The New Oxford Book of Eighteenth Century VerseRoger H. Lonsdale, Roger Lonsdale Oxford University Press, 1984 - 870 pages Anthologies of eighteenth-century verse have tended to confirm traditional notions of the period as one of untroubled elegance, urbanity, and decorum. Offering over 550 poems and extracts by more than 250 poets, The New Oxford Book of Eighteenth-Century Verse presents a truer picture of this age as a much less stable and decorous time. This extraordinarily comprehensive volume includes not only a generous selection of verse by such renowned poets as Swift, Pope, Johnson, Gray, Smart, Goldsmith, Cowper, Blake, and Burns, but also a large number of poems by lesser-known and previously ignored poets. Intermixing the familiar styles and preoccupations of "polite" taste with much less familiar verse from all social levels, it reveals the willingness of the century's poets to respond graphically, humorously, or unconventionally to all aspects of rural and urban life. Topics range from golf and hypnotism to amorous adventure and marital discord, from growing sensitivity to natural beauty to fear of the effects of the Industrial Revolution, and from the anguish of poverty and unemployment to animated political exchanges in the wake of the French Revolution. Taken together, these poems reveal that both unpredictability and familiarity played as significant a role as Augustan reason played in the world of eighteenth-century poetry. The anthology also includes a helpful introduction, notes, and a glossary. |
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Page 190
... Shine out distinct adown the watry bow ; While o'er our heads the dewy vision bends Delightful , melting on the fields beneath . Myriads of mingling dyes from these result , And myriads still remain - infinite source Of beauty , ever ...
... Shine out distinct adown the watry bow ; While o'er our heads the dewy vision bends Delightful , melting on the fields beneath . Myriads of mingling dyes from these result , And myriads still remain - infinite source Of beauty , ever ...
Page 317
... shine , evaporate and fall . On ev'ry stage the foes of peace attend , Hate dogs their flight , and insult mocks their end . Love ends with hope , the sinking statesman's door Pours in the morning worshipper no more ; For growing names ...
... shine , evaporate and fall . On ev'ry stage the foes of peace attend , Hate dogs their flight , and insult mocks their end . Love ends with hope , the sinking statesman's door Pours in the morning worshipper no more ; For growing names ...
Page 341
... shine in compliment to George all night , But that by heav'n's Eternal Lord he's bound To walk the world with restless circuits round . Since he's thus destined , let the god be gone ; We'll strive to emulate the flaming sun . Nay , we ...
... shine in compliment to George all night , But that by heav'n's Eternal Lord he's bound To walk the world with restless circuits round . Since he's thus destined , let the god be gone ; We'll strive to emulate the flaming sun . Nay , we ...
Contents
JOHN POMFRET 16671702 | 1 |
THOMAS DURFEY 16531723 | 5 |
JOHN PHILIPS 16761709 | 6 |
Copyright | |
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appear arms bear beauty beneath better bless breath charms comes cried dead dear death delight dread earth ev'ry eyes face fair fall fate fear fire flow give grace green half hand happy head hear heart heav'n hope hour kind learned leave light live look Lord lost mind morning Muse nature ne'er never night o'er once pain pass passion plain play pleasing pleasure poets poor pride reason rest rise round rules scene seen sense shade shine side sight sing soft song soon soul sound spring stand sure sweet tear tell thee things thou thought town true turn verse wife wild wind wish