preface biograpical and critical, to the works of the english poets |
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Page 8
This is one of the few plays that keep poffeffion of the stage , and has pleased for
almost a century , through all the vicillitudes of dramatick fashion . Of this play
nothing new can easily be faida : It is a domestick tragedy drawn from middle life .
This is one of the few plays that keep poffeffion of the stage , and has pleased for
almost a century , through all the vicillitudes of dramatick fashion . Of this play
nothing new can easily be faida : It is a domestick tragedy drawn from middle life .
Page 7
He became , as may be easily supposed , a favourite of king William , who , the
day after his accession , made him lord chamberlain of the household , and gave
him afterwards the garter . He happened to be among those that were toffed with
...
He became , as may be easily supposed , a favourite of king William , who , the
day after his accession , made him lord chamberlain of the household , and gave
him afterwards the garter . He happened to be among those that were toffed with
...
Page 5
One cannot always easily find the reason for which the world has sometimes
conspired to squander praise . It is not very unlikely that he wrote very early as
well as he ever wrote ; and the performances of youth have many favourers ,
because ...
One cannot always easily find the reason for which the world has sometimes
conspired to squander praise . It is not very unlikely that he wrote very early as
well as he ever wrote ; and the performances of youth have many favourers ,
because ...
Page 50
A subject will not easily occur that can give more opportunities of informing the
understanding , for which Smith was unquestionably qualified , or- for -1 moving
the passions , in which I suspect him moving 60 : S M I 1 T.H. Longinus he ...
A subject will not easily occur that can give more opportunities of informing the
understanding , for which Smith was unquestionably qualified , or- for -1 moving
the passions , in which I suspect him moving 60 : S M I 1 T.H. Longinus he ...
Page 55
He was remarkable for the power or * reading with great rapidity , and offretaining
with great fidelity what He lo easily collected . · He therefore always knew what
the present question required ; and when his friends'expreffed their wonder at kis
...
He was remarkable for the power or * reading with great rapidity , and offretaining
with great fidelity what He lo easily collected . · He therefore always knew what
the present question required ; and when his friends'expreffed their wonder at kis
...
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Preface Biograpical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets Samuel Johnson No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance Addiſon admire afterwards againſt appears attention beauties became becauſe beſt better born brought called character collection College common compoſition conſidered court death deſign died duke earl eaſily elegance excellence expected favour firſt fome formed French gave genius give given hand himſelf Hiſtory honour hope houſe imitation Italy judge judgement kind king known language laſt learned leaſt leſs lines living London lord maſter mean mentioned mind moſt muſt nature never NIHIL party performance perhaps Philips play pleaſed pleaſure poem poet poetry Pope praiſe preſent produced publick publiſhed reaſon received relates remarkable returned ſaid ſame ſays ſeems ſeveral ſhall ſhould Smith ſome ſtill ſtudies ſubject ſuch ſuppoſed theſe thing thoſe thought tion tranſlated turns uſe verſe whoſe writings written wrote
Popular passages
Page 14 - Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault and hesitate dislike; Alike...
Page 62 - 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...
Page 24 - Blank verse, left merely to its numbers, has little operation either on the ear or mind ; it can hardly support itself without bold figures and striking images.
Page 62 - 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 18 - The lines are in themselves not perfect, for most of the words thus artfully opposed are to be understood simply on one side of the comparison, and metaphorically on the other ; and if there be any language which does not express intellectual operations by material images, into that language they cannot be translated.
Page 24 - Horace's wit and Virgil's state He did not steal, but emulate, And when he would like them appear, Their garb, but not their clothes, did wear...
Page 1 - Having been compelled by his necessities to contract debts, and hunted, as is supposed, by the terriers of the law, he retired to a publick house on Tower-hill, where he is said to have died of want ; or, as it is related by one of his biographers, by swallowing, after a long fast, a piece of bread which charity had supplied. He went out, as is reported, almost naked, in the rage of hunger, and, finding a gentleman in a neighbouring coffeehouse, asked him for a shilling.
Page 14 - That fervile path thou nobly doft decline, "• Of tracing word by word, and line by line. " Thofe are the labour'd births of...