History of the English Language and LiteratureW. and R. Chambers, 1837 - 328 pages |
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Page 11
... merit , either as poems or as histories . * Among these were Layamon , who trans- lated Wace , his predecessor , in the language of the time , Wace having written in French prose ; and also Robert of Gloucester , whose English rhymes ...
... merit , either as poems or as histories . * Among these were Layamon , who trans- lated Wace , his predecessor , in the language of the time , Wace having written in French prose ; and also Robert of Gloucester , whose English rhymes ...
Page 19
... merit . The first of these was JAMES I. King of Scotland , whose mind and its produc- tions , notwithstanding his being a native of that country , must be considered as of English growth . James had been taken prisoner in his boyhood by ...
... merit . The first of these was JAMES I. King of Scotland , whose mind and its produc- tions , notwithstanding his being a native of that country , must be considered as of English growth . James had been taken prisoner in his boyhood by ...
Page 23
... merit , notwithstanding the writer takes some liberties with the original . The language employed in it is nearly the same as that used by Eng- lish writers of the same period , and affords a striking example of the rage which had begun ...
... merit , notwithstanding the writer takes some liberties with the original . The language employed in it is nearly the same as that used by Eng- lish writers of the same period , and affords a striking example of the rage which had begun ...
Page 28
... merit . Another distinguished instructive writer of this age , was ROGER ASCHAM , pre- ceptor to Queen Elizabeth . He wrote an essay enti- tled Torophilus , to inculcate the propriety of mixing recreation with study , and a treatise ...
... merit . Another distinguished instructive writer of this age , was ROGER ASCHAM , pre- ceptor to Queen Elizabeth . He wrote an essay enti- tled Torophilus , to inculcate the propriety of mixing recreation with study , and a treatise ...
Page 33
... merit , though the power of writing them must have been an agreeable addition to his character as a soldier and a gentleman . Owing to his singular union of ac- It was formerly supposed that memory lay in the hinder portion of the head ...
... merit , though the power of writing them must have been an agreeable addition to his character as a soldier and a gentleman . Owing to his singular union of ac- It was formerly supposed that memory lay in the hinder portion of the head ...
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admired American appeared biographical blank verse celebrated century character Charles Chaucer chiefly Church comedies commenced composition death display distinguished divine dramatic dramatists Edinburgh Edinburgh Review Edward elegant eminent England English language English poetry entitled Ephraim Chambers essays excellent fancy feeling fiction genius George George II Henry Henry VIII History of Scotland human humour JAMES JOHN kind latter learning lished literary literature lively London manner merit metaphysical mind miscellaneous moral moral plays native nature notice novel octavo original peculiar period persons philosophical pieces plays poem poet poetical poetry political Pope popular portion possessed principles produced prose published racter rank reader reign religion religious remarkable reputation respecting Roman satirical Scotland Scottish sentiment sermons Sir Walter Scott specimen style talent taste THOMAS thou thought tion tragedy United verse volumes Whig WILLIAM writers written wrote
Popular passages
Page 201 - Thy shores are empires, changed in all save thee — Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, what are they? Thy waters wasted them while they were free, And many a tyrant since ; their shores obey The stranger, slave, or savage ; their decay Has dried up realms to deserts ; — not so thou, Unchangeable save to thy wild waves' play, Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow, Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now.
Page 133 - A stranger yet to pain! I feel the gales that from ye blow A momentary bliss bestow, As waving fresh their gladsome wing My weary soul they seem to soothe, And, redolent of joy and youth, To breathe a second spring.
Page 25 - No longer mourn for me when I am dead, Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell Give warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell : Nay, if you read this line, remember not The hand that writ it ; for I love you so, That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, If thinking on me then should make you woe.
Page 108 - The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and Nature sink in years, But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements, The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.
Page 30 - You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising Sun Has not attain'd his noon. Stay, stay Until the hasting day Has run But to the even-song; And, having pray'd together, we Will go with you along. We have short time to stay, as you, We have as short a Spring ; As quick a growth to meet decay As you, or any thing. We die, As your hours do, and dry Away Like to the Summer's rain ; Or as the pearls of morning's dew, Ne'er to be found again.
Page 45 - Of what is't fools make such vain keeping? Sin their conception, their birth weeping, Their life a general mist of error, Their death a hideous storm of terror. Strew your hair with powders sweet, Don clean linen, bathe your feet, And (the foul fiend more to check) A crucifix let bless your neck : 'Tis now full tide 'tween night and day ; End your groan, and come away.
Page 71 - twixt south and south-west side ; On either which he would dispute, Confute, change hands, and still confute : He'd undertake to prove, by force Of argument, a man's no horse ; He'd prove a buzzard is no fowl, And that a lord may be an owl, A calf an alderman, a goose a justice, And rooks committee-men and trustees.
Page 69 - fair light, And thou enlighten'd earth, so fresh and gay, Ye hills, and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains, And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell, Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here?
Page 102 - For others good, or melt at others woe. What can atone (oh ever-injur'd shade !) Thy fate unpity'd, and thy rites unpaid ? No friend's complaint, no kind domestic tear Pleas'd thy pale ghost, or grac'd thy mournful bier : By foreign hands thy dying eyes were clos'd, By foreign hands thy decent limbs compos'd, By foreign hands thy humble grave adorn'd, By strangers honour'd, and by strangers mourn'd! What tho' no friends in sable weeds appear.
Page 76 - A man so various that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome : Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts and nothing long; But in the course of one revolving moon Was chymist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon ; Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking, Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.