Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets, Volume 1J. Nichols, 1779 - English poetry |
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Page 2
Samuel Johnson. writes with fo little detail , that scarce- ly any thing is distinctly known , but all is shown confufed and enlarged through the mift of panegyrick . ABRAHAM COWLEY was born in the year one thousand fix hundred and ...
Samuel Johnson. writes with fo little detail , that scarce- ly any thing is distinctly known , but all is shown confufed and enlarged through the mift of panegyrick . ABRAHAM COWLEY was born in the year one thousand fix hundred and ...
Page 5
... thing as it was heard , when Sprát could not re- frain from amplifying a commodious incident , though the book to which he prefixed his narrative contained its confutation . A memory admitting fome things , and rejecting others , an ...
... thing as it was heard , when Sprát could not re- frain from amplifying a commodious incident , though the book to which he prefixed his narrative contained its confutation . A memory admitting fome things , and rejecting others , an ...
Page 6
... things , as to more tardy minds feems fcarcely credible . But of the learned puerilities of Cowley there is no doubt , fince a volume of his poems was not only written but printed in his thir- teenth year ; containing , with other ...
... things , as to more tardy minds feems fcarcely credible . But of the learned puerilities of Cowley there is no doubt , fince a volume of his poems was not only written but printed in his thir- teenth year ; containing , with other ...
Page 15
... things of real importance with real men and real women , and at that time did not much employ his thoughts upon phan- toms of gallantry . Some of his letters to Mr. Bennet , afterwards earl of Arling- ton , from April to December in ...
... things of real importance with real men and real women , and at that time did not much employ his thoughts upon phan- toms of gallantry . Some of his letters to Mr. Bennet , afterwards earl of Arling- ton , from April to December in ...
Page 16
... thing now in which we are " vitally concerned ; I am one of the " laft hopers , and yet cannot now abstain " from believing , that an agreement will be made : all people upon the place incline to that of union . The " Scotch will ...
... thing now in which we are " vitally concerned ; I am one of the " laft hopers , and yet cannot now abstain " from believing , that an agreement will be made : all people upon the place incline to that of union . The " Scotch will ...
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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.