English Writers: An Attempt Towards a History of English Literature, Volume 1Cassell, limited, 1887 - English literature |
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards ancient Aneurin Angles Anglo-Saxon ascribed bard battle Bede Beowulf Breca Britain Britons Cæsar called Cattraeth Celtic Celts century chief Christian coast court Cymry Cyndyllan Danes Danish death dragon Earle England English Erin father fierce fight Fionn fought fragments French Frisians Gael Gaelic Gaul gave German Gododin gold Goths Gregory of Tours Grein Grendel Grendel's mother hall hand Healfdene Hengest Heorot Heremod hero heroic Hnæf honour Hrothgar Hygd Hygelac Hyperboreans influence Ireland Irish island Italian Italy Jutes Jutland King land language Latin literature lived Llywarch lord mead mind neighbours night Offa Oisin poem poet poetry praise prince Professor Queen race Romans runes Saxons says Scandinavian Scyldings shield shore slain song spake spear stones story strife sword tale Taliesin Teutonic thane thee thou translation tribes Tuatha dé Danann Ulfilas Urien verse warriors words young
Popular passages
Page 114 - The appointed seat of equitable law And mild paternal sway. The potent shock I felt : the transformation I perceived, As marvellously seized as in that moment When, from the blind mist issuing, I beheld Glory — beyond all glory ever seen, Confusion infinite of heaven and earth, Dazzling the soul. Meanwhile, prophetic harps In every grove were ringing, ( War shall cease ; ' Did ye not hear that conquest is abjured ! ' Bring garlands, bring forth choicest flowers, to deck s The tree of Liberty.
Page 51 - Her voice was good, and the ditty fitted for it; it was that smooth song which was made by Kit Marlow, now at least fifty years ago; and the milkmaid's mother sung an answer to it, which was made by Sir Walter Raleigh, in his younger days.
Page 105 - As I am not at all disposed to be either so indulgent, or so correspondent, as they desire, I have but one bad way left to escape the honour they would inflict upon me ; and therefore am obliged to desire you would make Dodsley print it immediately (which may be done in less than a week's time) from your copy, but without my name...
Page 68 - Macbeth', which, though I saw it lately, yet appears a most excellent play in all respects, but especially in divertisement, though it be a deep tragedy; which is a strange perfection in a tragedy, it being most proper here, and suitable.
Page 68 - Dream, which I had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life.
Page 65 - I drink, I huff, I strut, look big and stare; And all this I can do, because I dare.
Page 83 - If one severe law were made and punctually executed, that whoever was found at a conventicle should be banished the nation and the preacher be hanged, we should soon see an end of the tale. They would all come to church, and one age would make us all one again.
Page 74 - ... the art of distinguishing between words and things, and of ranging his thoughts and setting them in proper lights, whatever notions he may have, will lose himself in confusion and obscurity. I might further observe that there is not a Greek or Latin critic, who has not shown, even in the style of his criticisms, that he was a master of all the elegance and delicacy of his native tongue.
Page 74 - I am often put to a stand, in considering whether what I write be the idiom of the tongue, or false grammar, and nonsense couched beneath that specious nameof Anglicism; and have no other way to clear my doubts, but by translating my English into Latin, and thereby trying what sense the words will bear in a more stable language.
Page 83 - We can never enjoy a settled, uninterrupted union and tranquillity in this nation till the spirit of Whiggism, faction, and schism is melted down like the old money.