The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets;: With Critical Observations on Their Works, Volume 2C. Bathurst, J. Buckland, W. Strahan, J. Rivington and Sons, T. Davies, T. Payne, L. Davis, W. Owen, B. White, S. Crowder, T. Caslon, T. Longman, B. Law, C. Dilly, J. Dodsley, J. Wilkie, J. Robson, J. Johnson, T. Lowndes, G. Robinson, T. Cadell, J. Nichols, E. Newbery, T. Evans, P. Elmsly, R. Baldwin, G. Nicol, Leigh and Sotheby, J. Bew, N. Conant, W. Nicoll, J. Murray, S. Hayes, W. Fox, and J. Bowen., 1783 - English poetry |
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Page 113
... learning but when he mentions books ; and to him may be tranf- ferred the praife which he gives his master Charles . His converfation , wit , and parts , His knowledge in the nobleft useful arts , Were fuch , dead authors could not give ...
... learning but when he mentions books ; and to him may be tranf- ferred the praife which he gives his master Charles . His converfation , wit , and parts , His knowledge in the nobleft useful arts , Were fuch , dead authors could not give ...
Page 120
... learning was greater than his powers of poetry ; and who , being better qua- lified to give the meaning than the spirit of Seneca , has introduced his verfion of three tragedies by a defence of clofe tranflation . The authority of ...
... learning was greater than his powers of poetry ; and who , being better qua- lified to give the meaning than the spirit of Seneca , has introduced his verfion of three tragedies by a defence of clofe tranflation . The authority of ...
Page 124
... learning and facility ; for they cannot be the effect of long ftudy , and must be furnished imme- diately from the treafures of the mind . The death of Cromwell was the first pub- lick event which called forth Dryden's po- etical powers ...
... learning and facility ; for they cannot be the effect of long ftudy , and must be furnished imme- diately from the treafures of the mind . The death of Cromwell was the first pub- lick event which called forth Dryden's po- etical powers ...
Page 139
... learning and genius to have laboured science into poetry , and have fhewn , by explaining longitude , that verse did not refuse the ideas of philo- sophy . His defcription of the Fire is painted by refolute meditation , out of a mind ...
... learning and genius to have laboured science into poetry , and have fhewn , by explaining longitude , that verse did not refuse the ideas of philo- sophy . His defcription of the Fire is painted by refolute meditation , out of a mind ...
Page 158
... learning of his notes . A new verfion was propofed to the poets of that time , and ndertaken by them in conjunction . The main defign was conducted by Dryden , whofe reputation jo reputation was fuch that no man was unwil- ling to 158 ...
... learning of his notes . A new verfion was propofed to the poets of that time , and ndertaken by them in conjunction . The main defign was conducted by Dryden , whofe reputation jo reputation was fuch that no man was unwil- ling to 158 ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addiſon afterwards againſt almoſt anſwer becauſe beſt Cato cenfure character Charles Dryden compofitions confidered converfation criticiſm criticks defign defired diction diſcover Dryden duke eafily earl elegant Engliſh excellence faid fame fatire favour fays fecond feems fent fentiments fhall fhew fince firft firſt fome fomething fometimes foon friends ftill ftudies fubject fuch fuffered fufficient fuppofed genius Hiftory himſelf houſe intereft itſelf John Dryden juſt king laft laſt leaſt lefs leſs lord maſter ment moft moſt muſt neceffary never obferved occafion paffages paffed paffions paſs perfon perhaps play pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praiſe prefent profe promiſe publick publiſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reaſon rhyme ſays ſcene ſeems Sempronius ſeveral ſhall ſhould ſome ſtage ſtory ſtudy ſuch ſuppoſed Syphax Tatler thefe theſe thofe thoſe thought tion tragedy tranflated Tyrannick Love uſed verfes verfion verſes Virgil Whig whofe whoſe write written
Popular passages
Page 428 - I never heard of the man in my life, yet I find your name as a subscriber. He is too grave a poet for me; and I think among the Mediocrists, in prose as well as verse.
Page 169 - Works of imagination excel by their allurement and delight ; by their power of attracting and detaining the attention. That book is good in vain, which the reader throws away. He only is the master, who keeps the mind in pleasing captivity; whose pages are perused with eagerness, and in hope of new pleasure are perused again ; and whose conclusion is perceived with an eye of sorrow, such as the traveller casts upon departing day.
Page 420 - What he attempted, he performed ; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetic ; 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 364 - Tories in the last reign ; an act of authority violent enough, yet certainly legal, and by no means to be compared with that contempt of national right with which, some time afterwards, by the instigation of Whiggism, the Commons, chosen by the people for three years, chose themselves for seven.
Page 348 - This, says Pope *, had been tried for the first time in favour of the Distrest Mother; and was now, with more efficacy, practised for Cato. The danger was soon over. The whole nation was at that time on fire with faction. The Whigs applauded every line in which liberty was mentioned, as a satire on the Tories ; and the Tories echoed every clap, to show that the satire was unfelt.
Page 148 - FROM harmony, from heavenly harmony, This universal frame began : When nature underneath a heap Of jarring atoms lay, And could not heave her head, The tuneful voice was heard from high, Arise, ye more than dead. Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry, In order to their stations leap, And Music's power obey. From harmony, from heavenly harmony This universal frame began : From harmony to harmony, Through all the compass of the notes it ran, The diapason closing full in Man.
Page 188 - Perhaps no nation ever produced a writer that enriched his language with such variety of models. To him we owe the improvement, perhaps the completion, of our metre, the refinement of our language, and much of the correctness of our sentiments.
Page 112 - Of him that knows much, it is natural to suppose that he has read with diligence; yet I rather believe that the knowledge of Dryden was gleaned from accidental intelligence and various conversation, by a quick apprehension, a judicious selection, and a happy memory, a keen appetite of knowledge, and a powerful digestion...
Page 114 - They have not the formality of a settled style, in which the first half of the sentence betrays the other. The clauses are never balanced, nor the periods modelled: every word seems to drop by chance, though it falls into its proper place. Nothing is cold or languid; the whole is airy, animated, and vigorous; what is little, is gay; what is great, is splendid.
Page 208 - Whether our English audience have been pleased hitherto with, acorns, as he calls it, or with bread, is the next question ; that is, whether the means which Shakspeare and Fletcher have used in their plays to raise those passions before named, be better applied to the ends by the Greek poets than by them.