The Works of the English Poets: DrydenH. Hughs, 1779 - English poetry |
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Page 14
... Chaucer was transfused into his body ; and that he was begotten by him two hundred years after his decease . Milton has acknowledged to me , that Spenfer was his original ; and many befides myself have heard our fa- mous Waller own ...
... Chaucer was transfused into his body ; and that he was begotten by him two hundred years after his decease . Milton has acknowledged to me , that Spenfer was his original ; and many befides myself have heard our fa- mous Waller own ...
Page 15
... Chaucer I was led to think on Boccace , who was not only his contempo- rary , but also purfued the fame ftudies ; wrote novels in profe , and many works in verse ; particularly is said to have invented the octave rhyme , or stanza of ...
... Chaucer I was led to think on Boccace , who was not only his contempo- rary , but also purfued the fame ftudies ; wrote novels in profe , and many works in verse ; particularly is said to have invented the octave rhyme , or stanza of ...
Page 16
... Chaucer ( as you have formerly been told by our learned Mr. Rymer ) firft adorned and amplified our barren tongue from the Provencall , which was then the most polished of all the | modern languages ; but this fubject has been copiously ...
... Chaucer ( as you have formerly been told by our learned Mr. Rymer ) firft adorned and amplified our barren tongue from the Provencall , which was then the most polished of all the | modern languages ; but this fubject has been copiously ...
Page 22
... Chaucer ; confider- ing the former only in relation to the latter . With Ovid ended the golden age of the Roman tongue : from Chaucer the purity of the English tongue be- gan . The manners of the poets were not unlike : both of them ...
... Chaucer ; confider- ing the former only in relation to the latter . With Ovid ended the golden age of the Roman tongue : from Chaucer the purity of the English tongue be- gan . The manners of the poets were not unlike : both of them ...
Page 23
... Chaucer's ftories were taken from his Italian contemporaries , or their predeceffors . Boccace's De- cameron was first published ; and from thence our Eng- lishman has borrowed many of his Canterbury tales : yet that of Palamon and ...
... Chaucer's ftories were taken from his Italian contemporaries , or their predeceffors . Boccace's De- cameron was first published ; and from thence our Eng- lishman has borrowed many of his Canterbury tales : yet that of Palamon and ...
Common terms and phrases
againſt Arcite arms becauſe befides behold beſt betwixt blood breaſt caft Canterbury tales cauſe Chanticleer Chaucer cloſe Cymon dame death defcended defire earth eaſe Emily ev'n eyes fafe faid fair fame fate fear feas fecond fecret feem'd feen fenfe fent fhade fhall fhould fide fight fince fing fire firft firſt flain fome foon forc'd forrow foul fovereign ftill ftood fuch fuffer fure fweet fword grace heart heaven himſelf honour houſe juft king knight ladies laft laſt lefs liv'd loft lord lov'd maid mind moſt muſt myſelf numbers o'er Ovid pafs Palamon Pirithous plac'd pleas'd pleaſe pleaſure poet prefent prepar'd prifon purfue purſue queen reaſon refolv'd reft reſt Reynard ſaid ſeen ſhall ſhe ſky ſpeak ſpoke ſpread ſtate ſtill ſtood Synalepha Thebes thee thefe themſelves theſe thofe thoſe thou thought tranflated turn'd Twas Virgil whofe wife
Popular passages
Page 19 - Virgil was of a quiet, sedate temper; Homer was violent, impetuous, and full of fire. The chief talent of Virgil was propriety of thoughts and ornament of words; Homer was rapid in his thoughts, and took all the liberties, both of numbers » and of expressions, which his language and the age in which he lived allowed him.
Page 300 - A creature of a more exalted kind Was wanting yet, and then was Man design'd ; Conscious of thought, of more capacious breast, For empire form'd, and fit to rule the rest...
Page 146 - Twas at a feast, and every inn so full, That no void room in chamber, or on ground, And but one sorry bed was to be found ; And that so little it would hold but one, Though till this hour they never lay alone.
Page 26 - There was plenty enough, but the dishes were ill sorted; whole pyramids of sweetmeats for boys and women but little of solid meat for men. All this proceeded not from any want of knowledge, but of judgment. Neither did he want that in discerning the beauties and faults of other poets, but only...
Page 14 - Milton was the poetical son of Spenser, and Mr Waller of Fairfax ; for we have our lineal descents and clans as well as other families. Spenser more than once insinuates that the soul of Chaucer was transfused into his body, and that he was begotten by him two hundred years after his decease.
Page 241 - This noble youth to madness loved a dame Of high degree, Honoria was her name : Fair as the fairest, but of haughty mind, And fiercer than became so soft a kind ; Proud of her birth, (for equal she had none) The rest she scorn'd; but hated him alone.
Page 43 - I have pleaded guilty to all thoughts and expressions of mine which can be truly argued of obscenity, profaneness, or immorality, and retract them. If he be my enemy, let him triumph; if he be my friend, as I have given him no personal occasion to be otherwise, he will be glad of my repentance. It becomes me not to draw my pen in the defence of a bad cause when I have so often drawn it for a good one.
Page 27 - Tis true, I cannot go so far as he who published the last edition of him; for he would make us believe the fault is in our ears, and that there were really ten syllables in a verse where we find but nine; but this opinion is not worth confuting...
Page 207 - For, letting down the golden chain from high, He drew his audience upward to the sky; And oft with holy hymns he charm'd their ears, A music more melodious than the spheres; For David left him, when he went to rest, His lyre; and after him he sung the best.
Page 55 - The rising nor the setting sun beheld : Of Athens he was lord ; much land he won, And added foreign countries to his crown...