...apology for Shakespeare's magic;—in which he says, " A poet, who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment, and produce the chief events by the assistance of supernatural agents, would be censured as transgressing the bounds of probability, be...

..." in order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merits of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age and the opinions of his contemporaries." But this was a perfection-height of critical qualification that indolence would not suffer himself...

..." in order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merits of a writer, it is always necc*sary to examine the genius of his age, and the opinions of his contemporaries." He then goes on in a le*s wise vein to propound, — " A poet who should now make tlie whole action...

...(Rambler?) In order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merits of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age and the opinions of his contemporaries. (Observations on Macbeth.) The criticism which would destroy the power of pleasing must be blown aside....

...Witches. In order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merit of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age, and the opinions of his contemporaries. A poet who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment, and produce the chief events...

...spirit of his age and the opinions of his contemporaries. A poet who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment, and produce the chief events by the assistance of supernatural spirits, would be censored as transgressing the bounds of probability, be...

...that "in order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merit of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age and the opinions of his contemporaries." However, he uses the historical argument largely as an apology for shortcomings and mistakes in older...

...sense spares works like Macbeth from similar degradation: "A poet who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment, and produce the chief events by the assistance of supernatural agents, would be censured as transgressing the bounds of probability, he...

...present the supernatural, but mainly by camping it up. 'A poet who should now make the whole action of his tragedy depend upon enchantment and produce the chief events by the assistance of supernatural agents', Samuel Johnson perceived, 'would be censured as transgressing the...

...Macbeth: "In order to make a true estimate of the abilities and merit of a writer, it is always necessary to examine the genius of his age, and the opinions of his contemporaries." The gesture could equally be applied the other way, in relation to Shakespeare's reception in the present:...