Acme Library of Standard Biography: Second Series |
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Page 9
... seems to remain unshaken , that he was born about the year 1340 , or some time between that year and 1345 . Now , we possess a charming poem by Chaucer called the Assembly of Fowls , elaborately courtly in its conception , and in its ...
... seems to remain unshaken , that he was born about the year 1340 , or some time between that year and 1345 . Now , we possess a charming poem by Chaucer called the Assembly of Fowls , elaborately courtly in its conception , and in its ...
Page 10
... seems to have been two millions and a half . A quarter of a century earlier in the days of Chaucer's boyhood - their numbers had been perhaps twice as large . For not less than four great pestilences ( in 1348-9 . 1361-2 , 1369 , and ...
... seems to have been two millions and a half . A quarter of a century earlier in the days of Chaucer's boyhood - their numbers had been perhaps twice as large . For not less than four great pestilences ( in 1348-9 . 1361-2 , 1369 , and ...
Page 15
... seems to be unable to picture an army without it , and we find him relating how , from ancient Troy , " Hector and ... seem all but blind and deaf to the tempest as it rises , and bursts , and passes away . Many causes had concurred to ...
... seems to be unable to picture an army without it , and we find him relating how , from ancient Troy , " Hector and ... seem all but blind and deaf to the tempest as it rises , and bursts , and passes away . Many causes had concurred to ...
Page 19
... seems founded on one by a French poet of King John of Bohemia , who had at least the external features of a knight of the old school . The chivalry , however , which was in fashion as the century advanced , was one outwardly far removed ...
... seems founded on one by a French poet of King John of Bohemia , who had at least the external features of a knight of the old school . The chivalry , however , which was in fashion as the century advanced , was one outwardly far removed ...
Page 21
... seem neither to clothe themselves nor to feed themselves , nor to talk , pray , or sweat like ordinary mor- tals ... seems to be correctly described as Oratio Gallfridi Chaucer ; and in Chaucer's A. B. C. , called La Prière de Notre ...
... seem neither to clothe themselves nor to feed themselves , nor to talk , pray , or sweat like ordinary mor- tals ... seems to be correctly described as Oratio Gallfridi Chaucer ; and in Chaucer's A. B. C. , called La Prière de Notre ...
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Common terms and phrases
admiration already beauty called Canterbury Canterbury Tales century character Chaucer Church Coleridge Court Cowper Cressid death delight England English eyes Faerie Queene father feeling French Gabriel Harvey genius hand happy hath heart House of Fame imagination Ireland Irish Italian John John of Gaunt Keswick King Lady language Latin learning less letters literary literature living London look Lord Grey Lycidas matter ment Milton mind moral Munster nature never noble once pamphlets Paradise Lost Paradise Regained passage passed passion perhaps Petrarch Philip Sidney poem poet poet's poetical poetry political prose Puritan Ralegh reader religion religious Robert Southey says seems sonnets soul Southey Southey's Spenser spirit story sweet Tale thee things thou thought tion translation truth Unwin verse wife words writes written wrote young
Popular passages
Page 279 - I was confirmed in this opinion, that he, who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well hereafter in laudable things, ought himself to be a true poem...
Page 241 - How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, Stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year! My hasting days fly on with full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Page 432 - Twas my distress that brought thee low, My Mary ! Thy needles, once a shining store, For my sake restless heretofore, Now rust disused, and shine no more ; My Mary ! For though thou gladly wouldst fulfil The same kind office for me still, Thy sight now seconds not thy will, - My Mary ! But well thou play'dst the housewife's part; And all thy threads with magic art, Have wound themselves about this heart, My Mary...
Page 328 - Memory and her siren daughters ; but by devout prayer to that Eternal Spirit who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and sends out his seraphim with the hallowed fire of his altar to touch and purify the lips of whom He pleases.
Page 185 - If music and sweet poetry agree, As they must needs, the sister and the brother, Then must the love be great "twixt thee and me, Because thou lov'st the one, and I the other. Dowland to thee is dear, whose heavenly touch Upon the lute doth ravish human sense ; Spenser to me, whose deep conceit is such As, passing all conceit, needs no defence. Thou lov'st to hear the sweet melodious sound That Phoebus...
Page 407 - I would not enter on my list of friends (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense Yet wanting sensibility) the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
Page 240 - ... coming to some maturity of years, and perceiving what tyranny had invaded the church, that he who would take orders must subscribe slave, and take an oath withal, which, unless he took with a conscience that would retch, he must either straight perjure, or split his faith ; I thought it better to prefer a blameless silence before the sacred office of speaking, bought and begun with servitude and forswearing.
Page 355 - To hoarse or mute, though fall'n on evil days, On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues...
Page 399 - Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat, To peep at such a world ; to see the stir Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd ; To hear the roar she sends through all her gates At a safe distance, where the dying sound Falls a soft murmur on the uninjured ear.
Page 435 - Adieu !" At length, his transient respite past. His comrades, who before Had heard his voice in every blast, Could catch the sound no more ; For then, by toil subdued, he drank The stifling wave, and then he sank. No poet wept him : but the page Of narrative sincere, That tells his name, his worth, his age. Is wet with Anson's tear i And tears by bards or heroes shed, Alike immortalize the dead.