 | James Hay - 1884 - 400 pages
...they were too fine for such a poem — a poem on what ? " Why," said JOHNSON, " on dunces, to be sure. It was worth while being a dunce then. Ah, sir, had'st thou lived in those days." One evening in the Mitre, said Boswell — " Sometimes I have been in the humour of wishing to retire... | |
 | James Boswell - 1887 - 522 pages
...lines, one of the company3 ventured to say, 'Too fine for such a poem: — a poem on what?' JOHNSON, (with a disdainful look,) 'Why, on dunces. It was...not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits4.' Bickerstaff observed, as a peculiar circumstance, that Pope's fame was higher when he was alive... | |
 | James Boswell - 1889 - 494 pages
...lines, one of the company ventured to say, " Too Gne for such a poem : — a poem on what ?" JOHNSON, (with a disdainful look), " Why on dunces. It was...Sir, hadst thou lived in those days.' It is not worth 1 " Lo ! thy dead empire, Chaos ! la restored ; Light dies before thy uncreatlng word : Thy hand, great... | |
 | James Boswell - 1889 - 454 pages
...lines, one of the company ventured to say, " Too fine for such a poem : — a poem on what ? " JOHNSON (with a, disdainful look), "Why, on dunces. It was...dunce then. Ah, Sir, hadst thou lived in those days ! 2 It is not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits." Bickerstaff observed, as a peculiar... | |
 | James Boswell - 1890 - 568 pages
...lines, one of the company ventured to say, " Too fine for such a poem ; — a poem on what? " JOHNSON (with a disdainful look) : " Why, on dunces. It was worth while being a dunce then. Ah, Sir, hadst i/tcu Jived in those days ! It is not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits." Bickerstaff... | |
 | John Forster - 1871 - 544 pages
...from himself, the host and entertainer), " Too fine for such a poem :— a poem on what ? " JOHNSON- (with a disdainful look), " Why, on Dunces. It was worth while being л " dunce then. Ah, sir, hadst thou lived in those days ! It is not worth while being " a dunce now,... | |
 | James Hay - 1891 - 390 pages
...one of the company ventured to say : " Too fine for such a poem." " A poem on what ?" said Johnson, with a disdainful look. " Why, on dunces." " It was...while being a dunce now, when there are no wits."* Swift had written the great prose Dunciad, the " Tale of a Tub," and suggests to Pope that he should... | |
 | James Hay - 1891 - 392 pages
...one of the company ventured to say : " Too fine for such a poem." " A poem on what ?" said Johnson, with a disdainful look. " Why, on dunces." " It was...dunce then." " Ah, sir, hadst thou lived in those days I It is not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits."* Swift had written the great prose... | |
 | Percy Fitzgerald - 1891 - 376 pages
...concluding lines of the ' Dunciad ' were ' too fine for such a poem — a poem on what ? ' JOHNSOX (with a disdainful look). ' Why, on dunces. It was...dunce then. Ah, sir, hadst thou lived in those days ! ' " This was actually at BoswelTs own table. We may wonder if it ever occurred to him that those... | |
 | Percy Fitzgerald - 1891 - 320 pages
...that the concluding lines of the ' Dunciad' were' too fine for such a poem—a poem on what ?' JOHNSON (with a disdainful look). ' Why, on dunces. It was...dunce then. Ah, sir, hadst thou lived in those days!'" This was actually at Boswell's own table. We may wonder if it ever occurred to him that those who had... | |
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JOHNSON, (with a disdainful look,) ' Why, on dunces. It was worth while being a dunce then. Ah, Sir, hadst thou lived in those days ! It is not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits. 
