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Quote by Samuel Johnson

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The poetical works of Samuel Johnson: collated with the best editions

This volume presents the complete poetical writings of Samuel Johnson, the eighteenth-century English writer, critic, and lexicographer. The edition has been prepared through collation with established authoritative editions, indicating an editorial effort to establish accurate texts. Johnson's poetry, though less celebrated than his prose works such as his Dictionary of the English Language or his Lives of the Poets, includes compositions in various forms including Latin verse, English lyrics, and the tragedy Irene. The collection reflects the neoclassical style prevalent during Johnson's lifetime, characterized by formal structures, moral themes, and learned allusions. The editorial approach of collating with best editions suggests attention to textual accuracy and bibliographic scholarship, typical of nineteenth-century publishing practices for canonical authors. more

Author

Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson was an English writer, poet, and lexicographer, renowned for his comprehensive English dictionary, 'A Dictionary of the English Language', published in 1755. His distinctive writing style and wit have cemented his place as a significant figure in the history of English literature. more

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“Implied Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best receiv'd,- Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.”

“I am thinking of the onion again. . . . Not self-righteous like the proletarian potato, nor a siren like the apple. No show-off like the banana. But a modest, self-effacing vegetable, questioning, introspective, peeling itself away, or merely radiating halos like ripples.”

“Man offers himself to God. He stands before Him like the canvas before the painter or the marble before the sculptor. At the same time he asks for His grace, expresses his needs and those of his brothers in suffering. Such a type of prayer demands complete renovation. The modest, the ignorant, and the poor are more capable of this self-denial than the rich and the intellectual.”