Book-verse: An Anthology of Poems of Books and Bookmen from the Earliest Times to Recent Years |
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Alexander Barclay bard behold BEN JONSON Bibliomania boke booksellers bound brain Catullus charm Chaucer colophon Copland dead delight divine doth dream E'en edition Epigrams Ev'n ev'ry eyes fair fame fancy fear foes folly fool friends give gold grace hand hath heart JOHN JOHN TAYLOR labour learned leaves LIBRARY light lines Lintot's live look Luperce mighty mind Muse never noble numbers o'er Old story books Ovid pain poem poet poetical poor praise pray printed printer prose rage reader ROBERT COPLANDE ROBERT HERRICK round ROXBURGHE CLUB ryme sacred sage scorn set of verses shine smile song soul spirit sweet taste tell thee theyr thine THOMAS THOMAS CHURCHYARD THOMAS PARNELL thou art thou shalt thought translation treasures unto vellum virtue volume wise written Wynkyn Wynkyn de Worde
Popular passages
Page 136 - LOOKING INTO CHAPMAN'S HOMER Much have I travelled in the realms of gold, And many goodly states and kingdoms seen ; Round many western islands have I been, Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. Oft of one wide expanse had I been told, That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne : Yet did I never breathe its pure serene Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold: Then felt I like some watcher of the skies When a new planet swims into his ken ; Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes He stared...
Page 143 - Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good: Round these, with tendrils strong as flesh and blood, Our pastime and our happiness will grow.
Page 142 - Around me I behold, Where'er these casual eyes are cast, The mighty minds of old : My never-failing friends are they, With whom I converse day by day. With them I take delight in weal And seek relief in woe ; And while I understand and feel How much to them I owe, My cheeks have often been bedew'd With tears of thoughtful gratitude.
Page 63 - Wise men have said, are wearisome ; who reads Incessantly, and to his reading brings not A spirit and judgment equal or superior, (And what he brings what needs he elsewhere seek?) Uncertain and unsettled still remains, Deep versed in books, and shallow in himself, Crude or intoxicate, collecting toys And trifles for choice matters, worth a sponge ; As children gathering pebbles on the shore.
Page 39 - The applause, delight, the wonder of our stage! My Shakespeare, rise! I will not lodge thee by Chaucer, or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie A little further, to make thee a room: Thou art a monument without a tomb, And art alive still while thy book doth live And we have wits to read and praise to give.
Page 40 - To whom all scenes of Europe homage owe. He was not of an age, but for all time! And all the Muses still were in their prime, When, like Apollo, he came forth to warm Our ears, or like a Mercury to charm! Nature herself was proud of his designs And joyed to wear the dressing of his lines!
Page 137 - As one who, destined from his friends to part, Regrets his loss, but hopes again erewhile To share their converse and enjoy their smile. And tempers as he may affliction's dart; Thus, loved associates, chiefs of elder art, Teachers of wisdom, who could once beguile My tedious hours, and lighten every toil, I now resign you...
Page 40 - Yet must I not give Nature all; thy art, My gentle Shakespeare, must enjoy a part. For though the poet's matter nature be, His art doth give the fashion; and, that he Who casts to write a living line, must sweat, (Such as thine are) and strike the second heat Upon the Muses...
Page 55 - For with [the] flowery earth The golden pomp is come. The golden pomp is come; For now each tree does wear, Made of her pap and gum, Rich beads of amber here. Now reigns the Rose, and now Th' Arabian dew besmears My uncontrolled brow, And my retorted hairs.
Page 41 - Advanc'd, and made a Constellation there! Shine forth, thou Starre of Poets, and with rage, Or influence, chide, or cheere the drooping Stage; Which, since thy flight from hence, hath mourn'd like night, And despaires day, but for thy Volumes light.