c . Xenophon was much studied by the Roman warriors , as affording the best instructions in the military art , and ...
Page 44
... picture ; in this particular detail we see the men : all is dramatic , and the vi- vacity of the scene takes off from the prolixity of the detail . Mr. Hayley's character of the writer is tolerably correct- " Yet courtesy with generous ...
... picture ; in this particular detail we see the men : all is dramatic , and the vi- vacity of the scene takes off from the prolixity of the detail . Mr. Hayley's character of the writer is tolerably correct- " Yet courtesy with generous ...
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Common terms and phrases
action admired Æneid antient Aristotle beautiful bound cæsura character charm chiefly Cicero comedy composed composition critics DEAR JOHN didactic drama Dryden elegant elegy English English language epic poem epic poetry epigram epistles excellent extant fable fancy French genius Georgics Greek happily Herodotus historian Homer Horace Hudibras human Iliad imitation interesting Johnson kind language less letters lines literature lively Livy Lucan lyric lyric poetry manner Milton mind modern moral narrative nature nerally never observations original Othello passions pastoral perhaps person Pindar plot poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's prose quæ racters remark rhyme Roman Sallust satire scarcely scene sentiment Shakspeare song specimen spirit story style sublime syllables Tacitus taste Theocritus thing thou thought tion tragedy translation unity verse Virgil whole words writers Xenophon δε
Popular passages
Page 65 - WE were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish, if it were possible.
Page 167 - Who wickedly is wise, or madly brave, Is but the more a fool, the more a knave. Who noble ends by noble means obtains, Or failing, smiles in exile or in chains, Like good Aurelius let him reign, or bleed Like Socrates, that man is great indeed. What's fame? a fancied life in others' breath, A thing beyond us, ev'n before our death.
Page 90 - AWAKE, my St John ! leave all meaner things To low ambition, and the pride of kings. Let us (since life can little more supply Than just to look about us and to die...
Page 105 - O thou, that, with surpassing glory crown'd, Look'st from thy sole dominion, like the god Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars Hide their diminish'd heads ; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name, 0 sun ! to tell thee how I hate thy beams, That bring to my remembrance from what state 1 fell, how glorious once above thy sphere...
Page 166 - I'll tell you, friend! a wise man and a fool. You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk, Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk, Worth makes the man, and want of it, the fellow; The rest is all but leather or prunella.
Page 57 - His studies had been so various, that I am not able to name a man of equal knowledge. His acquaintance with books was great; and what he did not immediately know, he could at least tell where to find.
Page 166 - Go ! if your ancient, but ignoble blood Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood, Go ! and pretend your family is young, Nor own your fathers have been fools so long. What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards ? Alas ! not all the blood of all the Howards. Look next on greatness : say where greatness lies, Where, but among the heroes and the wise...
Page 168 - Csesar with a senate at his heels. In Parts superior what advantage lies? Tell (for You can) what is it to be wise? 'Tis but to know how little can be known; To see all others...
Page 167 - Is hung on high, to poison half mankind. All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart : One...
Page 195 - Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear : Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Some village- Hampden, that, with dauntless breast, The little tyrant of his fields withstood, Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood. Th...