Poems; to which is prefixed a memoir of the author by J. M'DiarmidOliver & Boyd, 1837 - 514 pages |
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Page 5
... hand , it occurred to me , that the bulkiness and ex- pense of that gentleman's work rendered it in a great measure inaccessible to ordinary readers ; and that , instead of a condensed and connected view of the life and character of the ...
... hand , it occurred to me , that the bulkiness and ex- pense of that gentleman's work rendered it in a great measure inaccessible to ordinary readers ; and that , instead of a condensed and connected view of the life and character of the ...
Page 22
... hand it may be said , that the art of compos- ing well - an art which certainly does not come by instinct - requires of itself a very long apprenticeship , and it is probable that in forming his taste , Cowper , like every man of genius ...
... hand it may be said , that the art of compos- ing well - an art which certainly does not come by instinct - requires of itself a very long apprenticeship , and it is probable that in forming his taste , Cowper , like every man of genius ...
Page 33
... hand , his friend would soon be at his bedside impatient to hurry him away to Westminster . But the sequel to this most distressing portion of his personal history must be given in his own graphic words : " I arose , and , as I thought ...
... hand , his friend would soon be at his bedside impatient to hurry him away to Westminster . But the sequel to this most distressing portion of his personal history must be given in his own graphic words : " I arose , and , as I thought ...
Page 45
... hand showed no more prognostics of futurity . " These prognostications appear to have made a deep impression on the mind of Cowper's brother ; and as circumstances occur- red which gave to them a colouring of truth , his last illness ...
... hand showed no more prognostics of futurity . " These prognostications appear to have made a deep impression on the mind of Cowper's brother ; and as circumstances occur- red which gave to them a colouring of truth , his last illness ...
Page 48
... hand with smoke . I must do with it as I do with my linnet : I keep him for the most part in a cage , but now and then set open the door , that he may whisk about the room a little , and then shut him up again . My whisking wit has pro ...
... hand with smoke . I must do with it as I do with my linnet : I keep him for the most part in a cage , but now and then set open the door , that he may whisk about the room a little , and then shut him up again . My whisking wit has pro ...
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Common terms and phrases
Alloway Kirk beauty beneath bids blank verse blest boast breath call'd cause charms Cowper dæmons delight design'd divine dread dream e'en earth ease ev'ry eyes fair fame fancy fear feel flow'rs folly form'd frown genius give glory grace hand happy hast Hayley heard heart Heav'n heav'nly Hertfordshire honour hope hour House of Peers Iliad John Gilpin John Throckmorton labour Lady land light lov'd lyre mercy mind muse nature Nebaioth never o'er Olney once pain peace perhaps pleasure poem poet poet's pow'r praise pray'r pride proud prove rude sacred scene scorn seem'd seems shine sight skies smile song soon soul sound Stamp'd stream sweet task taste telescopic eye thee theme thine things thou thought toil tongue truth Twas Unwin verse VINCENT BOURNE virtue waste WILLIAM COWPER wind wisdom worth youth
Popular passages
Page 496 - GOD moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace ; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
Page 89 - Twas my distress that brought thee low, My Mary ! Thy needles, once a shining store, For my sake restless heretofore, Now rust disused, and shine no more ; My Mary...
Page 380 - One song employs all nations ; and all cry " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us-! " The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks Shout to each other, and the mountain tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy ; Till, nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.
Page 89 - Thy indistinct expressions seem Like language uttered in a dream; Yet me they charm, whate'er the theme, My Mary ! Thy silver locks, once auburn bright, Are still more lovely in my sight Than golden beams of orient light, My Mary! For could I view nor them nor thee, What sight worth seeing could I see ? The sun would rise in vain for me, My Mary! Partakers of thy sad decline, Thy hands their little force resign; Yet gently prest, press gently mine, My Mary!
Page 256 - Of neighbouring fountain, or of rills that slip Through the cleft rock, and, chiming as they fall Upon loose pebbles, lose themselves at length In matted grass, that with a livelier green Betrays the secret of their silent course.
Page 466 - What news? what news? your tidings tell ; Tell me you must and shall — Say why bareheaded you are come, " Or why you come at all ?" Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit, And loved a timely joke ; And thus unto the calender In merry guise he spoke : "I came because your horse would come, And, if I well forebode, My hat and wig will soon be here, — • They are upon the road.
Page 91 - Nor, cruel as it seemed, could he Their haste himself condemn, Aware that flight, in such a sea, Alone could rescue them; Yet bitter felt it still to die Deserted, and his friends so nigh. He long survives, who lives an hour In ocean, self-upheld; And so long he, with unspent power, His destiny repelled; And ever, as the minutes flew, Entreated help, or cried 'Adieu...
Page 281 - Like whom ? The things that mount the rostrum with a skip, And then skip down again ; pronounce a text; Cry — hem; and reading what they never wrote, Just fifteen minutes, huddle up their work, And with a well-bred whisper close the scene...
Page 416 - I AM monarch of all I survey, My right there is none to dispute ; From the centre all round to the sea, I am lord of the fowl and the brute.
Page 508 - I kept him for his humour's sake, For he would oft beguile My heart of thoughts that made it ache, And force me to a smile.