Selections from Cowper's PoemsMacmillan, 1883 - 234 pages |
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Page v
... once more humbling and more comical than the juxta- position of names which now and then a critical genera- tion will make , to its own confusion . Thus Shenstone and even Rowe have been in their day coupled with Shakespeare ; and Dante ...
... once more humbling and more comical than the juxta- position of names which now and then a critical genera- tion will make , to its own confusion . Thus Shenstone and even Rowe have been in their day coupled with Shakespeare ; and Dante ...
Page viii
... once disgusting and profane , was to them a reverent and loving description of the chief object of faith . It is impossible to imagine a more complete change of phraseo- logy and sentiment than that which has passed over even the ...
... once disgusting and profane , was to them a reverent and loving description of the chief object of faith . It is impossible to imagine a more complete change of phraseo- logy and sentiment than that which has passed over even the ...
Page x
... - reflection , would remember that the " poor in- habitants below " had once been as himself , and that he too by and by would be as they . But to the poet there occurs another thought : The day that is dead and X PREFACE .
... - reflection , would remember that the " poor in- habitants below " had once been as himself , and that he too by and by would be as they . But to the poet there occurs another thought : The day that is dead and X PREFACE .
Page xiv
... once more subtle and more simple - a delight in reality , in the permanence of a picture which has pleased us by moments , and taken us out of ourselves - in the long faithfulness of the world to the same everyday incidents and innocent ...
... once more subtle and more simple - a delight in reality , in the permanence of a picture which has pleased us by moments , and taken us out of ourselves - in the long faithfulness of the world to the same everyday incidents and innocent ...
Page xviii
... now - when that highest class is indefinitely enlarged , and many of us , once well contented to be of the middle rank , as Cowper , and the Unwins , and all their society us . felt themselves to be , claim the honours xviii PREFACE .
... now - when that highest class is indefinitely enlarged , and many of us , once well contented to be of the middle rank , as Cowper , and the Unwins , and all their society us . felt themselves to be , claim the honours xviii PREFACE .
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Common terms and phrases
bard beauty beneath birds Book breath charms Cowper dear death delight distant divine dream earth ease Edmonton fair faith fame fancy farewell fast fear feel flower gentle Gilpin GLOWWORM grace Greece half happy heard heart Heaven hope hopes and fears hour human John Gilpin king knew knows labour land landscape light Lord lost lurcher lyre Mary mind muse Naiads nature never nose o'er Olney once Ouse pain peace perhaps play pleasure poet poet's poetry poor postboy praise rapture scene scorn seems shade shine shrubs sigh sight silent skies slaves smile song soon sorrow soul sound SPANIEL sublime sweet Task tears tempest thee theme thine thou art thought toil tongue touch true truth Twas verse WARREN HASTINGS whate'er wind winter worth youth
Popular passages
Page 220 - With all her crew complete. Toll for the brave ! Brave Kempenfelt is gone; His last sea-fight is fought, His work of glory done. It was not in the battle; No tempest gave the shock ; She sprang no fatal leak, She ran upon no rock. His sword was in its sheath, His fingers held the pen, When Kempenfelt went down With twice four hundred men.
Page 26 - Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat, To peep at such a world ; to see the stir Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd ; To hear the roar she sends through all her gates At a safe distance, where the dying sound Falls a soft murmur on th
Page 170 - So, Fair and softly ! John he cried ; But John he cried in vain, That trot became a gallop soon, In spite of curb and rein.
Page 158 - GOD moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace ; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will...
Page 131 - Be it a weakness, it deserves some praise, We love the playplace of our early days ; The scene is touching, and the heart is stone That feels not at that sight, and feels at none.
Page 82 - I would not have a slave to till my ground, To carry me, to fan me while I sleep, And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth That sinews bought and sold have ever earn'd.
Page 81 - OH for a lodge in some vast wilderness, Some boundless contiguity of shade, Where rumour of oppression and deceit, Of unsuccessful or successful war Might never reach me more...
Page 169 - Although it grieved him sore, Yet loss of pence, full well he knew, Would trouble him much more. 'Twas long before the customers Were suited to their mind, When Betty, screaming, came down stairs, The wine is left behind ! Good lack ! quoth he — yet bring it me, My leathern belt likewise, In which I bear my trusty sword, When I do exercise.
Page 139 - The Lord of all, himself through all diffused, Sustains, and is the life of all that lives. Nature is but a name for an effect, Whose cause is God.
Page 167 - Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, "Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years, yet we No holiday have seen. " To-morrow is our wedding-day, And we will then repair Unto the Bell at Edmonton, All in a chaise and pair.