The History of English Literature: With an Outline of the Origin and Growth of the English Language |
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Æneid allegory ancient Anglo-Saxon beautiful belong Ben Jonson Bishop blank verse called celebrated Celts century character Chaucer chiefly chivalrous Chronicle church classical close Comedy composition critical declension dialect diction didactic drama earliest early ecclesiastical Edinburgh Review eloquence England English Language Essays Faerie Queene fancy feeling French genius Geoffrey of Monmouth Henry honour imagination imitated kind king Knight's Tale knowledge language later Latin Layamon learned less likewise literary literature living lyrical merit metrical middle ages Milton mind modern moral narrative native nature never Norman Conquest novel Old English opinions original passages perhaps period philosophy pieces poems poet poetical poetry possessed prose reign religious romances satire Saxon scenes Scotland Scottish sentiment Shakspeare specimens Spenser spirit story style taste theological things thou thought tion tone tongue translation treatise truth verb verse vigorous words writers written
Popular passages
Page 342 - In all my wanderings round this world of care, In all my griefs — and God has given my share — I still had hopes, my latest hours to crown, Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down; To husband out life's taper at the close, And keep the flame from wasting by repose...
Page 70 - Or call up him that left half told The story of Cambuscan bold, Of Camball, and of Algarsife, And who had Canace to wife, That owned the virtuous Ring and Glass, And of the wondrous Horse of Brass, On which the Tartar King did ride; And if aught else great Bards beside, In sage and solemn tunes have sung, Of Tourneys and of Trophies hung; Of Forests, and enchantments drear, Wh'ere more is meant than meets the ear.
Page 268 - In me thou see'st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death-bed whereon it must expire Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.
Page 267 - That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
Page 328 - Ambition this shall tempt to rise, Then whirl the wretch from high, To bitter Scorn a sacrifice, And grinning Infamy. The stings of Falsehood those shall try And hard Unkindness...
Page 228 - ... nay they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men.
Page 233 - I HAD rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.
Page 344 - Oh, how canst thou renounce the boundless store Of charms which Nature to her votary yields ! The warbling woodland, the resounding shore, The pomp of groves, and garniture of fields ; All that the genial ray of morning gilds, And all that echoes to the song of even, All that the mountain's sheltering bosom shields, And all the dread magnificence of Heaven, Oh, how canst thou renounce, and hope to be forgiven ! X.
Page 342 - ... bowers to lay me down ; To husband out life's taper at the close. And keep the flame from wasting by repose. I still had hopes, for pride attends us still, Amidst the swains to show my...
Page 206 - ... faintness begin to stand and to rest himself; if the moon should wander from her beaten way, the times and seasons of the year blend themselves by disordered and confused mixture, the winds breathe out their last gasp, the clouds yield no rain, the earth be defeated of heavenly influence, the fruits of the earth pine away as children at the withered breasts of their mother no longer able to yield them relief; what would become of man himself, whom these things now do all serve ? See we not plainly...
Bibliographic information
| Title | The History of English Literature: With an Outline of the Origin and Growth of the English Language |
| Author | William Spalding |
| Publisher | D. Appleton & Company, 1854 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 28 Feb 2006 |
| Length | 414 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |