Sonnet Lxvii. On Doctor Johnson's Unjust Criticisms In His Lives Of The Poets[1] Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBCDBBCEFGFEF H| Cou'd aweful Johnson want poetic ear | A |
| Fancy or judgment no his splendid strain | B |
| In prose or rhyme confutes that plea The pain | B |
| Which writh'd o'er Garrick's fortunes shows us clear | C |
| Whence all his spleen to GENIUS Ill to bear | D |
| A Friend's renown that to his own must reign | B |
| Compar'd a Meteor's evanescent train | B |
| To Jupiter's fix'd orb proves that each sneer | C |
| Subtle and fatal to poetic Sense | E |
| Did from insidious ENVY meanly flow | F |
| Illumed with dazzling hues of eloquence | G |
| And Sophist Wit that labor to o'er throw | F |
| Th' awards of AGES and new laws dispense | E |
| That lift the mean and lay the MIGHTY low | F |
| - | |
| When Johnson's Idolaters are hard pressed concerning his injustice in those fallacious though able pages when they are reminded that he there tells us the perusal of Milton's Paradise Lost is a task and never a pleasure reminded also of his avowed contempt of that exquisite Poem the LYCIDAS of his declaration that Dryden's absurd Ode on the death of Mrs Anne Killegrew written in Cowley's worst manner is the noblest Ode in this Language of his disdain of GRAY as a lyric Poet of the superior respect he pays to Yalden Blackmore and Pomfret When these things are urged his Adorers seek to acquit him of wilful misrepresentation by alledging that he wanted ear for lyric numbers and taste for the higher graces of POETRY but it is impossible so to believe when we recollect that even his prose abounds with poetic efflorescence metaphoric conception and harmonious cadence which in the highest degree adorn it without diminishing its strength We must look for the source of his injustice in the envy of his temper When Garrick was named a Candidate for admission into the Literary Club Dr Johnson told Mr Thrale he would black ball him Who Sir Mr Garrick Companion of your Youth your acknowledged Friend Why Sir I love my little David better than any or all of his Flatterers love him but surely we ought to sit in a Society like ours 'unelbow'd by a Gamester Pimp or PLAYER See Supplement to Dr Johnson's Letters published by Mrs Piozzi The blended hypocrisy and malice of this sally show the man Johnson knew at times how to coax without sincerity as well as to abuse without justice His seeming fondness for Mrs C of Lichfield on his visits to that City and the contempt with which he spoke of her to her Townspeople was another instance of the same nature | H |
Anna Seward
(1)
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About Sonnet Lxvii. On Doctor Johnson's Unjust Criticisms In His Lives Of The Poets[1]
Sonnet Lxvii. On Doctor Johnson's Unjust Criticisms In His Lives Of The Poets[1] is a poem by Anna Seward. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.