The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets;: Cowley. Denham. Milton. Butler. Rochester. Roscommon. Otway. Waller. Pomfret. Dorset. Stepney. Philips. WalshC. Bathurst, J. Buckland, W. Strahan, J. Rivington and Sons, T. Davies, T. Payne, L. Davis, W. Owen, B. White, S. Crowder, T. Caslon, T. Longman, ... [and 24 others], 1781 - English poetry - 503 pages |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 23
Page 19
... diction of Rome to his own con- ceptions . At the Restoration , after all the diligence of his long fervice , and with consciousness not only of the merit of fidelity , but of the dignity of great abilities , he naturally ex- pected ...
... diction of Rome to his own con- ceptions . At the Restoration , after all the diligence of his long fervice , and with consciousness not only of the merit of fidelity , but of the dignity of great abilities , he naturally ex- pected ...
Page 28
... for they endeavoured to be fingular in their thoughts , and were careless of their diction . But Pope's account of wit is un- doubtedly erroneous : he depreffes it below its natural dignity , and reduces it from ftrength of its 28 COWLE Y.-
... for they endeavoured to be fingular in their thoughts , and were careless of their diction . But Pope's account of wit is un- doubtedly erroneous : he depreffes it below its natural dignity , and reduces it from ftrength of its 28 COWLE Y.-
Page 61
... more fi- nished in their kind than any other of Cowley's works . The diction thews nothing of the mould of time , and the fentiments are at no great dif- tance tance from our present habitudes of thought . Real mirth COWL E Y. 61.
... more fi- nished in their kind than any other of Cowley's works . The diction thews nothing of the mould of time , and the fentiments are at no great dif- tance tance from our present habitudes of thought . Real mirth COWL E Y. 61.
Page 68
... learning and wit , when he was dealing out fuch minute morality in fuch feeble diction , could imagine , either waking or dreaming , that he imitated Pindar . In the following odes , where Cowley chooses his own In 68 COWLEY .
... learning and wit , when he was dealing out fuch minute morality in fuch feeble diction , could imagine , either waking or dreaming , that he imitated Pindar . In the following odes , where Cowley chooses his own In 68 COWLEY .
Page 92
... diction was in his own time cenfured as negligent . He feems not to have known , or not to have confidered , that words being arbitrary muft owe their power to affociation , and have the influence , and that only , which custom has ...
... diction was in his own time cenfured as negligent . He feems not to have known , or not to have confidered , that words being arbitrary muft owe their power to affociation , and have the influence , and that only , which custom has ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
againſt almoſt Anacreon anſwered appears becauſe cenfured compofitions confidered converfation Cowley defign defire diction diſcover Dryden Earl eaſily elegance Engliſh expreffion fafe faid fame fatire fays fecond feems fent fentiments fhall fhew fhould fince firft firſt fome fomething fometimes foon ftill ftudies ftyle fubject fuch fufficiently fupplied fuppofed greateſt heroick himſelf Hiſtory houſe Hudibras images itſelf kindneſs King known laft language laſt Latin learning leaſt lefs Lord Lord Conway mafter meaſure Milton mind moft moſt muft muſt nature neceffary never NIHIL numbers obfervation occafion paffage paffed paffion Paradife Loft perfon perhaps Philips Pindar pleafing pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry praife praiſe prefent preferved profe publick publiſhed purpoſe raiſe reader reaſon repreſented rhyme ſeems ſhe ſome ſtate ſtill ſtudy ſtyle thefe themſelves theſe thing thofe thoſe thou thought thouſand tion tranflation underſtanding uſe verfe verfification verſes Waller whofe write
Popular passages
Page 115 - O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream My great example, as it is my theme! Though deep, yet clear, though gentle, yet not dull, Strong without rage, without o'er-flowing full.
Page 54 - To move, but doth if th' other do. And, though it in the centre sit, Yet, when the other far doth roam, It leans and hearkens after it, And grows erect as that comes home. Such wilt thou be to me, who must Like th
Page 32 - What they wanted however of the sublime, they endeavoured to supply by hyperbole; their amplification had no limits; they left not only reason but fancy behind them; and produced combinations of confused magnificence, that not only could not be credited, but could not be imagined.
Page 225 - We know that they never drove a field, and that they had no flocks to batten; and though it be allowed that the representation may be allegorical, the true meaning is so uncertain and remote, that it is never sought because it cannot be known when it is found.
Page 326 - It was my Lord Roscommon's Essay on Translated Verse ; which made me uneasy till I tried whether or no I was capable of following his rules, and of reducing the speculation into practice. For many a fair precept in Poetry is like a seeming demonstration in the Mathematics, very specious in the diagram, but failing in the mechanic operation.
Page 193 - However inferior to the heroes who were born in better ages, he might still be great among his contemporaries, with the hope of growing every day greater in the dwindle of posterity. He might still be a giant among the pygmies, the oneeyed monarch of the blind.
Page 231 - ... of the conduct of the two brothers, who, when their sister sinks with fatigue in a pathless wilderness, wander both away together in search of berries too far to find their way back, and leave a helpless Lady to all the sadness and danger of solitude.
Page 232 - Milton's morals as well as his poetry, the invitations to pleasure are so general, that they excite no distinct images of corrupt enjoyment, and take no dangerous hold on the fancy.
Page 147 - ... devout prayer to that eternal Spirit who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and sends out his seraphim, with the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases...
Page 27 - The metaphysical poets were men of learning, and to show their learning was their whole endeavour; but, unluckily resolving to show it in rhyme, instead of writing poetry they only wrote verses, and very often such verses as stood the trial of the finger better than of the ear; for the modulation was so imperfect, that they were only found to be verses, by counting the syllables.