English Poetry and Poets |
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Page 7
... learned and able work has been done by " my betters , " I have not hoped to excel ; but if I may help to foster a love and appreciation of the good and true in English verse , I shall have attained to my highest end and ambition ...
... learned and able work has been done by " my betters , " I have not hoped to excel ; but if I may help to foster a love and appreciation of the good and true in English verse , I shall have attained to my highest end and ambition ...
Page 20
... learned critic , " and better adapted to the in- creasing civility of the times , less horrible and gross , it had a novelty , variety , and magnificence unknown to the earlier Scaldic era ; and afterwards , enriched by kindred fancies ...
... learned critic , " and better adapted to the in- creasing civility of the times , less horrible and gross , it had a novelty , variety , and magnificence unknown to the earlier Scaldic era ; and afterwards , enriched by kindred fancies ...
Page 33
... learned any poetry ; so that he was frequently obliged to retire , in order to hide his shame , when the harp was moved toward him in the hall , where at supper it was customary for each person to sing in turn . On one of these ...
... learned any poetry ; so that he was frequently obliged to retire , in order to hide his shame , when the harp was moved toward him in the hall , where at supper it was customary for each person to sing in turn . On one of these ...
Page 34
... learned men of the place , he told his story , and they were all of opinion that he had received the gift of song from heaven . They then expounded to him in his mother tongue a portion of Scripture , which he was required to repeat in ...
... learned men of the place , he told his story , and they were all of opinion that he had received the gift of song from heaven . They then expounded to him in his mother tongue a portion of Scripture , which he was required to repeat in ...
Page 43
... learned . and elegant though at times tediously minute author , and adding from various sources whatever might seem to illustrate the subject . " The tournaments and carousals of our ancient princes , " he observes , " by forming splen ...
... learned . and elegant though at times tediously minute author , and adding from various sources whatever might seem to illustrate the subject . " The tournaments and carousals of our ancient princes , " he observes , " by forming splen ...
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Common terms and phrases
admiration ancient Anglo-Saxon ballads bard beauty Ben Jonson bonny mill-dams born Burns Cędmon century character Charles Lamb charms Chaucer Coleridge Coleridge's composition Comus conceived cotemporaries court critic death delight diction died divine doth drama dream Dryden elegance Elizabeth England English English language English poetry exquisite Faery Queen fair fancy father flowers genius grace hath heart heaven honor Hudibras humor imagination immortal Johnson King lady language Laodamia Leigh Hunt literary literature lived Lord mill-dams of Binnorie Milton mind minstrels moral Moral plays nature never night noble observed passion pathos Piers Ploughman plays poem poet poet's poetical poetry Pope popular pounds prose Protesilaus reign rhyme Roman says Scotland Scottish language sentiment Shakespeare sing song soul Southey Spenser spirit stanzas style sweet taste tender thee thou thought tion tragedy true verse versification Wordsworth writing wrote
Popular passages
Page 159 - Going to the Wars TELL me not, Sweet, I am unkind, That from the nunnery Of thy chaste breast, and quiet mind, To war and arms I fly. True; a new mistress now I chase, The first foe in the field; And with a stronger faith embrace A sword, a horse, a shield. Yet this inconstancy is such, As you too shall adore; I could not love thee, dear, so much, Loved I not honour more.
Page 247 - Wept o'er his wounds or tales of sorrow done, Shouldered his crutch and showed how fields were won. Pleased with his guests, the good man learned to glow, And quite forgot their vices in their woe; Careless their merits or their faults to scan, His pity gave ere charity began.
Page 191 - Can any mortal mixture of earth's mould Breathe such divine enchanting ravishment? Sure something holy lodges in that breast, And with these raptures moves the vocal air To testify his hidden residence. How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled...
Page 361 - Seemed to have known a better day; The harp, his sole remaining joy. Was carried by an orphan boy. The last of all the Bards was he. Who sung of Border chivalry: For, welladay!
Page 146 - Be not afeard ; the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears ; and sometime voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, Will make me sleep again : and then, in dreaming, The clouds methought would open, and show riches Ready to drop upon me ; that, when I wak'd, I cried to dream again.
Page 306 - The floating clouds their state shall lend To her; for her the willow bend; Nor shall she fail to see Even in the motions of the Storm Grace that shall mould the Maiden's form By silent sympathy. 'The stars of midnight shall be dear To her; and she shall lean her ear In many a secret place Where rivulets dance their wayward round, And beauty born of murmuring sound Shall pass into her face.
Page 131 - Some men with swords may reap the field, And plant fresh laurels where they kill: But their strong nerves at last must yield; They tame but one another still: Early or late They stoop to fate, And must give up their murmuring breath, When they, pale captives, creep to death.
Page 202 - Yet when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say, Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.
Page 171 - The thirsty earth soaks up the rain, And drinks, and gapes for drink again. The plants suck in the earth, and are With constant drinking fresh and fair.
Page 185 - I was confirmed in this opinion, that he who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well hereafter in laudable things ought himself to be a true poem...