The Dramatic Works and Poems of James Shirley, Now First Collected: Some account of Shirley and his writings. Commendatory verses on Shirley. Love tricks, or, The school of complement. The maid's revenge. The brothers. The witty fair one. The wedding

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Page 68 - Subtle as Sphinx; as sweet and musical As bright Apollo's lute, strung with his hair; And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony.
Page xxviii - Apollo, where each of them had his plate lay'd by him, covered, and the napkin by it, and when they opened their plates, they found in each of them forty pieces of gould, of their master's coyne, for the first dish, and they had cause to be much pleased with this surprisall.
Page xlvii - And now, reader, in this tragical age, where the theatre hath been so much out-acted, congratulate thy own happiness, that, in this silence of the stage, thou hast a liberty to read these inimitable plays, to dwell and converse in these immortal groves, which were only showed our fathers in a conjuring-glass, as suddenly removed as represented...
Page xxix - A / Comedy, / As it was presented by her / Majesties Servants, at the private / House in Drury Lane.
Page xlvi - The Triumph of Beauty, as it was personated by some young gentlemen, for whom it was intended, at a private recreation, is a very spirited and elegant composition.7 To the volume just described seven poetical eulogies by Stanley, May, &c.
Page xxii - Whether the examination be a pleasant business or not, it is somewhat important, " for," says Mr, Dyce, " the following memorandum respecting it occurs in the office-book of the Master of the Records : ' On Thursday night, 6th of February, 1633, The Gamester was acted at Court, made by Sherley, out of a plot of the king's, given him by mee, and well likte. The king sayd it was the best play he had seen for seven years.
Page 280 - It were all one That I should love a bright particular star, And think to wed it ; he is so above me ! In his bright radiance and collateral light Must I be comforted, not in his sphere.
Page xlvi - POETRY is the child of nature, which, regulated and made beautiful by art, presenteth the most harmonious of all other compositions; among which (if we rightly consider) the dramatical is the most absolute, in regard of those transcendent abilities which should wait upon the composer ; who must have more than the instruction of libraries (which of itself is but a cold contemplative knowledge), there being required in him a...
Page xlviii - Elysium ; and, when thou art sick of this cure, (for the excess of delight may too much dilate thy soul,) thou shalt meet almost in every leaf a soft purling passion or spring of sorrow, so powerfully wrought high by the tears of innocence and wronged lovers, it shall persuade thy eyes to weep into the stream, and yet smile when they contribute to their own ruins.
Page xlvii - ... ways of education, have, from the attentive hearing these pieces, got ground in point of wit and carriage of the most severely employed students, while these recreations were digested into rules, and the very pleasure did edify.

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