The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 11Nichols, 1816 |
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Page 6
... verses , said , " Cousin Swift , you will " never be a poet ; " and that this denunciation was the motive of Swift's perpetual malevolence to Dryden . In 1699 Temple died , and left a legacy with his manuscripts to Swift , for whom he ...
... verses , said , " Cousin Swift , you will " never be a poet ; " and that this denunciation was the motive of Swift's perpetual malevolence to Dryden . In 1699 Temple died , and left a legacy with his manuscripts to Swift , for whom he ...
Page 33
... verse or prose ; of his verses he willingly gave copies , and is supposed to have felt no discontent when he saw them printed . His favourite maxim was , " Vive la bagatelle : " he thought trifles a necessary part of life , and perhaps ...
... verse or prose ; of his verses he willingly gave copies , and is supposed to have felt no discontent when he saw them printed . His favourite maxim was , " Vive la bagatelle : " he thought trifles a necessary part of life , and perhaps ...
Page 48
... verses ex- emplify his own definition of a good style , they consist of " proper words in proper places . " To divide this collection into classes , and shew how some pieces are gross , and some are trifling , would be to tell the ...
... verses ex- emplify his own definition of a good style , they consist of " proper words in proper places . " To divide this collection into classes , and shew how some pieces are gross , and some are trifling , would be to tell the ...
Page 53
... verses of some former poet . Sometimes he copies the most popular writers , for he seems scarcely to endeavour at concealment ; and sometimes he picks up fragments in obscure corners . His lines to Fenton , Serene , the sting of pain ...
... verses of some former poet . Sometimes he copies the most popular writers , for he seems scarcely to endeavour at concealment ; and sometimes he picks up fragments in obscure corners . His lines to Fenton , Serene , the sting of pain ...
Page 56
... verses of his own intermixed , which he persuaded his school - fellows to act , with the addition of his master's gardener , who personated Ajax . At the two last schools he used to represent him- self as having lost part of what ...
... verses of his own intermixed , which he persuaded his school - fellows to act , with the addition of his master's gardener , who personated Ajax . At the two last schools he used to represent him- self as having lost part of what ...
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Common terms and phrases
Aaron Hill acquainted Addison afterwards appears blank verse Bolingbroke called censure character copy criticism Curll death delight diction diligence discovered Dorset downs Dryden Duke Duke of Wharton Dunciad edition Edward Young elegance endeavoured English English poetry Epistle epitaph Essay excellence fame father faults favour friendship genius Homer honour Iliad images Ireland kind King known labour lady learning Letter lines lived Lord Lord Bolingbroke Lord Halifax Lyttelton Mallet ment mind nature never Night Thoughts numbers once opinion original Orrery passage perhaps Philips Pindar pleased pleasure poem poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's pounds praise printed produced prose publick published reader reason reputation rhyme satire says seems shew shewn solicited sometimes soon stanza supposed Swift Tatler tell thing Thomson tion told translation truth virtue Warburton Whigs write written wrote Young
Popular passages
Page 170 - The style of Dryden is capricious and varied, that of Pope is cautious and uniform; Dryden obeys the motions of his own mind, Pope constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is sometimes vehement and rapid; Pope is always smooth, uniform, and gentle. Dryden's page is a natural field, rising into inequalities, and diversified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation; Pope's is a velvet lawn, shaven by the scythe, and levelled by the roller.
Page 381 - Churchyard" abounds with images which find a mirror in every mind, and with sentiments to which every bosom returns an echo. The four stanzas, beginning "Yet even these bones," are to me original; I have never seen the notions in any other place, yet he that reads them here persuades himself that he has always felt them. Had Gray written often thus, it had been vain to blame and useless to praise him.
Page 90 - As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night, O'er heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light, When not a breath disturbs the deep serene, And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene ; Around her throne the vivid planets roll, And stars unnumber'd gild the glowing pole, O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed, And tip with silver every mountain's head...
Page 133 - Arbuthnot was a man of great comprehension, skilful in his profession, versed in the sciences, acquainted with ancient literature, and able to animate his mass of knowledge by a bright and active imagination ; a scholar with great brilliance of wit ; a wit, who, in the crowd of life, retained and discovered a noble ardour of religious zeal.
Page 390 - I have made public good the rule of my conduct. I never gave counsels which I did not at the time think the best. I have seen that I was sometimes in the wrong, but I did not err designedly. I have endeavoured in private life to do all the good in my power, and never for a moment could indulge malicious or unjust designs upon any person whatsoever.
Page 170 - Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners. The notions of Dryden were formed by comprehensive speculation, and those of Pope by minute attention. There is more dignity in the knowledge of Dryden, and more certainty in that of Pope.
Page 373 - ... fourthly, they will believe any thing at all, provided they are under no obligation to believe it ; fifthly, they love to take a new road, even when that road leads no where ; sixthly, he was reckoned a fine writer, and seems always to mean more than he said.
Page 286 - As — she may not be fond to resign. 1 have found out a gift for my fair, I have found where the wood-pigeons breed ; But let me that plunder forbear : She will say 'twas a barbarous deed.
Page 379 - To select a singular event, and swell it to a giant's bulk by fabulous appendages of spectres and predictions, has little difficulty ; for he that forsakes the probable may always find the marvellous. And it has little use ; we are affected only as we believe ; we are improved only as we find something to be imitated or declined. I do not see that " The " Bard" promotes any truth, moral or political.
Page 169 - In acquired knowledge, the superiority must be allowed to Dryden, whose education was more scholastic, and who, before he became an author, had been allowed more time for study, with better means of information. His mind has a larger range, and he collects his images and illustrations from a more extensive circumference of science. Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners.