The Book of Authors: A Collection of Criticisms, Ana, Môts, Personal Descriptions, Etc. Etc. Etc. Wholly Referring to English Men of Letters in Every Age of English Literature |
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Addison admiration affected appeared beautiful believe Bishop called character common conversation critic delight English equal excellent expression eyes face fancy feeling genius give given grace hand head heart honour human humour imagination interest John Johnson kind knew knowledge Lady language learned least less letters light lines literary lived look Lord manner master means mind moral nature never observed once opinion original passed passion perhaps person play poems poet poetry political Pope possessed praise present produced reason remarkable respect Review Scott seems seen sense Smith society sometimes speaking spirit strong style talents talked taste things Thomas thought tion took true truth turned verse whole wonderful writings written wrote young
Popular passages
Page 272 - Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much ; Who, born for the Universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind.
Page 146 - Blest with each talent and each art to please, And born to write, converse, and live with ease: Should such a man, too fond to rule alone, Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne...
Page 75 - A man so various that he seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome : Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts and nothing long ; But in the course of one revolving moon Was chymist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon ; Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking, Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking.
Page 29 - Many were the wit-combats betwixt him and Ben Jonson, which two I behold like a Spanish great galleon, and an English man-of-war ; Master Jonson (like the former) was built far higher in learning ; solid, but slow in his performances.
Page 112 - He, who still wanting, though he lives on theft, Steals much, spends little, yet has nothing left: And he, who now to sense, now nonsense leaning, Means not, but blunders round about a meaning...
Page 147 - Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault and hesitate dislike...
Page 453 - ... think of thee with many fears For what may be thy lot in future years. I thought of times when Pain might be thy guest, Lord of thy house and hospitality ; And Grief, uneasy lover ! never rest But when she sate within the touch of thee. O too industrious folly ! O vain and causeless melancholy ! Nature will either end thee quite : Or, lengthening out thy season of delight, Preserve for thee, by individual right, A young lamb's heart among the full-grown flocks.
Page 283 - Here Cumberland lies, having acted his parts, The Terence of England, the mender of hearts; A flattering painter, who made it his care To draw men as they ought to be, not as they are.
Page 229 - Here lies David Garrick, describe me who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man ; As an actor, confess'd without rival to shine : As a wit, if not first, in the very first line : Yet, with talents like these, and an excellent heart, The man had his failings, a dupe to his art.
Page 170 - After all this, it is surely superfluous to answer the question that has once been asked, Whether Pope was a poet ? otherwise than by asking in return, If Pope be not a poet, where is poetry to be found...