Smaller specimens of English literature, with notes. Ed. by W. Smithsir William Smith 1869 |
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Smaller Specimens of English Literature, with Notes. Ed. by W. Smith William Smith No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
beauty breath bright Cæsar called Chaucer comes from Lat Cromwell dark dead dear death delight Diez doth dread earth Edom eternal extract eyes fair father fear fire give glory Goth grace grave Grimm's law hand hast hath head hear heart heaven hill History holy honour hope Ivanhoe John Paston JULIUS CÆSAR king labour lady Lady Hamilton live look Lord Max Müller means meant Middle English Milton mind modern nature never night o'er once origin Peterborough chronicler Piers Ploughman pleasure plur poet Pope praise preterite rest round sche seems sense Shakespeare sight sing sleep song sorrow soul sound speak spirit stars sweet tears tell thee thine things thou thought tion uncle Toby unto verb virtue voice Wedgwood ween word
Popular passages
Page 70 - Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
Page 192 - I'm weary of conjectures : — this must end them. [Laying his hand on his sword. Thus am I doubly armed : my death and life, My bane and antidote, are both before me. This in a moment brings me to an end; But this informs me I shall never die. The soul, secured in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point. The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and Nature sink in years, But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements, The...
Page 238 - Can storied urn or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust, Or Flattery soothe the dull cold ear of Death?
Page 290 - All the earth and air With thy voice is loud, As, when night is bare, From one lonely cloud The moon rains out her beams, and heaven is overflowed.
Page 294 - What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?
Page 87 - Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more : Or close the wall up with our English dead. In peace there's nothing- so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility: But when the blast of war blows in our ears. Then imitate the action of the tiger; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood...
Page 217 - The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which Providence has enabled me to do for myself.
Page 302 - In darkness and amid the many shapes Of joyless daylight; when the fretful stir Unprofitable, and the fever of the world, Have hung upon the beatings of my heart — How oft, in spirit, have I turned to thee, O sylvan Wye! thou wanderer thro' the woods, How often has my spirit turned to thee!
Page 98 - Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking-off...
Page 254 - Unskilful he to note the card Of prudent Lore, Till billows rage, and gales blow hard, And whelm him o'er ! Such fate to suffering worth is...