Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets, Volume 1J. Nichols, 1779 - English poetry |
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Page 50
... haps more defirous of being admired than understood , they fometimes drew their conceits from receffes of learning not not very much frequented by common readers of poetry . 50 . COWLEY . Critical remarks are not eafily under- ...
... haps more defirous of being admired than understood , they fometimes drew their conceits from receffes of learning not not very much frequented by common readers of poetry . 50 . COWLEY . Critical remarks are not eafily under- ...
Page 51
Samuel Johnson. not very much frequented by common readers of poetry . Knowledge : Thus Cowley on The facred tree midft the fair orchard grew .; The phoenix Truth did on it reft , And built his perfum'd neft , That right Porphyrian tree ...
Samuel Johnson. not very much frequented by common readers of poetry . Knowledge : Thus Cowley on The facred tree midft the fair orchard grew .; The phoenix Truth did on it reft , And built his perfum'd neft , That right Porphyrian tree ...
Page 77
... common topick , the danger of procraftination , is thus illuftrated : -That which I fhould have begun In my youth's morning , now late muft be done ; And I , as giddy travellers must do , Which ftray or fleep all day , and having loft ...
... common topick , the danger of procraftination , is thus illuftrated : -That which I fhould have begun In my youth's morning , now late muft be done ; And I , as giddy travellers must do , Which ftray or fleep all day , and having loft ...
Page 84
... common fubject , which poets have contended to adorn . Dryden's Night is well known ; Donne's is as follows : Thou feeft me here at midnight , now all reft : ' Time's dead low - water ; when all minds diveft To - morrow's bufinefs ...
... common fubject , which poets have contended to adorn . Dryden's Night is well known ; Donne's is as follows : Thou feeft me here at midnight , now all reft : ' Time's dead low - water ; when all minds diveft To - morrow's bufinefs ...
Page 85
... common fubjects often unneceffarily and unpoeti- cally subtle ; yet where fcholaftick fpe- culation can be properly admitted , their copioufnefs and acutenefs may juftly be admired . What Cowley has written upon Hope , fhews an ...
... common fubjects often unneceffarily and unpoeti- cally subtle ; yet where fcholaftick fpe- culation can be properly admitted , their copioufnefs and acutenefs may juftly be admired . What Cowley has written upon Hope , fhews an ...
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Common terms and phrases
againſt allufions Anacreon anſwered becauſe Clarendon compofitions conceits confidered converfation copacy Cowley Cowley's Cromwel Davideis defcription deferved defire delight diction diſcovered Donne doth Engliſh expreffions fafe faid fame fatire fays fecond feems fent fentiments fhall fhew fhould filk fince fion firft firſt fome fomething fometimes foon ftile ftill ftudies fubject fuch fuffered fufficiently fupply fuppofes fure furpriſed fyllables Hampden heroick himſelf houſe itſelf juft king known lady laft laſt leaft learning lefs lines loft lord lord Conway meaſure metaphyfical poets Milton mind moft moſt muft muſt nature never numbers obferved occafion paffage parliament perufal Petrarch Pindar pleafing pleaſe pleaſure poem poetical poetry poets praife praiſe prefent promiſe publiſhed purpoſe racter reafon reprefented ſeems ſhe ſome Sprat Taffo thee thefe themſelves theſe thing thofe thoſe thou thought thouſand tion ufed uſed verfe verfification verſes Waller whofe whoſe writing
Popular passages
Page 38 - If the father of criticism has rightly denominated poetry, an imitative art, these writers will, without great wrong, lose their right to the name of poets for they cannot be said to have imitated any thing; they neither copied nature nor life; neither painted the forms of matter, nor represented the operations of intellect.
Page 4 - The true genius is a mind of large general powers, accidentally determined to some particular direction.
Page 59 - On a round ball A workman that hath copies by, can lay An Europe, Afric, and an Asia, And quickly make that, which was nothing, all...
Page 113 - ... running all beside, Make a long row of goodly pride, Figures, conceits, raptures, and sentences, In a well-worded dress, And innocent loves, and pleasant truths, and useful lies, In all their gaudy liveries.
Page 75 - The essence of poetry is invention; such invention as, by producing something unexpected, surprises and delights. The topics of devotion are few, and being few are universally known ; but, few as they are, they can be made no more ; they can receive no grace from novelty of sentiment, and very little from novelty of expression.
Page 32 - He was now,' says the courtly Sprat, 'weary of the vexations and formalities of an active condition. He had been perplexed with a long compliance to foreign manners. He was satiated with the arts of a court; which sort of life, though his virtue made it innocent to him, yet nothing could make it quiet.
Page 104 - The compositions are such as might have been written for penance by a hermit, or for hire by a philosophical rhymer who had only heard of another sex...
Page 161 - He doubtless praised some whom he would have been afraid to marry, and perhaps married one whom he would have been ashamed to praise. Many qualities contribute to domestic happiness, upon which poetry has no colours to bestow ; and many airs and sallies may delight imagination, which he who flatters them never can approve.
Page 145 - tis imposture all; And as no chemic yet the elixir got, But glorifies his pregnant pot If by the way to him befall Some odoriferous thing, or medicinal, So lovers dream a rich and long delight, But get a winter-seeming summer's night.