Category: Biographies
THIS volume contains a record of twenty lives, of which only one—that of Edward Young—is treated at length. It completes our edition of Johnson’s Lives of the Poets, from which a few only of the briefest and least important have been omitted.
The pleasure of Shenstone was all in his eye; he valued what he valued merely for its looks. Nothing raised his indignation more than to ask if there were any fishes in his wate...
10. Chapter 10In 1734 he published “The Foreign Address, or the best Argument for Peace, occasioned by the British Fleet and the Posture of Affairs. Written in the Character of a Sailor.” It...
4. Chapter 4“Dione” is a counterpart to “Amynta” and “Pastor Fido” and other trifles of the same kind, easily imitated, and unworthy of imitation. What the Italians call comedies from a hap...
9. Chapter 9To the Dean of Sarum’s visitation sermon, already mentioned, were added some verses “by that excellent poetess, Mrs. Anne Wharton,” upon its being translated into English, at th...
7. Chapter 7Soon afterwards he married, and settled himself in a very pleasant house at Wickham, in Kent, where he devoted himself to learning and to piety. Of his learning the late Collect...
12. Chapter 12He has the trick of joining the turgid and familiar: to buy the alliance of Britain, “Climes were paid down.” Antithesis is his favourite, “They for kindness hate:” and “because...
3. Chapter 3“Rowe, in Mr. Pope’s opinion, maintained a decent character, but had no heart. Mr. Addison was justly offended with some behaviour which arose from that want, and estranged hims...
5. Chapter 5The poem of “Liberty” does not now appear in its original state; but, when the author’s works were collected after his death, was shortened by Sir George Lyttelton, with a liber...
1. Chapter 1THIS volume contains a record of twenty lives, of which only one—that of Edward Young—is treated at length. It completes our edition of Johnson’s Lives of the Poets, from which...
11. Chapter 11The lively letter in prose, on “Original Composition,” addressed to Richardson, the author of “Clarissa,” appeared in 1759. Though he despairs “of breaking through the frozen ob...
13. Chapter 13THOMAS GRAY, the son of Mr. Philip Gray, a scrivener of London, was born in Cornhill, November 26, 1716. His grammatical education he received at Eton, under the care of Mr. Ant...
2. Chapter 2SAMUEL GARTH was of a good family in Yorkshire, and from some school in his own county became a student at Peter House, in Cambridge, where he resided till he became Doctor of P...
6. Chapter 6To stated and public instruction he added familiar visits and personal application, and was careful to improve the opportunities which conversation offered of diffusing and incr...
14. Chapter 14GEORGE LYTTELTON, the son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, of Hagley, in Worcestershire, was born in 1709. He was educated at Eton, where he was so much distinguished that his exercises...