preface biograpical and critical, to the works of the english poets |
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Page 2
... both as falling so infinitely below the full and sublime genius of that excellent
poet who made this way of writing free of ... and being so little equal and
proportioned to the renown of the prince on whom they were written ; such great
actions ...
... both as falling so infinitely below the full and sublime genius of that excellent
poet who made this way of writing free of ... and being so little equal and
proportioned to the renown of the prince on whom they were written ; such great
actions ...
Page 15
There is a Latin ode written to his patron St. John , in return for a present of wine
and tobacco , which cannot be paffed without notice . It is gay , and elegant , and
exhibits several artful accommodations of classick expressions to new purposes
...
There is a Latin ode written to his patron St. John , in return for a present of wine
and tobacco , which cannot be paffed without notice . It is gay , and elegant , and
exhibits several artful accommodations of classick expressions to new purposes
...
Page 16
To the poem on Cider , written in imitation of the Georgicks , may be given this
peculiar praise , that it is , grounded in truth ; that the precepts which it contains
are exact and just ; and that it is therefore , at once , a book of entertainment and
of ...
To the poem on Cider , written in imitation of the Georgicks , may be given this
peculiar praise , that it is , grounded in truth ; that the precepts which it contains
are exact and just ; and that it is therefore , at once , a book of entertainment and
of ...
Page 18
not be supplied . He seems not born to greatness and elevation . He is never lofty
, nor does he often surprise with unexpected excellence ; but perhaps to his last
poem may be applied what Tully said of the work of Lucretius , that it is written ...
not be supplied . He seems not born to greatness and elevation . He is never lofty
, nor does he often surprise with unexpected excellence ; but perhaps to his last
poem may be applied what Tully said of the work of Lucretius , that it is written ...
Page 46
Smith's indolence kept him from writing the dedication , fill Lintot , after fruitless
importunity , gave notice that he would publish the play without it . Now therefore
it was written ; and Halifax expected the author with his book , and had prepared
...
Smith's indolence kept him from writing the dedication , fill Lintot , after fruitless
importunity , gave notice that he would publish the play without it . Now therefore
it was written ; and Halifax expected the author with his book , and had prepared
...
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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...
Bibliographic information
| Title | preface biograpical and critical, to the works of the english poets |
| Author | samuel johnson |
| Published | 1779 |
| Original from | Oxford University |
| Digitized | 31 Jul 2007 |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |