preface biograpical and critical, to the works of the english poets1779 |
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Page 4
... charge , and retreated to Oxford , where , in 1643 , he published " Cooper's Hill . " This poem had fuch reputation as to excite the common artifice by which envy degrades excellence . A report was fpread that the envy 4 DEN HAM .
... charge , and retreated to Oxford , where , in 1643 , he published " Cooper's Hill . " This poem had fuch reputation as to excite the common artifice by which envy degrades excellence . A report was fpread that the envy 4 DEN HAM .
Page 5
samuel johnson. envy degrades excellence . A report was fpread that the performance was not his own , but that he had bought it of a vicar for forty pounds . The fame attempt was made to rob Addifon of his Cato , and Pope of his Effay on ...
samuel johnson. envy degrades excellence . A report was fpread that the performance was not his own , but that he had bought it of a vicar for forty pounds . The fame attempt was made to rob Addifon of his Cato , and Pope of his Effay on ...
Page 15
... They but preserve the ashes , thou ❝ the flame , True to his fenfe , but truer to his ❝ fame . " The excellence of thefe lines is greater , as the truth which they con- tain was not at that time generally known . His tain DEN HA M. 15.
... They but preserve the ashes , thou ❝ the flame , True to his fenfe , but truer to his ❝ fame . " The excellence of thefe lines is greater , as the truth which they con- tain was not at that time generally known . His tain DEN HA M. 15.
Page 19
... excellence feparated from its adja- cent fault by fo nice a line of limita- tion ; the different parts of the fen- tence are fo accurately adjusted ; and the flow of the last couplet is fo fmooth and fweet , that the paffage , however ...
... excellence feparated from its adja- cent fault by fo nice a line of limita- tion ; the different parts of the fen- tence are fo accurately adjusted ; and the flow of the last couplet is fo fmooth and fweet , that the paffage , however ...
Page 14
... excellence . ī My business is only with his poems . He confidered Cowley as a model ; and fuppofed that as he was imitated , per- fection was approached . Nothing there- fore but Pindarick liberty was to be ex- pected . There is in his ...
... excellence . ī My business is only with his poems . He confidered Cowley as a model ; and fuppofed that as he was imitated , per- fection was approached . Nothing there- fore but Pindarick liberty was to be ex- pected . There is in his ...
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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
Addifon admire afterwards againſt becauſe Caen College commiffion compofition Cowley critick Daniel Burgess death deferved defign defired Dryden duke eafily earl Effay elegance expreffed faid fame fatire favour fays feems fenfe fent fentence fentiment feven feveral fhall fhew fhould fince finiſhed firft firſt fome fometimes foon friends friendſhip ftill ftudies fubject fuch fufficient fuppofed fure genius greateſt Hiftory himſelf honour houfe houſe imitation intereft judgement king Lady Jane Grey laft leaft leaſt lefs lord mafter moft moſt muſt neceffary NIHIL eft numbers obferved occafion Otway paffages paffed perfon Philips pleafed pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetry Pope praife praiſe prefent preferved profe publick publiſhed purpoſe queen Anne racter raiſed reaſonable Rofcommon ſcholar ſchool ſeems Smith Splendid Shilling Stepney ſtudy thefe themſelves theſe thofe thoſe thought tion tranflated underſtanding univerfity uſe verfe verfion verſes Virgil Wadham College whofe whoſe writings wrote Yalden
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 52 - 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 52 - 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 5 - I never heard of the man in my life, yet I find your name as a subscriber. He is too grave a poet for me; and I think among the Mediocrists, in prose as well as verse.
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 11 - 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...