British Novelists and Their Styles: Being a Critical Sketch of the History of British Prose Fiction |
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Page 10
... fact , and the most radically incorporate with the primitive basis of nature . The scene of every poem must , of course , be laid in some place and in some time ; every poem must carry in it historic elements 10 NATURE OF THE NOVEL .
... fact , and the most radically incorporate with the primitive basis of nature . The scene of every poem must , of course , be laid in some place and in some time ; every poem must carry in it historic elements 10 NATURE OF THE NOVEL .
Page 18
... scene . The study would apply mainly to the dramatic kind of fiction , but it would help also as between metrical narrative and the prose tale or novel . In the main , I believe , such an investigation would corroborate what I have said ...
... scene . The study would apply mainly to the dramatic kind of fiction , but it would help also as between metrical narrative and the prose tale or novel . In the main , I believe , such an investigation would corroborate what I have said ...
Page 27
... on its journey , or the deck or cabin of a steamer on its river or ocean voyage . All this is well ; and , in proportion to the fidelity with which such scenes are reproduced , we admire the descrip- tive THE SCENERY . 27.
... on its journey , or the deck or cabin of a steamer on its river or ocean voyage . All this is well ; and , in proportion to the fidelity with which such scenes are reproduced , we admire the descrip- tive THE SCENERY . 27.
Page 28
Being a Critical Sketch of the History of British Prose Fiction David Masson. such scenes are reproduced , we admire the descrip- tive powers of the artist . But is it not well also- in these days especially , when so many of us , cooped ...
Being a Critical Sketch of the History of British Prose Fiction David Masson. such scenes are reproduced , we admire the descrip- tive powers of the artist . But is it not well also- in these days especially , when so many of us , cooped ...
Page 67
... scenes of Arcadian life , and dialogues of ideal and representative shepherds . Whether this Pastoral form of poetry was of Portu- guese or of Italian origin , or whether it was only a reproduction of the ancient Idyl , Spenser made it ...
... scenes of Arcadian life , and dialogues of ideal and representative shepherds . Whether this Pastoral form of poetry was of Portu- guese or of Italian origin , or whether it was only a reproduction of the ancient Idyl , Spenser made it ...
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Common terms and phrases
adventures allegory Arcadia artist Britain British Literature British novel-writing British Novelists British novels Bulwer Lytton called Castle of Otranto characters Christianity comic connexion contemporary critics Dickens and Thackeray doctrine Edinburgh effect eighteenth century element English Epic fact fancy farther fictitious Fielding and Smollett form of literature French genius Gothic hero heroic human humour ideal imagination incidents intellectual interest kind ladies Lady Caroline Lamb legend literary London manners matter mediæval metrical mind Miss mode modern moral Narrative Poetry nature novelists Old English Baron peculiar perhaps period philosophy Picaresque Novel poems poetic poets political prose fiction prose romance Rabelais representation represented respect Richardson Robert Bage satire scenes Scotland Scott Scotticism Scottish Shakespeare Smollett social society specimens speculative spirit Sterne story style Swift Thackeray Theodore Hook things thought tion truth variety Verse virtue Waverley Waverley Novels Whiggism writers
Popular passages
Page 19 - I have of late — but wherefore I know not — lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory...
Page 20 - ... than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
Page 151 - It was an attempt to blend the two kinds of romance, the ancient and the modern. In the former, all was imagination and improbability ; in the latter, nature is always intended to be, and sometimes has been, copied with success. Invention has not been wanting ; but the great resources of fancy have been dammed up, by a strict adherence to common life.
Page 63 - There were hills which garnished their proud heights with stately trees : humble valleys whose base estate seemed comforted with the refreshing of silver rivers ; meadows enamelled with all sorts of eye-pleasing flowers ; thickets, which being lined with most pleasant shade were witnessed so to, by the cheerful disposition of many well-tuned birds ; each pasture stored with sheep feeding with sober security, while the pretty lambs with bleating oratory craved...
Page 151 - YE who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, and pursue with eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age will perform the promises of youth, and that the deficiencies of the present day will be supplied by the morrow ; attend to the history of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia.
Page 125 - I will not scruple to say it may be likewise either in verse or prose: for though it wants one particular, which the critic enumerates in the constituent parts of an epic poem, namely metre; yet, when any kind of writing contains all its other parts, such as fable, action, characters, sentiments, and diction, and is deficient in metre only, it seems, I think, reasonable to refer it to the epic...
Page 170 - E'en then a wish (I mind its power) A wish, that to my latest hour Shall strongly heave my breast ; That I for poor auld Scotland's sake, Some usefu' plan, or book could make, Or sing a sang at least.
Page 73 - AUTHOR'S APOLOGY FOR HIS BOOK WHEN at the first I took my pen in hand Thus for to write, I did not understand That I at all should make a little book In such a mode ; nay, I had undertook To make another ; which, when almost done, Before I was aware I this begun.
Page 171 - Such dusky grandeur clothed the height, Where the huge Castle holds its state, And all the steep slope down, Whose ridgy back heaves to the sky, Piled deep and massy, close and high, Mine own romantic town...
Page 155 - Edina ! Scotia's darling seat ! All hail thy palaces and towers, Where once beneath a monarch's feet Sat Legislation's sovereign powers...