The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observations on Their Works, Volume 2C. Bathurst ... [and 34 others], 1783 Comprises short biographies and critical appraisals of 52 English poets, most of whom lived during the eighteenth century. |
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Addiſon afterwards againſt almoſt anſwer becauſe Cato cenfure character Charles Dryden compofitions confidered converfation criticiſm defign defired diſcovers Dryden duke eafily earl eaſy elegant Engliſh excellence expreffed faid fame fatire favour fays fecond feems fent fentence fentiments fhall fhew fince firft firſt fome fomething fometimes foon friends ftill ftudies fubject fuch fuffer fufficient fuppofed fyllables genius himſelf houſe intereft itſelf John Dryden juſt king laft laſt leaſt lefs lord maſter ment moft moſt muſt neceffary neceffity never obfervation occafion paffages paffed paffions perfon perhaps play pleaſe pleaſure poem poet poetical poetry Pope praiſe prefent profe publick publiſhed puniſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reaſon rhyme ſay ſcenes ſeems Sempronius ſeveral ſhould ſkill ſome Sophocles ſtage ſtate Steele ſtudy ſuch ſuppoſed Syphax Tatler thefe theſe thofe thoſe thought tion tragedy tranflated Tyrannick Love uſe verfes verfion verſes Virgil Whig whofe 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 355 - 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 391 - 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 229 - 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 229 - 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 261 - 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.