A Popular Manual of English Literature: Containing Outlines of the Literature of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States of America, Volume 2Harper & brothers, 1885 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abbotsford acquaintance admiration American appeared Aurora Leigh ballads bard beauty Browning Browning's Burns Canto Carlyle celebrated century character Childe Harold Coleridge Cowper CRITICISMS death drama Edinburgh Elizabeth Barrett Browning England English epic Essays eyes famous feeling France French genius George German Giaour Goethe Goldsmith heart human imagination Italian Italy John Johnson Lady language Leigh letter literary literature living London look Lord Byron lyric Lyrical Ballads Madame de Staël ment mind moral muse nature ness never novelist novels passion philosophical poem poet poet's poetic poetry political popular portrait Ralph Waldo Emerson Revolution Robert Robert Burns Robert Southey romance satire scene sentiment Shakespeare Shelley Sir Walter Scott song soul Southey spirit story style tained Tennyson Thomas Thomas Carlyle thou thought tion verse Waverley William Wordsworth writes wrote
Popular passages
Page 196 - Then kneeling down, to Heaven's eternal King, The saint, the father, and the husband prays: Hope "springs exulting on triumphant wing," That thus they all shall meet in future days, There ever bask in uncreated rays, No more to sigh, or shed the bitter tear, Together hymning their Creator's praise. In such society, yet still more dear; While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere.
Page 51 - 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 7 - I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind, by the idea that I had taken an everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that whatsoever might be the future date of my History, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.
Page 228 - She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleamed upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament; Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair; Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful Dawn; A dancing Shape, an Image gay, To haunt, to startle, and waylay.
Page 133 - Say, wast thou conscious of the tears I shed? Hover'd thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then, life's journey just begun? Perhaps thou gavest me, though unfelt, a kiss; Perhaps a tear, if souls can weep in bliss — Ah, that maternal smile! it answers — Yes.
Page 187 - The bridegroom may forget the bride Was made his wedded wife yestreen ; The monarch may forget the crown ' That on his head an hour has been ; The mother may forget the child That smiles sae sweetly on her knee ; But I'll remember thee, Glencairn, And a' that thou hast done for me ! " LINES, SENT TO SIR JOHN WHITEFORD, OF WHITEFORD, BART.
Page 67 - I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith that he was in great distress, and, as it was not in his power to come to me, begging that I would come to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea, and promised to come to him directly. I accordingly went as soon as I was...
Page 284 - ... clouds, or weeping rain, Nor of the setting sun's pathetic light Engendered, hangs o'er Eildon's triple height : Spirits of power, assembled there, complain For kindred power departing from their sight ; While Tweed, best pleased in chanting a blithe strain, Saddens his voice again, and yet again. Lift up your hearts, ye mourners ! for the might Of the whole world's good wishes with him goes ; Blessings and prayers in nobler retinue Than sceptred king or laurelled conqueror knows, Follow this...
Page 44 - Seven years, my Lord, have now passed since I waited in your outward rooms or was repulsed from your door ; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties of which it is useless to complain and have brought it at last to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement or one smile of favour.
Page 541 - The blaze upon the waters to the east ; The blaze upon his island overhead ; The blaze upon the waters to the west ; Then the great stars that globed themselves in Heaven, The hollower-bellowing ocean, and again The scarlet shafts of sunrise — but no sail.