The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: Dryden. Smith. Duke. King. Sprat. Halifax. Parnell. Garth. Rowe. Addison. Hughes. SheffieldT. Longman, 1794 - English poetry |
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Page 6
... stage ; compelled undoubtedly by neceffity , for he appears never to have loved that exercife of his ge- nius , or to have much pleafed himself with his own dramas . Of the stage , when he had once invaded it , he kept poffeffion for ...
... stage ; compelled undoubtedly by neceffity , for he appears never to have loved that exercife of his ge- nius , or to have much pleafed himself with his own dramas . Of the stage , when he had once invaded it , he kept poffeffion for ...
Page 13
... stage , but , in the confidence of fuccess , had published his play , with sculp- tures and a preface of defiance . Here was one offence added to another ; and for the laft blaft of inflammation , it was acted at Whitehall by the court ...
... stage , but , in the confidence of fuccess , had published his play , with sculp- tures and a preface of defiance . Here was one offence added to another ; and for the laft blaft of inflammation , it was acted at Whitehall by the court ...
Page 24
... stage what he bor- rows from others . Tyrannick Love , or the Virgin Martyr ( 1672 ) , was another tragedy in rhyme , confpicuous for many paffages of strength and elegance , and many of empty noise and ridiculous turbulence . The rants ...
... stage what he bor- rows from others . Tyrannick Love , or the Virgin Martyr ( 1672 ) , was another tragedy in rhyme , confpicuous for many paffages of strength and elegance , and many of empty noise and ridiculous turbulence . The rants ...
Page 37
... stage against the opinion , as the author fays , of the best judges . It is dedicated , in a very elegant address , to Sir Charles Sedley ; in which he finds an opportunity for his usual complaint of hard treatment and unreafon- able ...
... stage against the opinion , as the author fays , of the best judges . It is dedicated , in a very elegant address , to Sir Charles Sedley ; in which he finds an opportunity for his usual complaint of hard treatment and unreafon- able ...
Page 40
... stage . Some fuch production was foreseen by Marvel , who writes thus to Milton : Or if a work fo infinite be spann'd , Jealous I was left fome lefs fkilful hand , ( Such as difquiet always what is well , And by ill imitating would ...
... stage . Some fuch production was foreseen by Marvel , who writes thus to Milton : Or if a work fo infinite be spann'd , Jealous I was left fome lefs fkilful hand , ( Such as difquiet always what is well , And by ill imitating would ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addiſon afterwards againſt almoſt anſwer appears becauſe beſt Cato cauſe cenfure character Charles Dryden compofition confidered converfation criticiſm criticks defign defire diſcovered Dryden duke earl eaſily eaſy elegant Engliſh excellence faid fame fatire favour fays fecond feems feldom fent fentiments ferved fhall fhew fhould fince fion firft firſt fome fometimes foon friends fubject fuch fuffered fufficient fuppofed fure genius himſelf Hiſtory houſe intereft itſelf John Dryden juſt juſtice king laft laſt leaſt lefs leſs lord maſter moſt muſt neceffary never obferved occafion paffages paffed paffions perfon perhaps play pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praiſe prefent profe publick publiſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reaſon rhyme ſay ſcenes ſeems Sempronius ſeveral ſome ſtage Steele ſtory ſtudy ſuch ſuppoſed Syphax Tatler thefe theſe thofe thoſe thought tion tragedy tranflated Tyrannick Love uſe verfe verfion verſes Virgil Whig whofe whoſe write written
Popular passages
Page 145 - From harmony, from heavenly harmony, This universal frame began : When Nature underneath a heap of jarring atoms lay, And could not heave her head, The tuneful voice was heard from high. Arise ye more than dead. Then cold and hot, and moist and dry, In order to their stations leap, And music's power obey. From harmony, from heavenly harmony, This universal frame began : From harmony to harmony Through all the compass of the notes it ran, The diapason closing full in man.
Page 104 - Demosthenes fades away before it. In a few lines is exhibited a character so extensive in its comprehension, and so curious in its limitations, that nothing can be added, diminished or...
Page 132 - To see this fleet upon the ocean move, Angels drew wide the curtains of the skies; And heaven, as if there wanted lights above, For tapers made two glaring comets rise.
Page 89 - Of this kind of meanness he never seems to decline the practice or lament the necessity : he considers the great as entitled to encomiastic homage ; and brings praise rather as a tribute than a gift, more delighted with the fertility of his invention than mortified by the prostitution of his judgment.
Page 111 - Of him that knows much it is natural to suppose that he has read with diligence; yet I rather believe that the knowledge of Dryden was gleaned from accidental intelligence and various conversation, by a quick apprehension, a judicious selection, and a happy memory, a keen appetite of knowledge, and a powerful digestion; by vigilance that permitted nothing to pass without notice, and a habit of reflection that suffered nothing useful to be lost.
Page 184 - Perhaps no nation ever produced a writer that enriched his language with such variety of models. To him we owe the improvement, perhaps the completion of our metre, the refinement of our language, and much of the correctness of our sentiments.
Page 293 - Lovelace; but he has excelled his original in the moral effect of the fiction. Lothario, with gaiety which cannot be hated, and bravery which cannot be despised, retains too much of the spectator's kindness.
Page 197 - Next show in what ancient tragedy was deficient; for example, in the narrowness of its plots, and fewness of persons, and try whether that be not a fault in the Greek poets ; and whether their excellency was so great, when the variety was visibly so little; or whether what they did was not very easy to do.
Page 245 - James, whose skill in physic will be long remembered ; and with David Garrick, whom I hoped to have gratified with this character of our common friend. But what are the hopes of man ? I am disappointed by that stroke of death which has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure.
Page 79 - That he knew nothing of the matter, and would be troubled no more about it.