Anecdotes of Polite Literature ...G. Burnet, 1764 |
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Page 3
... nius , such as Homer and Virgil , Cicero and Livy ; and we oftener meet with mediocrity of style than moderate inven- tion . As fome writers compose well , and think ill ; so others think well , but cannot express themselves elegant- ly ...
... nius , such as Homer and Virgil , Cicero and Livy ; and we oftener meet with mediocrity of style than moderate inven- tion . As fome writers compose well , and think ill ; so others think well , but cannot express themselves elegant- ly ...
Page 5
... nius . An elegant style pleases , and by that means prevents us from reflecting with attention on the thoughts ; but when we consider them at a second reading , when we are not warmed by the expref- sion , we then see their excellencies ...
... nius . An elegant style pleases , and by that means prevents us from reflecting with attention on the thoughts ; but when we consider them at a second reading , when we are not warmed by the expref- sion , we then see their excellencies ...
Page 13
... nius does not difcover itself only in poets , generals , or statesmen ; professions much inferior , although they don't require a ge nius to carry them on , yet are sufficient to discover one . I have already faid , that invention is ...
... nius does not difcover itself only in poets , generals , or statesmen ; professions much inferior , although they don't require a ge nius to carry them on , yet are sufficient to discover one . I have already faid , that invention is ...
Page 14
... nius . Talents indeed are sometimes so pecu- liarly adapted to particular professions , that those who possess them will never make the least figure out of the road for which nature designed them ; but then if the bent of their genius ...
... nius . Talents indeed are sometimes so pecu- liarly adapted to particular professions , that those who possess them will never make the least figure out of the road for which nature designed them ; but then if the bent of their genius ...
Page 34
... nius , merely by one's feeling . - Give me one noble flight of an irregular genius , * The philofophical spirit , says the Abbé du Bos , which is nothing but reason strengthened by expe- rience , whereof the name alone would be new to ...
... nius , merely by one's feeling . - Give me one noble flight of an irregular genius , * The philofophical spirit , says the Abbé du Bos , which is nothing but reason strengthened by expe- rience , whereof the name alone would be new to ...
Common terms and phrases
action Addiſon admire Æneid almoſt alſo antients Arioſto beauties beſt Boſſu c'eſt Camoens cauſe Chriſtians compoſed compoſition criticism defects deſcription deſerves deſign diſcover diſplay elegant enthuſiaſm epic poem epic poetry epiſode Eſſais ſur eſt excellent expreſſive fable fame fect firſt fome fublime fuch genius Gierufalemme Henriade hero Homer Iliad imagination inſtances inſtruction intereſt itſelf juſt juſtly leaſt Leonidas leſs Loft Milton Monf moſt muſic muſt nature nius noble numbers obſerved ouvrages paffions painting Paradife paſſages paſſions perſon Pindar pleaſing pleaſure Poeme Epique poet poetic poetry praiſe preſent profeſſion qu'il reader reaſon reſpect reſt ſame ſays ſcene ſcience ſenſibility ſentiments ſes ſeveral ſhall ſhew ſhine ſhould ſome ſometimes ſon ſpeak ſpecies ſpeeches ſpirit ſtanza ſtill ſtory ſtrain ſtrokes ſtudy ſtyle ſubject ſuch ſufficient ſuperior Taſſo taſte theſe thoſe tion tout tranſported univerſal uſe vaſt verſe Virgil Voltaire whoſe wrote δὲ κὶ
Popular passages
Page 173 - This pencil take (she said) whose colours clear Richly paint the vernal year : Thine, too, these golden keys, immortal Boy ! This can unlock the gates of Joy ; Of Horror that, and thrilling Fears, Or ope the sacred source of sympathetic Tears.
Page 117 - As when far off at sea a fleet descried Hangs in the clouds, by equinoctial winds Close sailing from Bengala, or the isles Of Ternate and Tidore, whence merchants bring Their spicy drugs ; they, on the trading flood, Through the wide Ethiopian to the cape, Ply stemming nightly toward the pole : so seemed Far off the flying fiend.
Page 172 - In flower of youth and beauty's pride. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair...
Page 184 - Thy banks ? — alas, is this the boafted fcene, This dreary, wide, uncultivated plain, Where fick'ning Nature wears a fainter green, And Defolation fpreads her torpid reign ? Is this the fcene where Freedom breath'd, Her copious horn where Plenty wreath'd. And health at opening day Bade all her rofeate breezes fly, To wake the fons of Induftry, And make their fields more gay?
Page 84 - Every one has something so singularly his own that no painter could have distinguished them more by their features than the poet has by their manners.
Page 116 - Phlegra with the heroic race were join'd That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each side...
Page 177 - Can Music's voice, can Beauty's eye, Can Painting's glowing hand supply A charm so suited to my mind, As blows this hollow gust of wind, As drops this little weeping rill Soft tinkling down the moss-grown hill, While through the west, where sinks the crimson day, Meek Twilight slowly sails, and waves her banners gray?
Page 112 - Ethereal Powers And Spirits, both them who stood and them who faild; Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. Not free, what proof could they have givn sincere Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love, Where only what they needs must do, appeard, Not what they would?
Page 174 - Yet shall he mount, and keep his distant way Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate ; Beneath the good how far — but far above the great ! ODE VI.
Page 152 - They may be of fome ufe to the lower rank of writers ; but an author of genius has much finer materials of Nature's production, for elevating his fubject, and making it interefting.