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 6
... lines on the famous picture of Seneca , afford reason for imagin- ing that he was more or less conversant with that family . The same year he published the ' City Mouse and Coun- try Mouse , ' to ridicule Dryden's ' Hind and Fanther ...
... lines on the famous picture of Seneca , afford reason for imagin- ing that he was more or less conversant with that family . The same year he published the ' City Mouse and Coun- try Mouse , ' to ridicule Dryden's ' Hind and Fanther ...
Page 16
... Bannissons la Melancholie : ' when it came to his turn to sing , after the performance of a young lady that sat next him , he produced these extemporary lines : * Spence . t Ibid . 8 Mais cette voix , et ces beaux yeux , Font 16 PRIOR .
... Bannissons la Melancholie : ' when it came to his turn to sing , after the performance of a young lady that sat next him , he produced these extemporary lines : * Spence . t Ibid . 8 Mais cette voix , et ces beaux yeux , Font 16 PRIOR .
Page 19
... lines thirty - five times repeated , inconsequential and slightly con- nected , must weary both the ear and the understanding . His imitation of Spenser , which consists principally in I ween and I weet , without exclusion of later ...
... lines thirty - five times repeated , inconsequential and slightly con- nected , must weary both the ear and the understanding . His imitation of Spenser , which consists principally in I ween and I weet , without exclusion of later ...
Page 21
Samuel Johnson. source of pleasure . Perhaps no man ever thought a line superfluous when he first wrote it , or contracted his work till his ebullitions of invention had subsided . And even if he should control his desire of immediate ...
Samuel Johnson. source of pleasure . Perhaps no man ever thought a line superfluous when he first wrote it , or contracted his work till his ebullitions of invention had subsided . And even if he should control his desire of immediate ...
Page 22
... lines , or entangled sentiments : his words are nicely selected , and his thoughts fully expanded . If this part of his character suffers an abatement , it must be from the disproportion of his rhymes , which have not always suf ...
... lines , or entangled sentiments : his words are nicely selected , and his thoughts fully expanded . If this part of his character suffers an abatement , it must be from the disproportion of his rhymes , which have not always suf ...
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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.