The English Novel: A Short Sketch of Its History from the Earliest Times to the Appearance of WaverleyJohn Murray, 1922 - 298 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
Adventures alliteration Arcadia Artabanes artistic better borrowed called Castle of Otranto Caxton century character Charlemagne Chaucer Clarissa comedy critics death Defoe delight drama Elizabethan England English literature English prose Euphues Euphuistic fashion Fielding Fielding's French heart hero heroic romance honour human humour Huon of Bordeaux imagination imitation influence interest Italian lady later literary living Lord Lucilla Lyly Lyly's Malory medieval Miss Austen Miss Burney Miss Edgeworth moral narration narrative Nash nature never novel novelists original Pamela passion Philautus play plot poet poetic poetry political praise preface prose fiction Radcliffe reader realistic reign Reprinted Richardson satire says scene sentiment Shakespeare Sidney Sir Philip Sidney Sir Walter Scott Smollett spirit story style success supernatural tale taste theme Thomas tion Tom Jones translation Tristram Shandy verse virtue Walpole William William Copland writers written Wynkyn de Worde
Popular passages
Page 235 - And now, all in my own countree, I stood on the firm land! The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, And scarcely he could stand. "O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!
Page 223 - ; in which it was agreed that my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic ; yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth...
Page 56 - ... freedoms be ; Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light ; That doth both shine, and give us sight to see. O take fast hold ! Let that light be thy guide In this small course which birth draws out to death ; And think how evil becometh him to slide Who seeketh Heaven, and comes of heavenly breath. Then farewell, world ! thy uttermost I see : Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me ! Splendidis longum valedico rmgis.
Page 119 - Resolution, to reject all the amplifications, digressions, and swellings of style: to return back to the primitive purity, and shortness, when men deliver'd so many things, almost in an equal number of words. They have exacted from all their members, a close, naked, natural way of speaking; positive expressions, clear senses; a native easiness: bringing all things as near the Mathematical plainness, as they can: and preferring the language of Artizans, Countrymen, and Merchants, before that, of Wits,...
Page 220 - It was an attempt to blend the two kinds of romance, the ancient and the modern. In the former, all was imagination and improbability ; in the latter, nature is always intended to be, and sometimes has been, copied with success. Invention has not been wanting ; but the great resources of fancy have been dammed up, by a strict adherence to common life.
Page 59 - But besides these gross absurdities, how all their plays be neither right tragedies nor right comedies, mingling kings and clowns, not because the matter so carrieth it, but thrust in the clown by head and shoulders to play a part in majestical matters, with neither decency nor discretion, so as neither the admiration and commiseration nor the right sportfulness is by their mongrel tragicomedy obtained.
Page 14 - For herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy, humanity, friendliness, hardiness, love, friendship, cowardice, murder, hate, virtue, and sin. Do after the good and leave the evil, and it shall bring you to good fame and renown. And for to pass the time this book shall be pleasant to read in, but for to give faith and belief that all is true that is contained herein, ye be at your liberty...
Page 62 - There were hills, which garnished their proud heights with stately trees ; humble valleys, whose base estate seemed comforted with the refreshing of silver rivers: .meadows, enamelled with all sorts of eye-pleasing' .flowers ; thickets, which being lined with most pleasant shade were witnessed so...
Page 133 - The sunrise broken into scarlet shafts Among the palms and ferns and precipices ; The blaze upon the waters to the east; The blaze upon his island overhead; The blaze upon the waters to the west; Then the great stars that globed themselves in heaven, The hollower-bellowing ocean, and again The scarlet shafts of sunrise — but no sail.
Page 52 - Who strive to build a shadowy isle of bliss Midmost the beating of the steely sea, Where tossed about all hearts of men must be ; Whose ravening monsters mighty men shall slay, Not the poor singer of an empty day.