The Works of the English Poets: PrefacesH. Hughs, 1781 - English poetry |
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Page 12
... lord Somers . King William had no regard to elegance or literature ; his ftudy was only war ; yet by a choice of minifters , whofe dif- pofition was very different from his own , he procured , without intention , a very liberal ...
... lord Somers . King William had no regard to elegance or literature ; his ftudy was only war ; yet by a choice of minifters , whofe dif- pofition was very different from his own , he procured , without intention , a very liberal ...
Page 14
... lord Halifax , which is justly confi- dered as the most elegant , if not the moft fublime , of his poetical produc- tions . But in about two years he found it neceffary to haften home ; being , as Swift informs us , diftreffed by indi ...
... lord Halifax , which is justly confi- dered as the most elegant , if not the moft fublime , of his poetical produc- tions . But in about two years he found it neceffary to haften home ; being , as Swift informs us , diftreffed by indi ...
Page 16
... lord Godolphin lamenting to lord Halifax that it had not been celebrated in a manner equal to the the fubject , defired him to propofe it to fome 16 ADDISON .
... lord Godolphin lamenting to lord Halifax that it had not been celebrated in a manner equal to the the fubject , defired him to propofe it to fome 16 ADDISON .
Page 17
... Treasurer fhould apply to him in his own perfon . Godolphin fent the meffage by Mr. Boyle , afterwards lord Carlton ; and Ad- difon , having undertaken the work , B com- communicated it to the Treasurer , while it was yet ADDISON . 17.
... Treasurer fhould apply to him in his own perfon . Godolphin fent the meffage by Mr. Boyle , afterwards lord Carlton ; and Ad- difon , having undertaken the work , B com- communicated it to the Treasurer , while it was yet ADDISON . 17.
Page 18
... lord Halifax ; and the year after was made under - fecretary of state , first to Sir Charles Hedges , and in a few months more to the earl of Sunder- land . About this time the prevalent tafte for Italian operas inclined him to try what ...
... lord Halifax ; and the year after was made under - fecretary of state , first to Sir Charles Hedges , and in a few months more to the earl of Sunder- land . About this time the prevalent tafte for Italian operas inclined him to try what ...
Common terms and phrases
Addifon afterwards againſt Arians becauſe beft Blackmore Cato caufe cenfure character compofitions confidered converfation criticiſm critick defign defire Dennis difcovered Dryden eafily Effay elegance faid fame fatire fays fecond feems feen felf fent fentiments feve fhall fhew fhewn fhort fhould fimile fince fingle firft firſt fome fometimes foon friends ftand ftile ftudies fubject fucceffion fuch fuffer fupplied fuppofed fure genius guards himſelf houſe inftruction intereft Juba Juba's kindneſs king laft laſt leaft lefs likewife lord lord chamberlain lord Halifax mafter Marcia moft moſt muft muſt nature neceffary never obferved occafion paffage paffion pafs perfon perhaps pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praife praiſe prefent preferve profe publick publiſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reader reafon ſcenes ſeems Sempronius Spectator Spence ſtage Steele Syphax Tatler thefe theſe thofe thoſe thought Tickell tion topicks tragedy tranflated uncon uſed verfes verfion verſe Whig whofe write
Popular passages
Page 155 - He copies life with so much fidelity that he can be hardly said to invent : yet his exhibitions have an air so much original that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination.
Page 82 - was particular in this writer, that when he had taken his resolution or made his plan for what he designed to write, he would walk about a room and dictate it into language with as much freedom and ease as any one could write it down, and attend to the coherence and grammar of what he dictated.
Page 90 - No greater felicity can genius attain, than that of having purified intellectual pleasure, separated mirth from indecency, and wit from licentiousness; of having taught a succession of writers to bring elegance and gaiety to the aid of goodness; and, if I may use expressions yet more awful, of having turned many to righteousness.
Page 75 - He taught us how to live; and, oh! too high The price of knowledge, taught us how to die.
Page 156 - As a teacher of wisdom, he may be confidently followed. His religion has nothing in it enthusiastic or superstitious: he appears neither weakly credulous, nor wantonly sceptical; his morality is neither dangerously lax, nor impracticably rigid. All the enchantment of fancy, and all the cogency of argument, are employed to recommend to the reader his real interest, the care of pleasing the Author of his being.
Page 149 - It is not uncommon for those who have grown wise by the labour of others to add a little of their own, and overlook their masters. Addison is now despised by some who perhaps would never have seen his defects but by the lights which he afforded them.
Page 150 - That general knowledge which now circulates in common talk was in his time rarely to be found. Men not professing learning were not ashamed of ignorance, and in the female world any acquaintance with books was distinguished only to be censured.
Page 157 - ... always equable, and always easy, without glowing words or pointed sentences. Addison never deviates from his track to snatch a grace; he seeks no ambitious ornaments, and tries no hazardous innovations. His page is always luminous, but never blazes in unexpected splendour.
Page 68 - ... reign ; an act of authority violent enough, yet certainly legal, and by no means to be compared with that contempt of national right with •which, some time afterwards, by the instigation of whiggism, the commons, chosen by the people for three years, chose themselves for seven.
Page 61 - The marriage, if uncontradicted report can be credited, made no addition to his happiness ; it neither found them nor made them equal. She always remembered her own rank, and thought herself entitled to treat with very little ceremony the tutor of her son.