The lives of the English poetsF. C. and J. Rivington, 1823 - Authors, English |
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Page 9
... allowed , that he had been singled out by some great men to write a history , which it was for their interest to have done with the utmost art and dexterity . I shall not mention for what rea- sons this design was dropped , though they ...
... allowed , that he had been singled out by some great men to write a history , which it was for their interest to have done with the utmost art and dexterity . I shall not mention for what rea- sons this design was dropped , though they ...
Page 95
... allowed to any drama before ; and the author , as Mrs. Porter long afterwards ' related , wandered through the whole exhibition behind the scenes with restless and unap- peasable solicitude . When it was printed , notice was given that ...
... allowed to any drama before ; and the author , as Mrs. Porter long afterwards ' related , wandered through the whole exhibition behind the scenes with restless and unap- peasable solicitude . When it was printed , notice was given that ...
Page 143
... allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank . His humour , which , as Steele observes , is peculiar to himself , is so happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domestick scenes and daily occur- rences . He never ...
... allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank . His humour , which , as Steele observes , is peculiar to himself , is so happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domestick scenes and daily occur- rences . He never ...
Page 153
... allowed . He had a quarrel with the Earl of Rochester , which he has perhaps too ostentatiously related , as Rochester's sur- viving sister , the Lady Sandwich , is said to have told him with very sharp reproaches . When another Dutch ...
... allowed . He had a quarrel with the Earl of Rochester , which he has perhaps too ostentatiously related , as Rochester's sur- viving sister , the Lady Sandwich , is said to have told him with very sharp reproaches . When another Dutch ...
Page 225
... allowed to be dif- ficult ; but Blackmore not only reasons in verse , but very often reasons poetically ; and finds the art of uniting ornament with strength , and ease with close- ness . This is a skill which Pope might have conde ...
... allowed to be dif- ficult ; but Blackmore not only reasons in verse , but very often reasons poetically ; and finds the art of uniting ornament with strength , and ease with close- ness . This is a skill which Pope might have conde ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance Addison afterwards appeared Beggar's Opera Cato censure character College Congreve considered contempt court criticism death declared delight Dryden Duke Earl elegance endeavoured excellence favour fortune friends genius honour imagined imitation Juba justly kind King William Lady letter likewise lines lived London lord chamberlain Lord Halifax mankind master of arts Matthew Prior ment mentioned merit mind Molineux nature neglect ness never observed occasion once opinion Ottomanis Oxford passion performance perhaps play pleased pleasure poem poet poetical poetry Pope pounds praise present Prince Prior publick published Queen reason received regard remarkable Savage says seems Sempronius sent shew shewn Sir Richard Sir Richard Steele Sir Robert Walpole solicited sometimes Spence Steele supposed Syphax Tatler Theophilus Cibber thought Tickell tion told topicks tragedy Tyrconnel verses virtue Whig William Congreve write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 109 - Cato' it has been not unjustly determined, that it is rather a poem in dialogue than a drama, rather a succession of just sentiments in elegant language, than a representation of natural affections, or of any state probable or possible in human life. Nothing here " excites or assuages emotion :" here is " no magical power of raising fantastic terror or wild anxiety.
Page 26 - 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 131 - What he attempted, he performed ; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetick * ; he is never rapid, and he never stagnates. His sentences have neither studied amplitude, nor affected brevity ; his periods, though not diligently rounded, are voluble and easy. Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison.
Page 100 - Button had been a servant in the Countess of Warwick's family, who, under the patronage of Addison, kept a coffee-house on the south side of Russell Street, about two doors from Covent Garden. Here it was that the wits of that time used to assemble.
Page 99 - was particular in this writer, that, when he had taken his resolution, or made his plan for what he designed to write, he would walk about a room, and dictate it into language, with as much freedom and ease as any one could write it down, and attend to the coherence and grammar of what he dictated.
Page 206 - A new Version of the Psalms of David, fitted to the Tunes used in Churches...
Page 26 - At this man's table I enjoyed many cheerful and instructive hours, with companions such as are not often found — with one who has lengthened, and one who has gladdened life ; with Dr. 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 disappointed by that stroke of death which has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure.
Page 178 - ... clash of wit, in which nothing flows necessarily from the occasion, or is dictated by nature. The characters both of men and women are either fictitious and artificial, as those of Heartwell and the Ladies; or easy and common, as Wittol a tame idiot, Bluff a swaggering coward, and Fondlewife a jealous puritan; and the catastrophe arises from a mistake not very probably produced, by marrying a woman in a mask.
Page 187 - Looking tranquillity ! It strikes an awe And terror on my aching sight ; the tombs And monumental caves of death look cold, And shoot a chillness to my trembling heart. Give me thy hand, and let me hear thy voice; Nay, quickly speak to me, and let me hear Thy voice — my own affrights me with its echoes.
Page 226 - The person who acted Polly, till then obscure, became all at once the favourite of the town ; her pictures were engraved, and sold in great numbers ; her Life written, books of letters and verses to her published, and pamphlets made even of her sayings and jests.