Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets, Volume 1J. Nichols, 1779 - English poetry |
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Page 26
... diction of Rome to his own con- ceptions . At the Restoration , after all the di- ligence of his long fervice , and with consciousness not only of the merit of fidelity , but of the dignity of great abilities , he naturally expected ...
... diction of Rome to his own con- ceptions . At the Restoration , after all the di- ligence of his long fervice , and with consciousness not only of the merit of fidelity , but of the dignity of great abilities , he naturally expected ...
Page 41
... diction . But Pope's account of wit is undoubtedly erroneous : he depreffes . it below its natural dignity , and re-- duces it from ftrength of thought to happiness of language .. If by a more noble and more ade quate conception that be ...
... diction . But Pope's account of wit is undoubtedly erroneous : he depreffes . it below its natural dignity , and re-- duces it from ftrength of thought to happiness of language .. If by a more noble and more ade quate conception that be ...
Page 100
... diction fhews no- thing of the mould of time , and the fen- timents are at no great distance from our present habitudes of thought . Real mirth must be always natural , and na- ture is uniform . Men have been wife in very different ...
... diction fhews no- thing of the mould of time , and the fen- timents are at no great distance from our present habitudes of thought . Real mirth must be always natural , and na- ture is uniform . Men have been wife in very different ...
Page 110
... minute morality in fuch feeble diction , could imagine , either waking or dreaming , that he imi- tated Pindar . In the following odes , where Cowley chooses his own In 110 COWLEY . ty, with a hint that he had enemies, ...
... minute morality in fuch feeble diction , could imagine , either waking or dreaming , that he imi- tated Pindar . In the following odes , where Cowley chooses his own In 110 COWLEY . ty, with a hint that he had enemies, ...
Page 149
... diction was in his own time cen- fured as negligent . He feems not to have known , or not to have confidered , that words being arbitrary must owe their power to affociation , and have the influence , and that only , which custom has ...
... diction was in his own time cen- fured as negligent . He feems not to have known , or not to have confidered , that words being arbitrary must owe their power to affociation , and have the influence , and that only , which custom has ...
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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.