Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observations on Their Works, Volume 3 |
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Page vii
... desire to make any parade of these discoveries , of which the list might be yet more enlarged , have they thus been referred to , but simply with the hope of establishing a claim to the merit of careful and conscientious diligence ...
... desire to make any parade of these discoveries , of which the list might be yet more enlarged , have they thus been referred to , but simply with the hope of establishing a claim to the merit of careful and conscientious diligence ...
Page 6
... desire of excellence . His primary and principal purpose was to be a poet , with which his father accidentally concurred by proposing subjects , and obliging him to correct his performances by many revisals ; after which the old ...
... desire of excellence . His primary and principal purpose was to be a poet , with which his father accidentally concurred by proposing subjects , and obliging him to correct his performances by many revisals ; after which the old ...
Page 10
... desire in the church of St. Clement's Danes . Several of his translations are in Dryden's " Third Miscellany , ' 1693 . 21 See vol . ii . p . 36. Wycherley introduced him to Walsh . and insatiably curious : wanting health for violent ...
... desire in the church of St. Clement's Danes . Several of his translations are in Dryden's " Third Miscellany , ' 1693 . 21 See vol . ii . p . 36. Wycherley introduced him to Walsh . and insatiably curious : wanting health for violent ...
Page 11
... desires of intellectual eminence , he spent much of his time over his books ; but he read only to store his mind with facts and images , seizing all that his authors presented with undistinguishing voracity , and with an appetite for ...
... desires of intellectual eminence , he spent much of his time over his books ; but he read only to store his mind with facts and images , seizing all that his authors presented with undistinguishing voracity , and with an appetite for ...
Page 13
... desire to do mischief is greater than his power . He has , however , justly criticised some passages in these lines : - " There are whom Heaven has bless'd with store of wit , Yet want as much again to manage it ; For wit and judgment ...
... desire to do mischief is greater than his power . He has , however , justly criticised some passages in these lines : - " There are whom Heaven has bless'd with store of wit , Yet want as much again to manage it ; For wit and judgment ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addison afterwards Akenside Ambrose Philips appeared Arbuthnot beauty Bolingbroke Broome called censure character copy criticism Croker Curll death Delany died Dodsley Dryden Duke Dunciad Earl Edward Young elegance Eloisa to Abelard endeavoured English Epistle epitaph Essay father favour Fcap friendship genius Gray Grongar Hill Homer honour Iliad imitation Ireland John Broome Johnson Joseph Warton kind King labour Lady letter lines lived London Lord Lord Bathurst Lord Bolingbroke Lord Halifax Lordship Lyttelton Mallet mind Miscellany nature never Night Thoughts numbers Oxford perhaps Philips Pimpern Pindar pleasure poem poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's Portrait Post 8vo pounds praise printed published reader Remarks Satires says Second Edition seems Spence by Singer Swift tell Thomson tion told translation Twickenham verses Vols volume Walpole Warburton Warton WILLIAM BROOME Woodcuts write written wrote Young
Popular passages
Page 36 - As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night, O'er Heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light, When not a breath disturbs the deep serene, And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene ; Around her throne the vivid planets roll, And stars unnumber'd gild the glowing pole, O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed, And tip with silver every mountain's head ; Then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise, A flood of glory bursts from all the skies : The conscious swains, rejoicing in the sight, Eye...
Page 37 - And lighten glimmering Xanthus with their rays; The long reflections of the distant fires Gleam on the walls, and tremble on the spires. A thousand piles the dusky horrors gild, And shoot a shady lustre o'er the field. Full fifty guards each flaming pile attend, Whose umber'd arms by fits thick flashes send ; Loud neigh the coursers o'er their heaps of corn, And ardent warriors wait the rising morn.
Page 417 - In the character of his Elegy I rejoice to concur with the common reader; for by the common sense of readers uncorrupted with literary prejudices, after all the refinements of subtilty and the dogmatism of learning, must be finally decided all claim to poetical honours.
Page 144 - Statesman, yet friend to truth ! of soul sincere, In action faithful, and in honour clear ; Who broke no promise, served no private end, Who gain'd no title, and who lost no friend ; Ennobled by himself, by all approved, And praised, unenvied, by the muse he loved,
Page 410 - Perhaps he was the most learned man in Europe. He was equally acquainted with the elegant and profound parts of science, and that not superficially but thoroughly. He knew every branch of history, both natural and civil; had read all the original historians of England, France, and Italy; and was a great antiquarian. Criticism, metaphysics, morals, politics, made a principal part of his study; voyages and travels of all sorts were his favourite amusements ; and he had a fine taste in painting, prints,...
Page 352 - Why all this toil for triumphs of an hour ? What though we wade in wealth, or soar in fame ? Earth's highest station ends in, " Here he lies," And " Dust to dust
Page 415 - To select a singular event, and swell it to a giant's bulk by fabulous appendages of spectres and predictions, has little difficulty; for he that forsakes the probable may always find the marvellous. And it has little use; we are affected only as we believe; we are improved only as we find something to be imitated or declined. I do not see that "The Bard" promotes any truth, moral or political.
Page 345 - For letting down the golden chain from high, He drew his audience upward to the sky...
Page 349 - I have long wondered, that more suitable notice of your great merit hath not been taken by persons in power. But how to remedy the omission I see not. No encouragement hath ever been given me to mention things of this nature to his Majesty. And therefore, in all likelihood, the only consequence of doing it would be weakening the little influence which else I may possibly have on some other occasions. Your fortune and your reputation set you above the need of advancement; and your sentiments above...
Page 44 - Gildon wrote a thing about Wycherley, in which he had abused both me and my relations very grossly. Lord Warwick himself told me one day, that it was in vain for me to endeavour to be well with Mr. Addison; that his jealous temper would never admit of a settled friendship between us; and, to convince me of what he had said, assured me, that Addison had encouraged Gildon to publish those scandals, and had given him ten 4 guineas after they were published.