The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.Cibber, Theophilus
General
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume III.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
herself, and assuring her readers, that there are no reflexions in it
levelled at any particular persons, besides the author of the Sermon;
him (says she) I only blame for being too angry, for his not telling us
our duty in a softer more engaging way: address, and good manners render
reproofs a kindness; but where they are wanting, admonitions are always
taken ill: as truths of this sort ought never to be concealed from us,
so they ought never to be told us with an indecent warmth; a respectful
tenderness would be more becoming a messenger of peace, the disciple of
an humble, patient, meek, commiserating Saviour.'
Besides this lady's poems, of which we shall give some account when we
quote a specimen; she wrote Essays upon several subjects, in prose and
verse, printed in 8vo. 1710. These Essays are upon Knowledge, Pride,
Humility, Life, Death, Fear, Grief, Riches, Self-love, Justice, Anger,
Calumny, Friendship, Love, Avarice, Solitude, and are much admired for
the delicacy of the stile, there being not the least appearance of false
wit, or affected expression, the too common blemishes of this sort of
writing: they are not so much the excursions of a lively imagination,
which can often expatiate on the passions, and actions of men, with
small experience of either, as the deliberate result of observations on
the world, improved with reading, regulated with judgment, softened by
good manners, and heightened with sublime thoughts, and elevated piety.
This treatise is dedicated to her Royal Highness the Princess Sophia,
Electress, and Duchess Dowager of Brunswick, on which occasion that
Princess, then in her 80th year, honoured her with the following
epistle, written by the Electress in French, but which we shall here
present to the reader in English.
Hanover June 25, 1710.
LADY CHUDLEIGH,
You have done me a very great pleasure in letting
me know by your agreeable book, that there
is such a one as you in England, and who has so
well improved herself, that she can, in a fine manner,
communicate her sentiments to all the world.
As for me I do not pretend to deserve the commendations
you give me, but by the esteem which I
have of your merit, and of your good sense, I will
be always entirely
Your affectionate friend
to serve you,
SOPHIA ELECTRICE.
At the end of the second volume of the duke of Wharton's poems, are five
letters from lady Chudleigh, to the revd. Mr. Norris of Bemmerton, and
Mrs. Eliz. Thomas, the celebrated Corinna of Dryden.
She wrote several other things, which, though not printed, are carefully
preserved in the family, viz. two Tragedies, two Operas, a Masque, some
of Lucian's Dialogues, translated into Verse, Satirical Reflexions on
Saqualio, in imitation of one of Lucian's Dialogues, with several small
Poems on various Occasions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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