The Masters of English Literature |
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Page viii
... way of criticism or biographical narrative is designed to awaken interest , and to send the reader to those masters of the literature of whom he has learnt enough to wish to learn more . Quotation , in many cases copious viii PREFACE.
... way of criticism or biographical narrative is designed to awaken interest , and to send the reader to those masters of the literature of whom he has learnt enough to wish to learn more . Quotation , in many cases copious viii PREFACE.
Page 12
... interest of jollity . It is this framework that keeps the Canterbury Tales im- perishable , for in it Chaucer is entirely himself , unhampered by any convention : and its realism makes an admirable foil to the quaint and cere- monious ...
... interest of jollity . It is this framework that keeps the Canterbury Tales im- perishable , for in it Chaucer is entirely himself , unhampered by any convention : and its realism makes an admirable foil to the quaint and cere- monious ...
Page 33
... interest in this world and this life far more than in the next : and men and women soon banished abstractions from the stage . But the theatre retained the simple character of the religious performances . Sidney in his Defence of Poesie ...
... interest in this world and this life far more than in the next : and men and women soon banished abstractions from the stage . But the theatre retained the simple character of the religious performances . Sidney in his Defence of Poesie ...
Page 35
... than the fire and force which sustain this drama of rhetoric without humour , without action , and without love interest . It is the presentment of a world - conqueror's lust for power , and in scene after scene king opposes king SPENSER ...
... than the fire and force which sustain this drama of rhetoric without humour , without action , and without love interest . It is the presentment of a world - conqueror's lust for power , and in scene after scene king opposes king SPENSER ...
Page 44
... interest in avoiding publication . For it must be understood that in Shakespeare's day the stage covered the whole ground now filled by the theatre , the music - hall , and the novel . People came to the play , as now , to see and hear ...
... interest in avoiding publication . For it must be understood that in Shakespeare's day the stage covered the whole ground now filled by the theatre , the music - hall , and the novel . People came to the play , as now , to see and hear ...
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Common terms and phrases
admirable ballad beauty Ben Jonson blank verse Bonny Dundee born Burns Byron Canterbury Tales century character charm Chaucer chronicle plays colour comedy contemporary couplet criticism death describes Dickens drama Dryden England English literature essays expression eyes Faerie Queene Falstaff fame famous genius heart heaven honour Hudibras human humour Johnson Keats King lady later less lines literary living London Lord lyric Lyrical Ballads master metre Milton mind narrative nature never night novel o'er Paradise Lost Paradise Regained passage passion perhaps persons play poem poet poetry Pope prose published reader rhyme satire Scott sense Shakespeare Shelley song sonnets Spenser spirit stanzas story style sweet Swift tale Tamburlaine tell thee Theseus things thou thought tragedy Troilus and Cressida truth uncle Toby verse whole woman words Wordsworth writing written wrote young
Popular passages
Page 181 - Peace to all such ! but were there one whose fires True genius kindles, and fair fame inspires; Blest with each talent and each art to please, And born to write, converse, and live with ease; Should such a man, too fond to rule alone, Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne...
Page 145 - Bacchus' blessings are a treasure; Drinking is the soldier's pleasure: Rich the treasure; Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure after pain! Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again : And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain!
Page 272 - Piping down the valleys wild, Piping songs of pleasant glee, On a cloud I saw a child, And he laughing said to me: "Pipe a song about a Lamb!' So I piped with merry cheer. 'Piper, pipe that song again;
Page 332 - Of towns and cities, I have owed to them, In hours of weariness, sensations sweet, Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart; And passing even into my purer mind, With tranquil restoration ; — feelings too...
Page 181 - Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault and hesitate dislike...
Page 332 - But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din Of towns and cities, I have owed to them In hours of weariness, sensations sweet, Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart; And passing even into my purer mind. With tranquil restoration...
Page 369 - That Light whose smile kindles the Universe, That Beauty in which all things work and move, That Benediction which the eclipsing Curse Of birth can quench not, that sustaining Love Which through the web of being blindly wove By man and beast and earth and air and sea, Burns bright or dim, as each are mirrors of The fire for which all thirst, now beams on me, Consuming the last clouds of cold mortality...
Page 243 - Here Reynolds is laid, and to tell you my mind, He has not left a wiser or better behind : His pencil was striking, resistless, and grand : His manners were gentle, complying, and bland ; Still born to improve us in every part, His pencil our faces, his manners our heart...
Page 135 - For his religion, it was fit To match his learning and his wit : 'Twas Presbyterian true blue, For he was of that stubborn crew Of errant saints, whom all men grant To be the true church militant ; Such as do build their faith upon The holy text of pike and gun ; Decide all controversies by Infallible artillery ; And prove their doctrine orthodox By apostolic blows and knocks...
Page 349 - It ceased; yet still the sails made on A pleasant noise till noon, A noise like of a hidden brook In the leafy month of June, That to the sleeping woods all night Singeth a quiet tune.