Sejanus

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Heath, 1911 - 298 pages

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Page 196 - If it be objected this is no true dramatic poem, I shall easily confess it; non potes in nugas dicere plura meas Ipse ego quam dixi, willingly and not ignorantly in this kind have I faulted; for should a man present to such an auditory the most sententious tragedy that ever was written, observing all the critical laws, as height of style and gravity of person...
Page 5 - I would inform you, that this book, in all numbers, is not the same with that which was acted on the public stage; wherein a second pen •' had good share: in place of which, I have rather chosen to put weaker, and, no doubt, less pleasing, of mine own, than to defraud so happy a genius of his right by my loathed usurpation.
Page xlix - Catiline. But he has done his robberies so openly that one may see he fears not to be taxed by any law. He invades authors like a monarch; and what would be theft in other poets is only victory in him. With the spoils of these writers he so represents old Rome to us, in its rites, ceremonies, and customs, that if one of their poets had written either of his tragedies, we had seen less of it than in him.
Page xxxiii - Price, and those of his lay flock, who will choose to adopt the sentiments of his discourse? — For this plain reason — because it is natural I should; because we are so made as to be affected at such spectacles with melancholy sentiments upon the unstable condition of mortal prosperity, and the tremendous uncertainty of human greatness; because in those natural feelings we learn great lessons; because in events like these our passions instruct our reason...
Page xxxvi - I am not of that opinion to conclude a poet's liberty within the narrow limits of laws which either the grammarians or philosophers prescribe; for before they found out those laws there were many excellent poets that fulfilled them, amongst whom none more perfect than Sophocles, who lived a little before Aristotle.
Page 214 - The heart of his designs; but, sure, their face Looks farther than the present. Arr. By the gods, If I could guess he had but such a thought, My sword should cleave him down, Sec.
Page xxxv - ... stand off from them ; which may most appear in this my latest work, which you, most learned Arbitresses, have seen, judged, and to my crown, approved ; wherein I have laboured for their instruction and amendment, to reduce not only the ancient forms, but manners of the scene, the easiness, the propriety, the innocence, and last, the doctrine, which is the principal end of poesie, to inform men in the best reason of living.
Page xxxiii - Why do I feel so differently from the Reverend Dr. Price, and those of his lay flock, who will choose to adopt the sentiments of his discourse? For this plain reason — because it is natural I should; because we are so made as to be affected...
Page xi - Humour; and after Every Man out of his Humour; and since, continuing in all his plays, especially those of the comic thread, whereof the New Inn was the last, some recent humours still, or manners of men, that went along with the times...
Page v - His Grandfather came from Carlisle, and, he thought, from Anandale to it: he served King Henry 8, and was a gentleman. His Father loeed all his estate under Queen Marie, having been cast in prisson and forfaitted ; at last turn'd Minister: so he was a minister's son.

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