Letters on Literature, Taste, and Composition: Addressed to His Son, Volume 2Phillips, 1808 |
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Page 219
... tragedy . Both terms , however , imply an action , or story , or plot as it is sometimes called , and this constitutes the difference between plays and dialogues . Some of the pastorals of Theocritus and Virgil might be termed little ...
... tragedy . Both terms , however , imply an action , or story , or plot as it is sometimes called , and this constitutes the difference between plays and dialogues . Some of the pastorals of Theocritus and Virgil might be termed little ...
Page 227
... tragedy is designed to inspire . A stoic philosopher makes a bad hero of a tragedy . Dr. Blair is justly surprised that the antient critics have thought the play of Edipus the most proper subject of tragedy . Edipus kills his father ...
... tragedy is designed to inspire . A stoic philosopher makes a bad hero of a tragedy . Dr. Blair is justly surprised that the antient critics have thought the play of Edipus the most proper subject of tragedy . Edipus kills his father ...
Page 229
... tragedy of George Barnwell , and in one which , though inferior in merit is almost equal in moral utility , the Gamester . There is hardly any subject which can deeply interest the passions that is improper for tra- gedy . The antients ...
... tragedy of George Barnwell , and in one which , though inferior in merit is almost equal in moral utility , the Gamester . There is hardly any subject which can deeply interest the passions that is improper for tra- gedy . The antients ...
Page 232
... tragedy in rhyme can never interest , because it never can furnish any illusion , or make us for a moment forget the author and actors , and imagine it a reality . Our English blank verse approaches so near to prose , that , when well ...
... tragedy in rhyme can never interest , because it never can furnish any illusion , or make us for a moment forget the author and actors , and imagine it a reality . Our English blank verse approaches so near to prose , that , when well ...
Page 235
... tragedy . It may perhaps be affirmed that it is only on the English stage that a perfect tragedy is to be seen . It is there that we find the just DRAMATIC POETRY . 235.
... tragedy . It may perhaps be affirmed that it is only on the English stage that a perfect tragedy is to be seen . It is there that we find the just DRAMATIC POETRY . 235.
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Letters on Literature, Taste, and Composition, Addressed to His Son, Volume 2 G. 1754-1808 Gregory No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
action admired Æneid Æschylus antient Aristotle beautiful bound Cæsar cæsura character charm chiefly Cicero comedy composed composition critics DEAR JOHN didactic drama Dryden elegant elegy English epic poem epic poetry epigram epistles excellent fable fancy French genius Georgics Greek happily Herodotus historian Homer Horace Hudibras human Iliad imitation interesting Johnson kind language less letters lines literature lively Livy Lucan lyric lyric poetry manner Milton mind modern moral narrative nature nerally never observed original Othello passions pastoral perhaps person Pindar plot poet poetical poetry Pope Pope's prose quæ racters remark rhyme Roman Sallust satire scarcely scene sentiment Shakspeare song specimen spirit story style sublime syllables Tacitus taste Theocritus thing thou thought tion tragedy translation unity verse Virgil whole words writers Xenophon δε
Popular passages
Page 65 - WE were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish, if it were possible.
Page 167 - Who wickedly is wise, or madly brave, Is but the more a fool, the more a knave. Who noble ends by noble means obtains, Or failing, smiles in exile or in chains, Like good Aurelius let him reign, or bleed Like Socrates, that man is great indeed. What's fame? a fancied life in others' breath, A thing beyond us, ev'n before our death.
Page 90 - AWAKE, my St John ! leave all meaner things To low ambition, and the pride of kings. Let us (since life can little more supply Than just to look about us and to die...
Page 105 - O thou, that, with surpassing glory crown'd, Look'st from thy sole dominion, like the god Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars Hide their diminish'd heads ; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name, 0 sun ! to tell thee how I hate thy beams, That bring to my remembrance from what state 1 fell, how glorious once above thy sphere...
Page 166 - I'll tell you, friend! a wise man and a fool. You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk, Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk, Worth makes the man, and want of it, the fellow; The rest is all but leather or prunella.
Page 57 - His studies had been so various, that I am not able to name a man of equal knowledge. His acquaintance with books was great; and what he did not immediately know, he could at least tell where to find.
Page 166 - Go ! if your ancient, but ignoble blood Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood, Go ! and pretend your family is young, Nor own your fathers have been fools so long. What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards ? Alas ! not all the blood of all the Howards. Look next on greatness : say where greatness lies, Where, but among the heroes and the wise...
Page 168 - Csesar with a senate at his heels. In Parts superior what advantage lies? Tell (for You can) what is it to be wise? 'Tis but to know how little can be known; To see all others...
Page 167 - Is hung on high, to poison half mankind. All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart : One...
Page 195 - Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear : Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Some village- Hampden, that, with dauntless breast, The little tyrant of his fields withstood, Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood. Th...