The lives of the English poetsF. C. and J. Rivington, 1823 - Authors, English |
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Page 10
... tragedy , and the success of it was as great as the most sanguine ex- pectations of his friends could promise or foresee . The number of nights , and the common method of filling the house , are not always the surest marks of judging ...
... tragedy , and the success of it was as great as the most sanguine ex- pectations of his friends could promise or foresee . The number of nights , and the common method of filling the house , are not always the surest marks of judging ...
Page 14
... tragedy of the Lady Jane Grey , and had gone through several scenes of it . But he could not well have bequeathed that work to better hands than where , I hear , it is at present lodged ; and the bare mention of two such names may ...
... tragedy of the Lady Jane Grey , and had gone through several scenes of it . But he could not well have bequeathed that work to better hands than where , I hear , it is at present lodged ; and the bare mention of two such names may ...
Page 20
... tragedy as disgraceful to the nation , and imputes it to the fondness for operas then pre- vailing . The authority of Addison is great ; yet the voice of the people , when to please the people is the purpose , deserves regard . In this ...
... tragedy as disgraceful to the nation , and imputes it to the fondness for operas then pre- vailing . The authority of Addison is great ; yet the voice of the people , when to please the people is the purpose , deserves regard . In this ...
Page 21
... tragedy of Phædra : but was convinced that the action was too mytholo- gical . In 1709 , a year after the exhibition of Phædra , died John Philips , the friend and fellow - collegian of Smith , who , on that occasion , wrote a poem ...
... tragedy of Phædra : but was convinced that the action was too mytholo- gical . In 1709 , a year after the exhibition of Phædra , died John Philips , the friend and fellow - collegian of Smith , who , on that occasion , wrote a poem ...
Page 24
... tragedy ; of which Rowe , when they were put into his hands , could make , as he says , very little use , but which the collector considered as a valuable stock of materials . When he came to London , his way of life con- nected him ...
... tragedy ; of which Rowe , when they were put into his hands , could make , as he says , very little use , but which the collector considered as a valuable stock of materials . When he came to London , his way of life con- nected him ...
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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.