The Lives of the English Poets, Volume 2J.F. Dove, and sold by all the booksellers in England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1826 - English poetry - 420 pages |
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Page 20
... elegance , often dignified it with splen- dour , and sometimes heightened it to sublimity : he per- ceived in it many excellences , and did not discover that it wanted that without which all others are of small avail , the power of ...
... elegance , often dignified it with splen- dour , and sometimes heightened it to sublimity : he per- ceived in it many excellences , and did not discover that it wanted that without which all others are of small avail , the power of ...
Page 29
... ceased to the public ; he lived for himself and for his friends , and among his friends was able to name every man of his time whom wit and elegance had VOL . II . C raised to reputation : it may be , therefore , CONGREVE . 29.
... ceased to the public ; he lived for himself and for his friends , and among his friends was able to name every man of his time whom wit and elegance had VOL . II . C raised to reputation : it may be , therefore , CONGREVE . 29.
Page 34
... elegance of diction . This tissue of poetry , from which he seems to have hoped a lasting name , is totally neglected , and known only as it appended to his plays . While comedy or while tragedy is regarded , his plays are likely to be ...
... elegance of diction . This tissue of poetry , from which he seems to have hoped a lasting name , is totally neglected , and known only as it appended to his plays . While comedy or while tragedy is regarded , his plays are likely to be ...
Page 40
... elegance , may perhaps be added ; but of a large work the general cha- racter must always remain ; the original constitution can be very little helped by local remedies ; inherent and ra- dical dulness will never be much invigorated by ...
... elegance , may perhaps be added ; but of a large work the general cha- racter must always remain ; the original constitution can be very little helped by local remedies ; inherent and ra- dical dulness will never be much invigorated by ...
Page 48
... elegance , and elegance sustained by truth . In the structure and order of the poem , not only the greater parts are properly consecutive , but the didactic and illustrative paragraphs are so happily mingled , that labour is relieved by ...
... elegance , and elegance sustained by truth . In the structure and order of the poem , not only the greater parts are properly consecutive , but the didactic and illustrative paragraphs are so happily mingled , that labour is relieved by ...
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Common terms and phrases
Aaron Hill acquaintance Addison afterward appeared blank verse Bolingbroke censure character Cibber contempt criticism death delight diction diligence discovered Dryden Duke Dunciad Earl edition Edward Young elegance endeavoured epitaph Essay excellence faults favour Fenton fortune friends friendship genius happy honour Iliad imagination kind King known labour Lady learning letter lines lived Lord Lord Bolingbroke Lord Halifax Lyttelton mentioned mind nature never Night Thoughts numbers observed occasion once Orrery panegyric passion performance perhaps Pindar pleased pleasure poem poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's pounds praise present printed published Queen racter reader reason received reputation rhyme satire Savage says seems sent shew shewn Sir Robert Walpole solicited sometimes soon stanza sufficient supposed Swift Tatler thing Thomson Tickell tion told tragedy translation Tyrconnel verses virtue whigs write written wrote Young
Popular passages
Page 274 - The style of Dryden is capricious and varied; that of Pope is cautious and uniform. Dryden obeys the motions of his own mind; Pope constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is sometimes vehement and rapid; Pope is always smooth, uniform, and gentle.
Page 274 - In acquired knowledge, the superiority must be allowed to Dryden, whose education was more scholastic, and who before he became an author had been allowed more time for study, with better means of information. His mind has a larger range, and he collects his images and illustrations from a more extensive circumference of science. Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners.
Page 404 - Church-yard' abounds with images which find a mirror in every mind, and with sentiments to which every bosom returns an echo.
Page 275 - Pope had only a little, because Dryden had more; for every other writer since Milton must give place to Pope ; and even of Dryden it must be said, that if he has brighter paragraphs, he has not better poems.
Page 275 - 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 404 - 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 289 - Pope had, in proportions very nicely adjusted to each other, all the qualities that constitute genius. He had Invention, by which new trains of events are formed, and new scenes of imagery displayed, as in the Rape of the Lock; and by which extrinsick and adventitious embellishments and illustrations are connected with a known subject, as in the Essay on Criticism...
Page 216 - Iliad. It is certainly the noblest version of poetry which the world has ever seen ; and its publication must therefore be considered as one of the great events in the annals of Learning.
Page 166 - And to urge another argument of a parallel nature: if Christianity were once abolished, how could the free-thinkers, the strong reasoners, and the men of profound learning, be able to find another subject so calculated in all points whereon to display their abilities? What wonderful productions of wit should we be deprived of, from those whose genius by continual practice hath been wholly turned upon raillery and invectives against religion, and would therefore never be able to shine or distinguish...
Page 409 - you shall be my confessor ; when I first set out in the world, I had friends who endeavoured to shake my belief in the Christian religion. I saw difficulties which staggered me ; but I kept my mind open to conviction. The evidences and doctrines of Christianity, studied with attention, made me a most firm and persuaded believer of the Christian religion. I have made it the rule of my life, and it is the ground of my future hopes.