An Abridgment of Lectures on Rhetoric |
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Page 81
... what is natural and propIt exhibits the mind of Satan agitated by rage and despair . er . Me miserable ! which way shall I fly Infinite wrath and infinite despair ? Which way I fly is hell : mysell am hell ; And in the lowest depth ...
... what is natural and propIt exhibits the mind of Satan agitated by rage and despair . er . Me miserable ! which way shall I fly Infinite wrath and infinite despair ? Which way I fly is hell : mysell am hell ; And in the lowest depth ...
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action admit advantage ancient appear arguments arrangement attention bave beauty becomes called cause characters circumstances clear comedy common composition concise considered correct critics describe discourse distinction distinguished effect elegant eloquence employed English epic example excel exhibit expression figure force founded frequently genius give grace Greek Hence Homer human ideas imagination imitation important impression instance interesting introduced Italy kind language less light lively manner mean merit metaphor mind moral motion nature necessary never objects observed orator original ornament particular passion pause perfect person pleasing pleasure poem poet poetry possess present principal produce proper propriety qualities reason regular relation remarkable render requires requisite respect rise rule scene sense sentence sentiments simple simplicity sometimes sound speaker speaking species speech spirit strength strong style sublime suppose Taste thing thought tion tragedy unity variety Virgil whole writing
Popular passages
Page 180 - And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water : in the habitation of dragons where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Page 21 - That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, And shall perform all my pleasure ; Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built ; And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Page 68 - I shall detain you now no longer in the demonstration of what we should not do, but straight conduct you to a hill-side, where I will point you out the right path of a virtuous and noble education ; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect, and melodious sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming-.
Page 107 - He can converse with a picture, and find an agreeable companion in a statue. He meets with a secret refreshment in a description, and often feels a greater satisfaction in the prospect of fields and meadows than another does in the possession. It gives him, indeed, a kind of property in every thing he sees, and makes the most rude uncultivated parts of nature administer to his pleasures: so that he looks upon the world, as it were, in another light, and discovers in it a multitude of charms that...
Page 66 - Homer was the greater genius; Virgil, the better artist; in the one, we most admire the man; in. the other, the work. Homer hurries us with a commanding impetuosity; Virgil leads us with an attractive majesty. Homer scatters with a generous profusion; Virgil bestows with a careful magnificence. Homer, like the Nile, pours out his riches with a sudden overflow; Virgil, like a river in its banks, with a constant stream.
Page 21 - He made darkness his secret place; His pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Page 69 - OUR sight is the most perfect and most delightful of all our senses. It fills the mind with the largest variety of ideas, converses with its objects at the greatest distance, and continues the longest in action without being tired or satiated with its proper enjoyments.
Page 19 - Wheeling unshaken through the void immense ; And speak, O man ! does this capacious scene With half that kindling majesty dilate Thy strong conception, as when Brutus rose Refulgent from the stroke of Caesar's fate, Amid the crowd of patriots ; and his arm Aloft extending, like eternal Jove When guilt brings down the thunder, call'd aloud On Tully's name, and shook his crimson steel, And bade the father of his country hail ? For lo ! the tyrant prostrate on the dust, And Rome again is free...
Page 23 - He spoke, and awful bends his sable brows, Shakes his ambrosial curls, and gives the nod, The stamp of fate, and sanction of the god : High Heaven with trembling the dread signal took, And all Olympus to the centre shook.
Page 109 - Entertain hopes, mirth rather than joy, variety of delights, rather than surfeit of them ; wonder and admiration, and therefore novelties ; studies that fill the mind with splendid and illustrious objects, as histories, fables, and contemplations of nature.