prefaces, biographical and critical, to the works of the english poets.1781 |
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Common terms and phrases
Addiſon afterwards almoſt becauſe beſt Blackmore Cato cauſe cenfure character compofitions confidered converſation criticism defire Dennis deſign dreſs Dryden eaſy Effay elegance Engliſh Eſſay expoſed expreſſed faid fame fatire fent fimile fince firſt fome foon friends friendſhip fubject fuch fufficiently fure genius guards houſe inſtruction intereſt Juba Juba's judgement juſtly king laſt leſs lord lord Halifax Marcia maſter moſt Muſe muſt nature neceffity neceſſary neſs never obſerved occafion paffion paſs paſſage perhaps perſon pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praife praiſe preſent profe publick publiſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reader reaſon ſame ſays ſcarcely ſcene ſchool ſecond ſeems ſeen Sempronius ſentiments ſhall ſhe ſhewed ſhewn ſhort ſhould ſkill ſome ſometimes Spectator Spence ſpirit ſtage ſtand ſtate Steele ſtile ſtill ſtory ſtudies ſuch ſupplied ſuppoſed Syphax Tatler theſe thoſe thought Tickell tion topicks tragedy tranflated uſe verſes virtue Whig whoſe write
Popular passages
Page 155 - He copies life with so much fidelity that he can be hardly said to invent : yet his exhibitions have an air so much original that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination.
Page 158 - 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 149 - It is not uncommon for those who have grown wise by the labour of others to add a little of their own, and overlook their masters. Addison is now despised by some who perhaps would never have seen his defects but by the lights which he afforded them.
Page 156 - All the enchantment of fancy, and all the cogency of argument, are employed to recommend to the reader his real interest, the care of pleasing the Author of his being.
Page 114 - Whatever pleasure there may be in seeing crimes punished and virtue rewarded, yet, since wickedness often prospers in real life, the poet is certainly at liberty to give it prosperity on the stage. For if poetry has an imitation of reality, how are its laws broken by exhibiting the world in its true form? The stage may sometimes gratify our wishes ; but, if it be truly " the mirror of life," it ought to show us sometimes what we are to expect.
Page 127 - Sempronius lead us in our flight, We'll force the gate, where Marcus keeps his guard, And hew down all that would oppose our passage ; A day will bring us into Caesar's camp.
Page 150 - That general knowledge which now circulates in common talk was in his time rarely to be found. Men not professing learning were not ashamed of ignorance; and in the female world any acquaintance with books was distinguished only to be censured.
Page 75 - He taught us how to live; and, oh! too high The price of knowledge, taught us how to die.
Page 129 - Thou shalt have Juba's dress, and Juba's guards The doors will open, when Numidia's prince Seems to appear before them.
Page 114 - ... since wickedness often prospers in real life, the poet is certainly at liberty to give it prosperity on the stage. For if poetry has an imitation of reality, how are its laws broken by exhibiting the world in its true form? The stage may sometimes gratify our wishes; but if it be truly the "MIRROR OF LIFE," it ought to show us sometimes what we are to expect.