The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observations on Their Works, Volume 2C. Bathurst ... [and 34 others], 1783 - English poetry Comprises short biographies and critical appraisals of 52 English poets, most of whom lived during the eighteenth century. |
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Common terms and phrases
Addiſon afterwards almoſt anſwer becauſe beſt buſineſs Cato cauſe cenfure character Charles Dryden compoſitions confidered converſation courſe criticism defired deſign diſcover Dryden eaſy elegant Engliſh expreſſed faid fame fatire favour feems finiſhed firſt fome friends fuch genius himſelf Hiſtory houſe inſtruction intereſt itſelf juſt juſtly king laſt leſs lord maſter moſt muſt neceſſary never obſerved occafion oppoſed paffions paſs paſſages paſſed paſſions perhaps perſon pity play pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praiſe preſent preſerved propoſed publick publiſhed purpoſe queſtion racter raiſed reaſon repreſented reſt rhyme ſaid ſame ſays ſcarcely ſcenes ſchool ſcience ſecond ſeems ſeen ſeldom ſelf ſent ſentence ſentiments ſeveral ſhall ſhe ſhew ſhewn ſhip ſhort ſhould ſkill ſome ſometimes ſpeak ſtage ſtand ſtate ſtill ſtory ſtrong ſtudy ſtyle ſubject ſuch ſuffer ſupplied ſuppoſed Syphax theſe thoſe thought tion tragedy tranflation univerſal uſe verſes verſion Whig whoſe write written
Popular passages
Page 110 - Criticism, either didactic or defensive, occupies almost all his prose, except those pages which he has devoted to his patrons; but none of his prefaces were ever thought tedious. 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.
Page 357 - He not only made the proper use of wit himself, but taught it to others ; and from his time it has been generally subservient to the cause of reason and of truth. He has dissipated the prejudice that had long connected gaiety with vice, and easiness of manners with laxity of principles.
Page 176 - There is, surely, reason to suspect that he pleased himself, as well as his audience; and that these, like the harlots of other men, had his love, though not his approbation. He had, sometimes, faults of a less generous and splendid kind.
Page 393 - 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 231 - 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...
Page 152 - Proffering the Hind to wait her half the way: That, since the sky was clear, an hour of talk Might help her to beguile the tedious walk. With much good-will the motion was embrac'd...
Page 231 - 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 100 - Learning once made popular is no longer learning ; it has the appearance of something which we have bestowed upon ourselves, as the dew appears to rise from the field which it refreshes.
Page 263 - The life of Dr. Parnell is a task which I should very willingly decline, since it has been lately written by Goldsmith, a man of such variety of powers, and such felicity of performance, that he always seemed to do best that which he was doing; a man who had the art of being minute without tediousness, and general without confusion; whose language was copious without exuberance, exact without constraint, and easy without weakness.
Page 110 - 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.