The lives of the English poetsF. C. and J. Rivington, 1823 - Authors, English |
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Page 1
... character , as given by Mr. Oldisworth , with all the partiality of friendship , which is said by Dr. Burton to shew " what fine things one man of parts can say of another , " and which , however , comprises great part of what can be ...
... character , as given by Mr. Oldisworth , with all the partiality of friendship , which is said by Dr. Burton to shew " what fine things one man of parts can say of another , " and which , however , comprises great part of what can be ...
Page 6
... character of unprofitable , rugged , and abstruse , which some superficial sciolists ( so very smooth and polite as to admit of no impres- sion ) , either out of an unthinking indolence , or an ill - grounded prejudice , had affixed to ...
... character of unprofitable , rugged , and abstruse , which some superficial sciolists ( so very smooth and polite as to admit of no impres- sion ) , either out of an unthinking indolence , or an ill - grounded prejudice , had affixed to ...
Page 9
... characters , of celebrated men , with amazing facility and accuracy . As he had thoroughly read and digested Thuanus's works , so he was able to copy after him ; and his talent in this kind was so well known and allowed , that he had ...
... characters , of celebrated men , with amazing facility and accuracy . As he had thoroughly read and digested Thuanus's works , so he was able to copy after him ; and his talent in this kind was so well known and allowed , that he had ...
Page 12
... scruple to give even his misfortunes the hard name of faults ; but , if the world had half his good - nature , all the shady parts would be entirely struck out of his character . A man , who under poverty , calamities , and 12 SMITH .
... scruple to give even his misfortunes the hard name of faults ; but , if the world had half his good - nature , all the shady parts would be entirely struck out of his character . A man , who under poverty , calamities , and 12 SMITH .
Page 13
... character grew upon his friends by intimacy , and outwent the strongest pre- possessions which had been conceived in his favour . Whatever quarrel a few sour creatures , whose obscu- rity is their happiness , may possibly have to the ...
... character grew upon his friends by intimacy , and outwent the strongest pre- possessions which had been conceived in his favour . Whatever quarrel a few sour creatures , whose obscu- rity is their happiness , may possibly have to the ...
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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.