Poetry Explained for the Use of Young PeopleJ. Johnson, 72, St. Paul's Churchyard., 1802 - 115 pages |
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Page v
... obscurity , and they are inclined to venerate whatever is obscure , as if it were necessarily sublime . Not only children , but poets themselves , are inclined to this mistake . Gray says , that the language of the age is never the ...
... obscurity , and they are inclined to venerate whatever is obscure , as if it were necessarily sublime . Not only children , but poets themselves , are inclined to this mistake . Gray says , that the language of the age is never the ...
Page 17
... obscure ; Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile , The short and simple annals of the poor . The words " ambition , " and " grandeur , " are here used to express those persons who are am- bitious , and those who are fond of grandeur ...
... obscure ; Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile , The short and simple annals of the poor . The words " ambition , " and " grandeur , " are here used to express those persons who are am- bitious , and those who are fond of grandeur ...
Page 19
... , but to the stanza preceding it . Had the place of the 10th and 11th stanzas been changed , the sense would be clearer . Gray seems to affect obscurity in many of his poems . 1 . * ་ ། XII . " Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid 19.
... , but to the stanza preceding it . Had the place of the 10th and 11th stanzas been changed , the sense would be clearer . Gray seems to affect obscurity in many of his poems . 1 . * ་ ། XII . " Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid 19.
Page 20
... obscurity , only for want of cultivation , or of an opportunity of exerting themselves . Wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre . - The lyre is used metaphorically for poetry : true poetry re- presents human passions and feelings as they ...
... obscurity , only for want of cultivation , or of an opportunity of exerting themselves . Wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre . - The lyre is used metaphorically for poetry : true poetry re- presents human passions and feelings as they ...
Page 23
... obscurity not only circumscribed or confined the extent of their virtues , but also prevented their committing such great crimes as are the consequences of ambition . Shut the gates of mercy on mankind . In the scriptures , opening and ...
... obscurity not only circumscribed or confined the extent of their virtues , but also prevented their committing such great crimes as are the consequences of ambition . Shut the gates of mercy on mankind . In the scriptures , opening and ...
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Academus allusion ancient appear beautiful bell Ben Jonson bird blood bold Bridewell Hospital called Cambuscan Canace catachresis chariot cheerful chief justice churchyard clouds cock colours Cypress Danger darkness death drowsy epithets Euridice eyes fairies father favourite Fear figures fire fold formerly ghosts goblins goddess Gray groves Harvard College hath hear Heaven Henry honour JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL king's bench kynge L'Allegro lawn laws lines live melancholy metaphor metonymy Milton mind Mirth moon morning muses night nymph obscure Orpheus passions Pelops Penseroso person Plato pleasures Pluto poem poet poet means poetic poetry prince properly means prose represented robes says seems shade Shakspeare shroud sing sleep smiles solemn sometimes soul sound speak spirit stanza stream Styx supposed sweet sword thee thing and means thou art tide of blood tion trophies unseen verse walks whilst wild wind wood word young readers youth
Popular passages
Page 77 - And may at last my weary age Find out the peaceful hermitage, The hairy gown and mossy cell Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew ; Till old experience do attain To something like prophetic strain.
Page 50 - Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys! Dwell in some idle brain, And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess, As thick and numberless As the gay motes that people the sun-beams, Or likest hovering dreams, The fickle pensioners of Morpheus
Page 71 - And, when the sun begins to fling His flaring beams, me, Goddess, bring, To arched walks of twilight groves, And shadows brown, that Sylvan loves, Of pine, or monumental oak, Where the rude axe, with heaved stroke, Was never heard the nymphs to daunt, Or fright them from their hallowed haunt.
Page 66 - Such notes as, warbled to the string, Drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek, And made hell grant what love did seek. Or call up him that left half told The story of Cambuscan bold...
Page 46 - And ever, against eating cares, Lap me in soft Lydian airs, Married to immortal verse, Such as the meeting soul may pierce In notes, with many a winding bout Of link-ed sweetness long drawn out, With wanton heed, and giddy cunning, The melting voice through mazes running ; Untwisting all the chains that tie The hidden soul of Harmony : That Orpheus...
Page 39 - Sometimes, with secure delight, The upland hamlets will invite, When the merry bells ring round, And the jocund rebecks sound To many a youth and many a maid Dancing in the chequered shade...
Page 34 - Through the high wood echoing shrill : Sometime walking not unseen By hedgerow elms, on hillocks green, Right against the eastern gate, Where the great Sun begins his state, Robed in flames, and amber light, The clouds in thousand liveries dight...
Page 30 - Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee Jest, and youthful Jollity, Quips, and cranks,* and wanton* wiles, Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles, Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, And love to live in dimple sleek; Sport that wrinkled Care derides, And Laughter holding both his sides.
Page 75 - With antique pillars massy proof, And storied windows richly dight, Casting a dim religious light. There let the pealing organ blow, To the full-voiced quire below, In service high and anthems clear, As may with sweetness, through mine ear, Dissolve me into ecstasies, And bring all Heaven before mine eyes.
Page 55 - There, held in holy passion still, Forget thyself to marble, till With a sad leaden downward cast Thou fix them on the earth as fast: And join with thee calm Peace, and Quiet, Spare Fast, that oft with gods doth diet, And hears the Muses in a ring Aye round about Jove's altar sing...