...vigour of a line, seo Where Denham's strength, and Waller's sweetness join. True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offence, The sound must seem an echo to the sense ; Soft is the...

...each foreign tongue ; Prune the luxuriant, the uncouth refine, But show no mercy to an empty line ; Then polish all with so much life and ease, You think...rule, Better (say I) be pleas'd, and play the fool ; Call, if you will, bad rhyming a disease, It gives men happiness, or leaves them ease. There liv'd...

...each foreign tongue ; Prune the luxuriant, the uncouth refine, But show no merey to an empty line : used her discontent, She sigh'd not that they stay'd,...plain-work, and to purling brooks, Old-fashion'd halls, pleased, and play the fool ; Call, if you will, bad rhyming a disease, It gives men happiness, or leaves...

...vigour of a line Where Denham's strength and Waller's sweetness join. • True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offence ; The sound must seem an echo to the sense. Soft is the...

...each foreign tongue ; Prune the luxuriant, the uncouth refine, But show no mercy to an empty line : Then polish all, with so much life and ease, You think...plague and pains to write by rule, Better (say I) be pleased, and play the fool ; Call, if you will, bad rhyming a disease, It gives men happiness, or leaves...

...in any manner which untutored Nature can produce. This sentiment is well expressed by the poet : " But ease in writing flows from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learned to dance." t True ease in composition, accompanied with purity, d as much from that homely...

...manner of writing. It should be considered that ease is often the result of great care and labor : "But ease in writing flows from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learned to dance." The desire to avoid the beaten track of expression on the one hand, and the fondness...

...vigour of a line, 364 Where Denham's strength and Waller's aweelncsi join True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offence, The sound must seem an echo to the sense: Soft is the strain...

...perceived that in this respect he approached the position of Pope, who held that True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. This emphasis on skill is characteristic of the earlier eighteenthcentury poets, and persisted even...

...a Writer may sometimes do 1 Cf. Pope, Essay on Criticism (1711), 362-3: 'True Ease in Writing comes from Art, not Chance,/ As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.' 2 William Pitt (1708-78), later first Earl of Chatham, was an eloquent speaker in the House of Commons...