A First Sketch of English Literature |
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acted afterwards Alcuin Archbishop Bacon battle became Ben Jonson Bishop Boccaccio born Cędmon called Canterbury Celts century Charles Chaucer chief Christ chronicle Church clergy court daughter death died Duke Earl Edward III Elizabeth England English faith father followed France French friars gave Gavin Douglas Gorboduc Gower Greek Henry VIII Italian Italy James John Gower John Milton John of Gaunt John Skelton King king's knight Lady land Latin Lindsay literature lived London Lord married Milton mind monastery monk Oxford Parliament Petrarch plays poem poet poetry pope preached Prince printed prose published Queen Reformation reign of Henry religious rhyme Richard Robert romance Rome satire says Scotland Scots Shakespeare Sir Thomas Sir Thomas Wyatt song soul Spenser spirit stanza story tale Testament thou thought told took translation verse Walter Map wife William Wolsey writing written wrote young
Popular passages
Page 523 - Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage; If I have freedom in my love And in my soul am free, Angels alone, that soar above, Enjoy such liberty.
Page 458 - But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held ; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Page 620 - This is dispensed ; and what surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate so, By likening spiritual to corporal forms, As may express them best ; though what if earth Be but the shadow of heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more than on earth is thought...
Page 290 - Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.
Page 527 - ... bring all Heaven before mine eyes. And may at last my weary age Find out the peaceful hermitage, The hairy gown and mossy cell, Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew, Till old experience do attain To something like prophetic strain. These pleasures, Melancholy, give; And I with thee will choose to live.
Page 471 - What things have we seen Done at the Mermaid! Heard words that have been So nimble and so full of subtle flame As if that every one from whence they came Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest, And had resolved to live a fool the rest Of his dull life.
Page 680 - Tis resolved, for Nature pleads that he Should only rule who most resembles me. Shadwell alone my perfect image bears, Mature in dulness from his tender years ; Shadwell alone of all my sons is he Who stands confirmed in full stupidity. The rest to some faint meaning make pretence, But Shadwell never deviates into sense.
Page 492 - ... a couch whereupon to rest a searching and restless spirit, or a terrace for a wandering and variable mind to walk up and down with a fair prospect, or a tower of state for a proud mind to raise itself upon, or a fort or commanding ground for strife and contention, or a shop for profit and sale ; and not a rich store-house for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man's estate.
Page 424 - Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness : and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace ; above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...
Page 778 - In faith and hope the world will disagree, But all mankind's concern is charity : All must be false that thwart this one great end, And all of God that bless mankind or mend. Man, like the generous vine, supported lives ; The strength he gains is from th