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The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) novel. A total of 156 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).by Theophilus Cibber.Volume I
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).by Theophilus Cibber.Volume I.GEOFFRY CHAUCER.It has been observed that men of eminence in all ages, and distinguished for the same excellence, have generally had something in their lives similar
- 156 Wherever she professed friends.h.i.+p, it was sincere and cordial to the objects of it; and though she admired whatever was excellent in them, and gave it the commendations it deserved, yet she was not blind to their faults, especially if such as she appr
- 155 Mr. CHARLES JOHNSON.Mr. Charles Johnson was designed for the law; but being an admirer of the muses, turned his thoughts to dramatic writing; and luckily being an intimate of Mr. Wilks, by the a.s.sistance of his friends.h.i.+p, Mr. Johnson had several pl
- 154 V. Art and Nature, a Comedy, 1737.VI. The Coffee-House, a Farce, 1737.VII. An Hospital for Fools, a Farce, 1739.VIII. The Picture, or Cuckold in Conceit.IX. Mahomet the Impostor, a Tragedy; during the run of this play the author died.X. Joseph and his Bre
- 153 One of the prettiest of her poetical performances, is the following Address to the reverend Dr. Hales, with whom she became acquainted at the house of captain Mead, near Hampton-Court.To the Revd. Dr. HALES.Hail, holy sage! whose comprehensive mind, Not t
- 152 But may thy folly, which can thus disdain My honest love, the mighty wrong repay, May midnight-fire involve thy sordid gain, And on the s.h.i.+ning heaps of rapine prey.May all the youths, like me, by love deceiv'd, Not quench the ruin, but applaud t
- 151 Mr. Spence in one of his chapters on Allegory, in his Polymetis, has endeavoured to shew, how very little our poets have understood the allegories of the antients, even in their translations of them; and has instanced Mr. Dryden's translation of the
- 150 The Labyrinth, and Daedalus and Icarus, from the eighth Book.Part of the Fable of Cyparissus from the tenth Book.Most part of the eleventh Book, and The Funeral of Memnon, from the thirteenth Book.He likewise performed an entire Translation of aesop'
- 149 ROMEO and JULIET.--Oh! so light a foot Will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint.WINTER'S TALE.--For _Cogitation_ Resides not in the man _that does not think._ HAMLET.--Try what repentance can, what can it not?Yet what can it, when one _cannot r
- 148 [3] Under the name of Georgia.[4] Savage was of great use to Mr. Pope, in helping him to little stories, and idle tales, of many persons whose names, lives, and writings, had been long since forgot, had not Mr. Pope mentioned them in his Dunciad:--This of
- 147 He likewise mentions it as a folly, having began and finished Elfrid in a week; and both the difference of time and judgment are visible in favour of the last of those performances.That year he met the greatest shock that affliction ever gave him; in the
- 146 'As a security for making good the articles, the patentee did, by indenture enrolled in chancery, a.s.sign and make over his patent to trustees, in the indenture named, for the uses above-mentioned.'In the mean time the first half yearly payments to the
- 145 'Too late I see, and confess myself mistaken in relation to the Comedy; yet I do not think, had I followed your advice, and only introduced the mummy, that the absence of the crocodile had saved it. I can't help laughing myself (though the vulgar do not
- 144 This young lady was of very high birth, possessed an opulent fortune, and under the tutorage of an uncle, who gave her an education suitable to her t.i.tles and pretensions. She was esteemed a match for the greatest peer in the realm, but, in her early ye
- 143 FOOTNOTES: [1]See winter comes to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad, with all his rising train!Vapours, and storms, and clouds; be these my theme; These that exalt the soul to solemn thought, And heav'nly musing; welcome kindred glooms.Congenial horro
- 142 Upon the death of his generous patron, lord chancellor Talbot, for whom the nation joined with Mr. Thomson in the most sincere inward sorrow, he wrote an elegiac poem, which does honour to the author, and to the memory of that great man he meant to celebr
- 141 While he was improving himself in the Latin and Greek tongues at this country school, he often visited a minister, whose charge lay in the same presbytery with his father's, the revd. Mr. Rickerton, a man of such amazing powers, that many persons of geni
- 140 The following is the most accurate account we could obtain of his writings, which for the sake of distinction we have divided into cla.s.ses, by which the reader may discern how various and numerous his compositions are--To have written so much upon so gr
- 139 XIII.But how, blest sovereign! shall th'unpractis'd muse These recent honours of thy reign rehea.r.s.e!How to thy virtues turn her dazzled views, Or consecrate thy deeds in equal verse!Amidst the field of horrors wide display'd, How paint the calm[4] t
- 138 We shall conclude the life of Dr. Trapp with the following verses of Mr.Layng, which are expressive of the Dr's. character as a critic and a poet. The author, after applauding Dryden's version, proceeds thus in favour of Trapp.Behind we see a younger ba
- 137 DR. JOSEPH TRAPP This poet was second son to the rev. Mr. Joseph Trapp, rector of Cherington in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, at which place he was born, anno 1679. He received the first rudiments of learning from his father, who instructed him in the languages, a
- 136 SWIFT, POPE, THOMSON, YOUNG, PHILIPS, CIBBER.As a specimen of the delicacy of our author's turn of verification, we shall present the reader with his translation of the following beautiful Ode of Sappho.Hymn to Venus 1.O Venus, beauty of the skies, T
- 128 He was now no longer satisfied with the employment which had been allotted him, but thought he had a right to share the affluence of his mother, and therefore, without scruple, applied to her as her son, and made use of every art to awake her tenderness,
- 127 [1] Jacob.Mr. WILLIAM HINCHLIFFE, was the son of a reputable tradesman of St. Olave's in Southwark, and was born there May 12, 1692; was educated at a private grammar school with his intimate and ingenious friend Mr. Henry Needler. He made a consider
- 126 The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).Vol. V.by Theophilus Cibber.EUSTACE BUDGELL, Esq; was the eldest son of Gilbert Budgell, D.D. of St. Thomas near Exeter, by his first wife Mary, the only daughter of Dr. William Gulston, bishop of
- 135 Lastly, His excellent dialect, which alone might prove him the eldest born of Spencer, and the only true Arcadian, &c.Thus far the comparison between the merit of Mr. Pope and Mr. Philips, as writers of Pastoral, made by the author of this paper in the Gu
- 134 The frighted birds, the rattling branches shun.That wave and glitter in the distant sun.When if a sudden gust of wind arise, The brittle forest into atoms flies: The crackling wood beneath the tempest bends, And in a spangled show'r the prospect ends
- 133 (afterwards Dr.) Clark upon it, and to show him a paper, which had been put into her hands, urging the difficulties on that article, on the side of the Papists. The sentiments of that great man upon this subject are comprised in a letter from Mrs. Burnet
- 132 "Abi tu et fac similiter."FOOTNOTES: [1] Lord Orrery, page 6.[2] The authors of the Monthly Review have justly remarked, that this observation of his lords.h.i.+p's seems premature.The same public rumour, say they, that made HER Sir William
- 131 As soon as Swift quitted the university, he lived with Sir William Temple as his friend, and domestic companion. When he had been about two years in the family of his patron, he contracted a very long, and dangerous illness, by eating an immoderate quant.
- 130 FOOTNOTES: [1] However slightly the author of Savage's life pa.s.ses over the less amiable characteristics of that unhappy man; yet we cannot but discover therein, that vanity and ingrat.i.tude were the princ.i.p.al ingredients in poor Savage's
- 129 This conduct indeed, seldom drew him into much inconvenience, or his conversation and address were so pleasing, that few thought the pleasure which they received from him, dearly purchased by paying for his wine.It was his peculiar happiness that he scarc
- 125 This gentleman added considerably to the republic of letters by his numerous translations. He received the rudiments of his education from Mr. Shaw, an excellent grammarian, master of the free school at Ashby De la Zouch in Leicesters.h.i.+re: he finished
- 124 His poetical works are chiefly these.On the Conquest of Namure; A Pindaric Ode, inscribed to his most sacred and victorious majesty, folio 1695.The Temple of Fame; a Poem to the memory of the most ill.u.s.trious Prince, William Duke of Gloucester, folio 1
- 123 Why was the charming youth so form'd to move?Or why was all my soul so turn'd for love?But virtue here a vain defence had made, Where so much worth and eloquence could plead.For he could talk----'Twas extacy to hear, 'Twas joy! 't
- 122 The fame of virtue 'tis for which I found, And heroes with immortal triumphs crown'd.Fame built on solid virtue swifter flies, Than morning light can spread my eastern skies.The gath'ring air returns the doubling sound, And long repeating t
- 121 DANIEL DE FOE, This gentleman acquired a very considerable name by his political and poetical works; his early attachment to the revolution interest, and the extraordinary zeal and ability with which he defended it. He was bred, says Mr. Jacob, a Hosier,
- 120 Sir Roger L'Estrange translated the third Book of Tacitus, an author of whom Mr. Gordon made an entire translation. To raise the reputation of his own performance, he has abused that of L'Estrange, in terms very unfit for a gentleman to use, sup
- 119 [Footnote A: Jacob.]EDWARD WARD, A man of low extraction, and who never received any regular education.He was an imitator of the famous Butler, and wrote his Reformation, a poem, with an aim at the same kind of humour which has so remarkably distinguished
- 118 A Scots peer with whom both the duke, and the d.u.c.h.ess lived in great intimacy in Italy, happening to come to Paris, when the duke was there, they renewed their acquaintance and friends.h.i.+p, and for some time continued with mutual freedom, till the
- 117 A tyrant to the wife his heart approv'd; A rebel to the very king he lov'd.The young lord in the beginning of the year 1716 indulged his desire of travelling and finis.h.i.+ng his education abroad; and as he was designed to be instructed in the
- 116 [Footnote B: See Burnet's History of his own Times.][Footnote C: General Dictionary, ubi supra.][Footnote D: It was called a Dramatic Opera, and was decorated at a great expence, and intermixed with Songs, Dances, &c.][Footnote E: Upon the accession
- 115 Mr. Dennis was less happy in his temper, than his genius; he possessed no inconsiderable erudition, which was joined to such natural parts, as if accompanied with prudence, or politeness, might have raised him, not only above want, but even to eminence. H
- 114 In 1711 Mr. Dennis published an Essay upon Public Spirit, being a satire in prose, upon the Manners and Luxury of the Times, the chief sources of our present Parties and Divisions. This is one of the most finished performances of our author; the intention
- 113 Hic coestus, artemque repono.Upon the death of our author's grandfather, he enjoyed the place of paymaster to the band of gentlemen-pensioners, in conjunction with his younger brother, Arthur More; of this place his mother procured the reversion from
- 112 He was all his life a virulent Party-Writer, and received his reward in a small part in the revenue at Liverpool, where he died in an advanced age, but in what year we cannot learn.Mr. Oldmixon, besides the works we have mentioned, was author of a volume
- 111 To the reverend doctor Bentley, on the opening of Trinity-College Chapel, Cambridge.On a Lady, who is the most beautiful and witty when she is angry.This poem begins with these lines.Long had I known the soft, inchanting wiles, Which Cupid practised in Au
- 110 An Apology for Loving a Widow.The Fifth Psalm Paraphrased.A Poetical Epistle, written from Hampstead to Mr. Thornhill, upon Mr.Addison's Cato.An Epistle to Mr. Addison on the Death of the Earl of Hallifax. This poem begins thus, And shall great Halli
- 109 At EAST-HAMPSTEAD in BERKS, 1730.This modest stone, what few vain marbles can, May truly say, here lies an honest man: A Poet, bless'd beyond a Poet's fate, Whom Heav'n kept sacred from the proud and great: Foe to loud praise, and friend to
- 108 ----Along the sh.o.r.e He walk'd one evening, when the clam'rous rage Of tempests wreck'd a s.h.i.+p: The crew were sunk, The master only reach'd the neighb'ring strand, Born by a floating fragment; but so weak With combating the
- 107 Being deprived of a competent fortune, by cross accidents, she has suffered all the extremities of a close imprisonment, if want of all the necessaries of life, and lying on the boards for two-years may be termed such, during which time she never felt the
- 106 Wilt thou all the glory have That war or peace commend?Half the world shall be thy slave, The other half thy friend.SOUL.What friends, if to my self untrue?What slaves, unless I captive you?PLEASURE.Thou shalt know each hidden cause; And see the future ti
- 105 My Lords and Gentlemen, 'I told you, at our last meeting, the winter was the fittest time for business, and truly I thought so, till my lord treasurer a.s.sured me the spring was the best season for sallads and subsidies. I hope therefore, that April
- 104 They then finished their dinner, and proceeded in their pamphlet, which they concluded in the afternoon. Mr. Savage then imagined his task over, and expected that Sir Richard would call for the reckoning and return home; but his expectations deceived him,
- 103 However well executed these pieces were, yet they came to the ear in the same undistinguished utterance, by which almost all their plays had equally suffered; for as few could plainly hear, it was not likely a great many would applaud.In this situation it
- 102 Or stratagems of war, or schemes of state?Dost thou recall to mind, with joy or grief, Great Marlbro's actions? that immortal chief, Whose highest trophy, rais'd in each campaign, More than suffic'd to signalize a reign.Does thy remembrance
- 101 The design of this piece, as his lords.h.i.+p declares in the preface, 'is to expose the folly of those men, who are arrived at that pitch of impudence and prophaneness, that they think it a piece of wit to deny the Being of a G.o.d, and to laugh at
- 100 Ex Equestri Familia STEPNEIORUM, De PENDEGRAST, in Comitatu PEMBROCHIENSI ORIENDUS, WESTMONASTERII natus est, A.D. 1663.Electus in Collegium Sancti PETRI WESTMONAST. A, 1676.Sanctae TRINITATIS CANTAB. 1682.Consiliariorum quibus Commercii Cura commissa est
- 99 Fraught with his mandates from the realms on high, Unnumber'd hosts of radiant heralds fly; From orb to orb, with progress unconfin'd, As lightn'ing swift, resistless as the wind.His word in air this pondr'ous ball sustain'd."
- 98 Mrs. SUSANNA CENTLIVRE, This lady was daughter of one Mr. Freeman, of Holbeack in Lincolns.h.i.+re. There was formerly an estate in the family of her father, but being a Dissenter, and a zealous parliamentarian, he was so very much persecuted at the resto
- 97 Sir, either is a good a.s.sistant, Said one, who sat a little distant: Truth decks our speeches, and our books, And modesty adorns our looks: But farther progress we must take; Not only born to look and speak, The man must act. The Stagyrite Says thus, an
- 96 Numb. 230. All, except the last Letter.Numb. 231. A Letter on the awe of appearing before public a.s.semblies.Numb. 237. On Divine Providence.Vol. IV. Numb. 252. A Letter on the Eloquence of Tears, and fainting fits.Numb. 302. The Character of Emilia.Numb
- 95 Congreve himself. So n.o.bly elevated are his thoughts, his numbers so harmonious, and his turns so fine and delicate, that we cry out with Tully, on a like occasion, 'Nostrae spes altera Romae!'The Court of Neptune, was written on king William&
- 94 But each in some peculiar grace shall s.h.i.+ne!Or to excel in courts, and please the fair!Or Conquest gain thro' all the wat'ry war!With harmony divine the ear to charm!Or souls with more melodious numbers warm!By wond'rous memory shall so
- 93 The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).by Theophilus Cibber.Vol. IV.Dedicated to the Right Honourable PHILIP Earl of CHESTERFIELD.Correctly printed in a neat Pocket Volume (Price Bound Three s.h.i.+llings,) The Second Edition of LES MO
- 92 11. The Ambitious Slave, or a Generous Revenge; a Tragedy; acted at the Theatre Royal, 4to. 1694. This play met with ill success. 12. The World in the Moon, a Dramatic, Comic Opera; performed at the Theatre in Dorset-Garden, by his Majestys Servants, 1698
- 91 19. The Comical History of Don Quixot, Part the Second; acted at the Queen's Theatre 1694, dedicated by an Epistle, in heroic Verse, to Charles Earl of Dorset and Middles.e.x, &c. This play was likewise acted with applause.20. Don Quixot, Part the Th
- 90 This author's other works are chiefly these, The Post-Boy Robb'd of his Mail, or the Packet Broke Open; consisting of Five Hundred Letters to several Persons of Quality, &c. 1692.He published the Miscellaneous Works of Charles Blount, Esq; to wh
- 89 A Discourse on Ancient and Modern Learning; the time when it was written is uncertain, but probably as early as the former. It was preserved amongst the ma.n.u.scripts of lord Somers, which, after the death of Sir Joseph Jekyl, being publickly sold, this
- 88 Thus far the testimony of the marquis of Hallifax in favour of our author's performance, and we have good reason to conclude, that the translation, is not without great merit, when so accomplished a judge has praised it.We cannot be certain in what y
- 87 Whoever has the least spark of generosity in his nature, cannot but highly applaud this tender conduct of his lords.h.i.+p's, towards his Sovereign in distress; and look with contempt upon the slowness of the council in dispatching a force to his rel
- 86 The next tragedy Mr. Rowe wrote was his Ulysses, acted at the queen's Theatre, in the Hay Market, and dedicated to the earl of G.o.dolphin. This play is not at present in possession of the stage, though it deserves highly to be so, as the character o
- 85 Sir SAMUEL GARTH.This gentleman was descended from a good family in Yorks.h.i.+re; after he had pa.s.sed through his school education, he was removed to Peter-house in Cambridge, where he is said to have continued till he was created Dr.of Physic July 7,
- 84 [Footnote 1: Dennis's Letters, vol. i. p. 213.]NAHUM TATE Was born about the middle of the reign of Charles II. in the kingdom of Ireland, and there received his education. He was a man of learning, courteous, and candid, but was thought to possess n
- 83 Lord Hallifax died in the 54th year of his age, on the 19th of May 1715, and on the 26th of the same month, was interred in general Monk's vault in Westminster-Abbey: leaving no issue, his t.i.tles devolved on his nephew, George late earl of Hallifax
- 82 'Solon ordained, that the guardians of orphans should not cohabit with their mothers: And that no person should be a guardian to those, whose estate descended to them at the orphan's decease. That no seal-graver should keep the seal of a ring th
- 81 3. Several Epistles to his Friends under affliction.4. Upon the Divine Attributes.5. A Prospect of Death.5. Upon the General Conflagration, and the ensuing Judgment. There were two pieces of our author's, published after his death by his friend Phila
- 80 Thou, who dost all my worldly thoughts employ, Thou pleasing source of all my earthly joy: Thou tenderest husband, and thou best of friends, To thee, this first, this last adieu I send.At length the conqueror death a.s.serts his right, And will forever ve
- 79 A gentleman, a friend of Mr. Maynwaring, visiting him some time after, upon the death of Mr. Dryden 'Boileau, said that he was wonderfully pleased to see by the public papers, that the English nation had paid so extraordinary honours to one of their
- 78 The poetical Works of this Lady consist chiefly in the Song of the Three Children Paraphrased, some Pindaric Odes, Familiar Epistles, and Songs.We shall select as a specimen, a Dialogue between Lucinda and Marissa, occasioned by the death of her Ladys.h.i
- 77 That scenic virtue forms the rising age, And truth displays her radiance from the stage.The following are Mr. Betterton's dramatic works; 1. The Woman made a Justice; a Comedy.2. The Unjust Judge, or Appius and Virginia; a Tragedy, written originally
- 76 Ill grounded pa.s.sions quickly wear away; What's built upon esteem can ne'er decay.Mr. Walsh was of an amorous complexion, and in one of his letters mentions three of his amours, in pretty singular terms. 'I valued (says he) one mistress,
- 75 This gentleman is author of eleven plays, which gives him a kind of right to be named in this collection. Some have been of opinion, he was a poet of a low rate, others that he was only a wit collector; be this as it may, he acquired, some distinction by
- 74 In the beginning of the year 1700, Farquhar brought his Constant Couple, or Trip to the Jubilee, upon the stage, it being then the jubilee year at Rome; but our author drew so gay, and airy a figure in Sir Harry Wildair, so suited to Mr. Wilks's tale
- 73 In justice, you cannot refuse, To think of our distress; When we for hopes of honour lose, Our certain happiness; All those designs are but to prove, Ourselves more worthy of your love.With a fa, &c.XI.And, now we've told you all our loves, And likew
- 72 3. Calisto, or the Chaste Nymph, a masque, 1675; written by command of the queen, and oftentimes performed at court by persons of quality. It is founded on a story in Ovid's Metamorphoses, lib. 2.4. The Country Wit, a Comedy; acted at the duke's
- 71 The Grumbler, a Comedy of three acts, scene Paris.The Tyrant King of Crete, a Tragedy.Sedley's poems, however amorously tender and delicate, yet have not much strength; nor do they afford great marks of genius. The softness of his verses is denominat
- 70 19. The Kind Keeper; or Mr. Limberham, a Comedy, acted at the duke's theatre, printed in 4to. 1680. It is dedicated to John lord Vaughan. Mr.Langbain says, it so much exposed the keepers about town, that all the old letchers were up in arms against i
- 69 In 1695 Mr. Dryden published a translation in prose of Du Fresnoy's Art of Painting, with a preface containing a parallel between painting and poetry. Mr. Pope has addressed a copy of verses to Mr. Jervas in praise of Dryden's translation. In 16
- 68 &c.2. Ermina, or the chaste lady; printed in octavo, London 1665.3. Love's Dominion; a dramatic piece, which the author says, is full of excellent morality; and is written as a pattern of the reformed stage, printed in octavo, London 1654, and dedica
- 67 [Footnote 1: General Dictionary. See the article Shadwell.]Sir WILLIAM KILLEGREW.The eldest son of Sir Robert Killegrew, Knt. chamberlain to the Queen, was born at the Manor of Hanworth, near Hampton-Court, in the month of May, 1605. He became a gentleman
- 66 'He had, besides all this, a variety in his genius, which few capital actors have shewn, or perhaps have thought it any addition of their merit to arrive at; he could entirely change himself, could at once throw off the man of sense, for the brisk, v
- 65 "Thus eight o'clock is marked agreeable to reverie; nine o'Clock, design to please no body; ten o'clock, reading of letters, &c."To which is added, as from Damon to Iris, a description of the case of the watch.6. The Lady's L
- 64 Mrs. APHRA BEHN, A celebrated poetess of the last age, was a gentlewoman by birth, being descended, as her life-writer says, from a good family in the city of Canterbury. She was born in Charles Ist's reign[1], but in what year is not known. Her fath
- 63 The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).by Theophilus Cibber.Vol. III.Sir JOHN DENHAM.An eminent poet of the 17th century, was the only son of Sir John Denham, knight, of Little Horsley in Ess.e.x, and sometime baron of the Exchequer in
- 62 This n.o.bleman was born in Ireland during the lieutenancy of the earl of Strafford, in the reign of King Charles I. Lord Strafford was his G.o.dfather, and named him by his own surname. He pa.s.sed some of his first years in his native country, till the
- 61 Otway was exposed to powerful enemies, who could not bear that he should acquire fame, amongst whom Dryden is the foremost. The enmity between Dryden and Otway could not proceed from jealousy, for what were Otway's, when put in the ballance with the
- 60 In squandering wealth was his peculiar art; Nothing went unrewarded but desert.Beggar'd by fools, whom still he found too late, He had his jest, and they had his estate.He laught himself from court, then sought relief, By forming parties, but could n
- 59 Footnotes: 1. See the Life of Sheffield Duke of Buckingham.2. The d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth.GEORGE VILLIERS, Duke of BUCKINGHAM.Son and heir of George, duke, marquis, and earl of Buckingham, murdered by Felton in the year 1628. This n.o.bleman was born at
- 58 If, of all Christian blood the guilt Cries loud of vengeance unto Heav'n, That sea by treach'rous Lewis spilt, Can never be by G.o.d forgiv'n: Worse scourge unto his subjects, lord!Than pest'lence, famine, fire, or sword.XXV.That false
- 57 The virtues in thee, Charles, inherent, Altho' thy count'nance be an odd piece, Prove thee as true a G.o.d's Vicegerent, As e'er was Harry with his cod-piece: For chast.i.ty, and pious deeds, His grandsire Harry Charles exceeds.III.Our