The Works of the English Poets: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, 53–54. köide

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Samuel Johnson
C. Bathurst, 1779

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Page 4 - But transient is the smile of Fate ! A little rule, a little sway, A sunbeam in a winter's day, Is all the proud and mighty have Between the cradle and the grave.
Page 6 - I lie ; While the wanton Zephyr sings. And in the vale perfumes his wings ; While the waters murmur deep ; While the shepherd charms his sheep; While the birds unbounded fly, And with music fill the sky, Now, ev'n now. my joys run high.
Page 160 - Alas ! from the day that we met What hope of an end to my woes ? When I cannot endure to forget The glance that undid my repose. Yet time may diminish the pain : The flower, and the shrub, and the tree, Which I rear'd for her pleasure in vain, In time may have comfort for me.
Page 158 - Thus glide the foft numbers along, And he fancies no fhepherd his peer ; Yet I never mould envy the fong, Were not PHYLLIS to lend it an ear. Let his crook be with hyacinths bound, So PHYLLIS the trophy defpife ; Let his forehead with laurels be crown'd, So they fhine not in PHYLLIS'S eyes.
Page 155 - Not a pine in my grove is there seen, But with tendrils of woodbine is bound; Not a beech's more beautiful green. But a sweet-briar entwines it around. Not my fields in the prime of the year, More charms than my cattle unfold; Not a brook that is limpid and clear, But it glitters with fishes of gold.
Page 158 - Tis his with mock passion to glow, Tis his in smooth tales to unfold, " How her face is as bright as the snow, And her bosom, be sure, is as cold. How the nightingales labour the strain, With the notes of his charmer to vie; How they vary their accents in vain, Repine at her triumphs, and die.
Page 34 - Not fcience fhall extort that dear delight, Which gay delufion gave the tender mind. Adieu foft raptures ! tranfports void of care ! Parent of raptures, dear deceit, adieu! And you, her daughters, pining with defpair, Why, why fo foon her fleeting fteps purfue ! Tedious again to curfe the...
Page 287 - Twas her own country bred the flock so fair; 'Twas her own labour did the fleece prepare...
Page 160 - CORYDON'S theme : High tranfports are fhewn to the fight, But we are not to find them our own ; Fate never beftow'd fuch delight, As I with my PHYLLIS had known.
Page 287 - Goody, good-woman, gossip, n'aunt, forsooth, Or dame, the sole additions she did hear; Yet these she challenged, these she held right dear ; Ne would esteem him act as mought behove Who should not honour'd eld with these revere ; For never title yet so mean could prove, But there was eke a mind which did that title love.

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