Wit and Humour, Selected from the English Poets; with an Illustrative Essay, and Critical Comments |
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Page 3
... doth import ; to which question I might reply , as Democritus did to him that asked the definition of a man— ' tis that which we all see and know ; and one better apprehends what it is by acquaintance , than I can inform him by ...
... doth import ; to which question I might reply , as Democritus did to him that asked the definition of a man— ' tis that which we all see and know ; and one better apprehends what it is by acquaintance , than I can inform him by ...
Page 4
... doth affect and amuse the fancy , showing in it some wonder , and breathing some delight thereto . It raiseth admiration , as signifying a nimble sagacity of apprehension , a special felicity of invention , a vivacity of spirit , and ...
... doth affect and amuse the fancy , showing in it some wonder , and breathing some delight thereto . It raiseth admiration , as signifying a nimble sagacity of apprehension , a special felicity of invention , a vivacity of spirit , and ...
Page 85
... doth the nightingale : Curteis he was , lowly and servisable , And carf before his fader at the table . A YEMAN hadde he , and servantes no mo At that time , for him luste to ride so , And he was cladde in cote and hode of grene ; A ...
... doth the nightingale : Curteis he was , lowly and servisable , And carf before his fader at the table . A YEMAN hadde he , and servantes no mo At that time , for him luste to ride so , And he was cladde in cote and hode of grene ; A ...
Page 88
... doth the chapell belle Ther as this lord was keper of the celle . The reule of Seint Maure and of Seint Beneit , Because that it was olde and somdele streit , This ilke monk lette oldě thingĕs pace , And helde after the newě world the ...
... doth the chapell belle Ther as this lord was keper of the celle . The reule of Seint Maure and of Seint Beneit , Because that it was olde and somdele streit , This ilke monk lette oldě thingĕs pace , And helde after the newě world the ...
Page 115
... doth a dove sitting upon a berne : Myn hondes and my tongě gon so yerne , That it is joye to see my besinesse . Of avarice and swiche cursednesse Is all my preching , for to make hem free To yeve hire pens , and namely , unto me ; For ...
... doth a dove sitting upon a berne : Myn hondes and my tongě gon so yerne , That it is joye to see my besinesse . Of avarice and swiche cursednesse Is all my preching , for to make hem free To yeve hire pens , and namely , unto me ; For ...
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Common terms and phrases
Ambrose Philips Andrew Marvel animal spirits Apho APHOBUS Aristophanes Bacurius banter beat Ben Jonson Bessus bous brother call'd Charles Lamb Chaucer Colax Corb Corv courtepy cried Deil devil doth duke exaggeration exquisite eyes fairy Falstaff fancy father fear fool Friar John G. H. Lewes Gent gentlemen give grace GRUMIO hand hast hath heart Heaven hire honour horse Hudibras humour Igno Jaques Kate Kath KATHARINA kick'd king Lady laugh laughter lord Macaronic madam master mock-heroic Molière Mosca never night Panurge passage PETRUCHIO poem poet poetry poor pray prince quoth Rabelais racter rhymes satire servant Shakspeare Signior soul summoner Tartuffe tell thee ther things thou art thought unto valiant verse Volp Volpone Voltaire whan wife woman word write
Popular passages
Page 315 - Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat, To persuade Tommy Townshend* to lend him a vote ; Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, And thought of convincing, while they thought of -dining. Though equal to all things, for all things unfit: Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit ; For a patriot, too cool ; for a drudge, disobedient ; And too fond of the right, to pursue the expedient. In short, 'twas his fate, unemployed or in place, sir, To eat mutton cold,...
Page 270 - Like Cato, give his little senate laws, And sit attentive to his own applause ; While wits and templars every sentence raise, And wonder with a foolish face of praise ; Who but must laugh if such a man there be ? Who would not weep if Atticus were he? What though my name stood rubric on the walls, Or plaster'd posts, with claps, in capitals ? Or smoking forth, a hundred hawkers...
Page 258 - The rest the winds dispers'd in empty air. But now secure the painted vessel glides, The sunbeams trembling on the floating tides ; While melting music steals upon the sky, And soften'd sounds along the waters die : Smooth flow the waves, the zephyrs gently play, Belinda smil'd, and all the world was gay. All but the sylph — with careful thoughts opprest, Th' impending woe sat heavy on his breast.
Page 275 - His gardens next your admiration call, On every side you look, behold the wall! No pleasing intricacies intervene, No artful wildness to perplex the scene; Grove nods at grove, each alley has a brother, And half the platform just reflects the other.
Page 261 - Ah cease, rash youth ! desist ere 'tis too late, Fear the just gods, and think of Scylla's fate! Chang'd to a bird, and sent to flit in air, She dearly pays for Nisus' injur'd hair ! But when to mischief mortals bend their will, How soon they find fit instruments of ill ! Just then, Clarissa drew with tempting grace A...
Page 242 - A man so various that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome : Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts and nothing long ; But in the course of one revolving moon Was chymist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon ; Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking, Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.
Page 317 - Though secure of our hearts, yet confoundedly sick If they were not his own by finessing and trick: He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleased he could whistle them back.
Page 5 - For, wit lying most in the assemblage of ideas, and putting those together with quickness and variety wherein can be found any resemblance or congruity, thereby to make up pleasant pictures and agreeable visions in the fancy...
Page 317 - He cherish'd his friend, and he relish'da bumper ; Yet one fault he had, and that one was a thumper. Perhaps you may ask if the man was a miser? I answer, no, no, for he always was wiser : Too courteous, perhaps, or obligingly flat?
Page 239 - Pleased with the danger, when the waves went high, He sought the storms ; but, for a calm unfit, Would steer too nigh the sands to boast his wit.