The Works of the English Poets: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, Volume 38

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H. Hughs, 1779

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Page 275 - the latter, where we find not an antiquated, affefted, or uncouth word, for fome hundred lines together; as in his fifth book, the latter part of the eighth, the former of the tenth and eleventh books, and in the narration of Michael in the twelfth. I wonder indeed that he, who ventured (contrary to the
Page 103 - knew,, and ftrove to meet; In vain he ftrove to crawl, and kifs his feet; Yet (all he could) his tail, his ears, his eyes, Salute his mafter, and confefs his joys. Soft pity touch'd the mighty
Page 51 - in better days, by Helen wove : Safe in thy mother's care the vefture lay, 14.0 To deck thy bride, and grace thy nuptial day. Meantime may'ft thou with happieft fpeed regain Thy ftately palace, and thy wide domain. She faid, and gave the veil; with grateful look The prince the variegated
Page 269 - is ufmg a vaft force to lift a feather. I believe, now I am upon this head, it will be found a juft obfervation, That the low aftions of life cannot be put into a figurative ftyle, without being ridiculous ; but things natural can' Metaphors raif'e the latter into dignity, as we fee in the
Page 258 - on thy immortal brow. Thus when thy draughts, O Raphael! time invades, And the bold figure from the canvas fades, A rival hand recalls from every part Some latent grace, and equals art with art : Tranfported we furvey the dubious ftrife, While each fair image ftarts again to life. How long,
Page 264 - are ill invented, or ill executed. He affirms it to be nice and particular in painting the manners, but not that thofe manners are ill painted. If Homer has fully in thefe points accomplifhed his own defign, and done all that the nature of his poem demanded or allowed, it
Page 60 - thou (he cries) haft felt The fpite of fortune too ! her cruel hand 410 Snatch'd thee an infant from thy native land ! Snatch'd from thy parents' arms, thy parents' eyes, To early wants! a man of miferies ! Thy whole fad ftory, from its firft, declare : Sunk the fair city by the rage of war,
Page 42 - The morn confpicuous on her golden throne. 570 Oh, were my ftrength as then, as then my age! Some friend would fence me from the winter's rage. Yet, tatter'd as I look, I challeng'd then The honours and the offices of men : Some mafter, or fome fervant, would allow 575 A cloak and
Page 267 - find in each the fame vivacity and fecundity of invention, the fame life and ftrength of imaging and colouring, the particular defcriptions as highly painted, the figures as bold, the metaphors as animated, and the numbers as harmonious, and as various. The Odyfley is a perpetual fource of poetry: the
Page 284 - we have at leaft none of the blafphemers of Homer. We fteadfaftly and unanimoufly believe, both his poem, and our conftitution, to be the beft that ever human wit invented : that the one is not more incapable of amendment than the other; and (old as they both are) we

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