Observations on the Writings and on the Character of Mr. Gray: Originally Subjoined to the Second Volume of the Complete Edition in 1814 of All His Works in Two Volumes in QuartoT. Cadell and W. Davies, 1815 - 180 pages |
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Page 109 - Nor second he that rode sublime Upon the seraph-wings of Ecstasy, The secrets of th' abyss to spy. He passed the flaming bounds of Place and Time: The living throne, the sapphire blaze, Where angels tremble while they gaze, He saw; but, blasted with excess of light, Closed his eyes in endless night.
Page 52 - Him have we seen the greenwood side along, While o'er the heath we hied, our labour done, Oft as the woodlark piped her farewell song, With wistful eyes pursue the setting sun.
Page 57 - No more the Grecian muse unrivall'd reigns, To Britain let the nations homage pay : She felt a Homer's fire in Milton's strains, A Pindar's rapture in the lyre of Gray.
Page 98 - Now mouldring fanes and battlements arise, Arches and turrets nodding to their fall, Unpeopled palaces delude his eyes, And mimick desolation covers all.
Page 76 - There is not an ode in the English language which is constructed like these two compositions ; with such power, such majesty, and such sweetness, with such proportioned pauses and just cadences, with such regulated measures of the verse, with such master principles of lyrical art displayed and exemplified, and, at the same time, with such a concealment of the difficulty, which is lost in the softness and uninterrupted flowing of the lines in each stanza, with such a musical magic, that every verse...
Page 137 - But it must be at least confessed, that to embellish the form of nature is an innocent amusement ; and some praise must be allowed by the most supercilious observer to him, who does best what such multitudes are contending to do well.
Page 97 - To smuggle a few years, and strive to mend A broken character and constitution.
Page 49 - Thoughts, he said, was redundancy of thought. Pope's translation of the Iliad stood very high in his estimation ; and when he heard it criticised as wanting the simplicity of the original, or being rather a paraphrase than a translation, and not giving a just idea of the poet's style and manner, he always said, " There would never be another translation of the same poem equal to it.
Page 21 - Among the Pembroke MSS. may still be found his painstaking and copious notes collected for this purpose, and Mason possessed in Gray's handwriting " a great number of geographical disquisitions, particularly with respect to that part of Asia which comprehends Persia and India ; concerning the ancient and modern names and divisions of which extensive countries his notes are very copious.
Page 135 - To be a visitor and an inmate guest to Mr. Nicholls at Blundeston in the gay season, when his lake was illuminated by summer suns, and rippled by the breeze; when every tree and shrub, in its chosen position, seemed to wave in homage to its possessor and cultivator; when a happy and youthful company of either sex, distinguished by their talents and accomplishments, was enlivened by the good humour and spirit which presided over the whole; with the charm of music, and with every well-tempered recreation,...