Lives of the English Poets : Waller, Milton, Cowley

Name: Lives of the English Poets : Waller, Milton, Cowley
Author: Samuel Johnson

By Samuel Johnson

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About This Book

The volume collects concise biographical sketches and critical prefaces for several English poets, combining life narratives with close readings of their verse, assessments of style, and evaluations of merit and fault. The author traces each writer's education, patronage, and public reception, and considers metrical practice, rhetorical devices, and thematic tendencies. Critical judgments balance admiration with candid criticism, noting strengths such as harmonic versification and poetic genius alongside perceived weaknesses. Essays interweave historical context and literary theory to explain how each poet's technique and temperament shaped their reputation.

About the Author

Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an influential English writer and lexicographer, best known for his comprehensive dictionary, "A Dictionary of the English Language," which laid the groundwork for modern lexicography. His literary contributions span various genres, including poetry, essays, and biography. Johnson's works often reflect his keen insight into human nature and society, as seen in his notable titles such as "A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" and "Lives of the English Poets." He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time, engaging with contemporaries like James Boswell, whose biography of Johnson remains a classic. His legacy endures in the realms of literature and language.