Studies in Early English Literature |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
allegory Anglo-Norman Anglo-Saxon Bacon Baconian method ballad beauty Beowulf Calvinistic Canterbury Tales century character charm Chaucer chivalry Christ Christian Church classic court criticism divinity drama early Elizabeth England English literature English mind English prose epic essay Faerie Queene faith fancy Father French fulness genius German gives grace growth hath heart holy home-born Hooker humor idea inductive irresistible grace Jeremy Taylor king knight knowledge land language later day Latimer Latin learning legends literary living master metaphysical Milton modern monk moral mystery nature never Norman Norman Conquest Novum Organum old English old Saxon Petrarch philosophy Plato play poem poet poetic poetry Pope pulpit Reformation religion rhyme rich romance rude satire Saxon sche scholar sentence sermons Shakespeare song speech Spenser spirit strength style Taylor theology ther things thou thought tongue true truth unity utterance verse wonderful words writers Wyclif
Popular passages
Page 185 - For the wit and mind of man, if it work upon matter, which is the contemplation of the creatures of God, worketh according to the stuff and is limited thereby; but if it work upon itself, as the spider worketh his web, then it is endless, and brings forth indeed cobwebs of learning, admirable for the fineness of thread and work, but of no substance or profit.
Page 170 - But so have I seen a rose newly springing from the clefts of its hood, and at first it was fair as the morning and full with the dew of heaven as a lamb's fleece; but when a ruder breath had forced open its virgin modesty and dismantled its too youthful and unripe retirements...
Page 192 - ... as if there were sought in knowledge 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 or sale; and not a rich storehouse for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man's estate.
Page 94 - The turtle to her make hath told her tale. Summer is come, for every spray now springs: The hart hath hung his old head on the pale; The buck in brake his winter coat he flings; The fishes flete with new repaired scale.
Page 160 - Now if Nature should intermit her course, and leave altogether, though it were but for a while, the observation of her own laws; if those principal and mother elements of the world, whereof all things in this lower world are made, should lose the qualities which...
Page 133 - All things that move between the quiet poles Shall be at my command : emperors and kings Are but obeyed in their several provinces, Nor can they raise the wind or rend the clouds ; But his dominion that exceeds in this Stretcheth as far as doth the mind of man, A sound magician is a mighty god : Here, Faustus, tire thy brains to gain a deity.
Page 169 - ... loud sighings of an eastern wind, and his motion made irregular and inconstant, descending more at every breath of the tempest than it could recover by the...
Page 160 - ... should forget their wonted motions, and by irregular volubility turn themselves any way as it might happen; if the prince of the lights of heaven, which now as a giant doth run his unwearied course, should as it were through a languishing faintness begin to stand and to rest himself; if the moon should wander from her beaten way...
Page 161 - ... as a giant doth run his unwearied course, should as it were through a languishing 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...
Page 48 - I cannot eat but little meat, My stomach is not good ; But sure I think, that I can drink With him that wears a hood...
Bibliographic information
| Title | Studies in Early English Literature |
| Author | Emelyn W. Washburn |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's sons, 1882 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 6 May 2005 |
| Length | 225 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |