Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	capacity_n	devil_n	great_a	23	3	2.1590	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41298	A Defence of dramatick poetry being a review of Mr. Collier's View of the immorality and profaneness of the stage.	Filmer, Edward, b. ca. 1657.; Settle, Elkanah, 1648-1724.; Rymer, Thomas, 1641-1713.; Vanbrugh, John, Sir, 1664-1726.	1698 (1698)	Wing F905; ESTC R16098	47,476	128

confirm_v the_o wellwisher_n to_o atheism_n and_o make_v vice_n bold_a and_o enterprize_v such_o diversion_n serve_v to_o dispel_v the_o gloom_n and_o gild_v the_o horror_n of_o the_o shade_n below_o and_o be_v a_o sort_n of_o insurance_n against_o damnation_n one_o will_v think_v these_o poet_n go_v upon_o a_o certainty_n and_o can_v demonstrate_v a_o scheme_n of_o infidelity_n thus_o he_o run_v on_o for_o almost_o forty_o line_n more_o all_o upon_o this_o head_n i_o will_v not_o have_v make_v so_o long_a a_o quotation_n only_o to_o show_v my_o reader_n what_o a_o jehu_n champion_n of_o religion_n he_o be_v and_o how_o fast_o and_o how_o far_o he_o can_v drive_v at_o a_o breath_n to_o give_v he_o his_o due_n he_o have_v a_o mighty_a copiousness_n of_o word_n and_o to_o do_v he_o right_o in_o the_o use_n he_o make_v of_o they_o he_o be_v always_o as_o liberal_a as_o he_o be_v rich_a i_o remember_v a_o author_n that_o tell_v we_o word_n be_v the_o wise_a man_n counter_n and_o the_o fool_n be_v ready_a money_n now_o if_o this_o learned_a master_n of_o art_n and_o language_n shall_v be_v mistake_v in_o his_o charge_n against_o mr._n dryden_n epistle_n dedicatory_a and_o mr._n dryden_n fairy_n write_v upon_o full_a examination_n instead_o of_o so_o frightful_a a_o goblin_n shall_v prove_v but_o a_o innocent_a harmless_a spirit_n and_o consequent_o all_o this_o effusion_n of_o rhetoric_n shall_v be_v prodigal_o throw_v away_o in_o waste_n however_o this_o plain_a deal_n author_n give_v he_o that_o comfort_n viz._n that_o his_o silver_n eloquence_n be_v all_o current_n sterling_n and_o not_o gild_a brass_n well_o then_o to_o give_v mr._n dryden_n fairy_n a_o little_a examination_n because_o mr._n dryden_n allusive_o and_o very_o emphatical_o so_o call_v his_o description_n of_o hell_n and_o discourse_n of_o devil_n etc._n etc._n a_o fairy_n way_n of_o write_v and_o as_o such_o it_o depend_v upon_o the_o force_n of_o imagination_n that_o therefore_o he_o say_v or_o mean_v it_o that_o the_o subject_n be_v fairy_a land_n he_o write_v upon_o that_o hell_n be_v but_o phantom_n the_o fall_v of_o angel_n romance_n and_o damnation_n but_o chimaera_n for_o a_o fairy_n way_n of_o writing_n our_o author_n tell_v you_o can_v be_v nothing_o but_o a_o history_n of_o fiction_n a_o subject_a of_o imaginary_a being_n such_o as_o never_o have_v any_o existence_n in_o time_n or_o nature_n good_a heaven_n how_o perverse_o do_v this_o angry_a gentleman_n scribble_n if_o the_o infernal_a power_n be_v invisible_a the_o devil_n incorporeal_a spirit_n nay_o the_o very_a locality_n of_o hell_n itself_o and_o the_o materiality_n of_o the_o avenge_a flame_n be_v thing_n disputable_a among_o the_o most_o learned_a theologist_n and_o if_o a_o discourse_n of_o hell_n or_o devil_n with_o this_o gentleman_n leave_n be_v a_o subject_a that_o a_o poet_n may_v presume_v to_o handle_v his_o leave_n indeed_o we_o ought_v to_o beg_v in_o this_o case_n for_o if_o treat_v a_o mahomet_n or_o mufti_n too_o bold_o by_o this_o author_n innuendo_n be_v a_o profanation_n of_o the_o true_a divinity_n who_o know_v but_o a_o intrusion_n into_o the_o affair_n of_o hell_n by_o the_o same_o rate_n of_o presumption_n may_v be_v peep_v into_o a_o sanctum_fw-la sanctorum_fw-la his_o leave_n therefore_o first_o beg_v if_o mr._n dryden_n may_v presume_v to_o speak_v a_o word_n or_o two_o of_o hell_n etc._n etc._n as_o there_o be_v scarce_a a_o poet_n either_o divine_a or_o profane_a that_o have_v not_o presume_v upon_o the_o same_o subject_n pray_v let_v i_o ask_v this_o theological_a critic_n if_o a_o poetical_a draught_n or_o imagery_n of_o hell_n and_o devil_n though_o draw_v as_o near_o the_o life_n as_o the_o whole_a bible_n light_n can_v set_v they_o and_o do_v by_o the_o able_a master_n skill_n of_o man_n can_v be_v any_o thing_n but_o a_o piece_n of_o fairy_n pencil_n work_n all_o the_o colour_n the_o feature_n all_o by_o the_o force_n of_o imagination_n for_o how_o can_v incorporeal_a and_o immaterial_a being_n be_v set_v forth_o to_o the_o eye_n of_o human_a apprehension_n without_o a_o array_n of_o form_n and_o shape_n the_o ghost_n must_v walk_v with_o a_o body_n the_o fiend_n with_o a_o cleave_a foot_n or_o something_o of_o that_o kind_n or_o the_o apparition_n lose_v and_o what_o be_v all_o these_o but_o a_o fairy_n creation_n of_o fancy_n in_o the_o very_o proppere_a name_n he_o can_v give_v it_o nay_o in_o much_o the_o same_o kind_n of_o language_n do_v not_o the_o scripture_n itself_o all_o along_o speak_v of_o almighty_a god_n what_o be_v the_o eye_n the_o ear_n the_o hand_n or_o the_o face_n of_o god_n the_o common_a scripture-phrase_n any_o thing_n more_o than_o mere_a notion_n that_o infinity_o and_o omnipotence_n who_o the_o sky_n can_v contain_v thus_o humble_o draw_v into_o that_o human_a like_o figure_n in_o miniature_n purposely_o adapt_v to_o those_o shortsighted_a optic_n the_o narrow_a capacity_n of_o man._n but_o to_o return_v to_o our_o king_n arthur_n after_o above_o 20_o line_n of_o the_o serious_a consideration_n of_o eternal_a punishment_n and_o the_o frightful_a state_n of_o the_o damn_a etc._n etc._n let_v we_o see_v say_v he_o how_o mr._n dryden_n represent_v those_o unhappy_a spirit_n and_o their_o place_n of_o abode_n why_o very_o entertain_o those_o that_o have_v a_o true_a taste_n for_o atheism_n be_v never_o better_o regale_v one_o will_v think_v by_o this_o play_n that_o the_o devil_n be_v mere_a mormoe_n and_o bugbear_n fit_a only_a to_o fright_v child_n and_o fool_n they_o rally_v upon_o hell_n and_o damnation_n with_o a_o great_a deal_n of_o air_n and_o pleasantry_n and_o appear_v like_o robin_n goodfellow_n only_o to_o make_v the_o company_n laugh_v philidel_n be_v call_v a_o pule_v spirit_n and_o why_o so_o for_o this_o pious_a reason_n because_o he_o tremble_v at_o the_o yawn_a gulf_n of_o hell_n nor_o dare_v approach_v the_o flame_n lest_o he_o shall_v singe_v his_o gaudy_a silken_a wing_n he_o sigh_v when_o he_o shall_v plunge_v a_o soul_n in_o sulphur_n as_o with_o compassion_n touch_v of_o foolish_a man._n the_o answer_n be_v what_o a_o half_a devil_n be_v he_o you_o see_v how_o admirable_o it_o run_v all_o upon_o the_o christian_a scheme_n sometime_o they_o be_v half_a devil_n and_o sometime_o hopeful_a devil_n and_o what_o you_o please_v to_o make_v sport_n with_o grimbald_n be_v afraid_a of_o be_v whoop_v through_o hell_n at_o his_o return_n for_o miscarry_v in_o his_o business_n it_o seem_v there_o be_v great_a leisure_n for_o diversion_n there_o be_v whoop_v in_o hell_n instead_o of_o weep_v and_o wail_v our_o author_n you_o may_v observe_v almost_o every_o where_o lash_v the_o poet_n with_o a_o twig_n of_o their_o own_o birch_n his_o argument_n be_v every_o where_o all_o high_a flight_n of_o rapture_n only_o his_o poetical_a field_n of_o fancy_n be_v a_o little_a too_o much_o overrun_v with_o the_o savine_n and_o wormwood_n the_o rankness_n of_o the_o soil_n be_v most_o fruitful_a in_o those_o bitter_a sort_n of_o vegetive_n but_o in_o his_o last_o remark_n his_o divine_a pegasus_n as_o high_a as_o he_o general_o fly_v be_v a_o little_a jade_v and_o perhaps_o his_o raillery_n in_o this_o place_n have_v more_o of_o the_o robin_n goodfellow_n then_o mr._n dryden_n and_o i_o be_o certain_a have_v more_o reason_n to_o set_v we_o a_o laugh_a for_o i_o dare_v to_o swear_v he_o be_v that_o particular_a dissenter_n from_o the_o general_n opinion_n of_o every_o reasonable_a judge_n upon_o this_o quotation_n from_o mr._n dryden_n that_o neither_o the_o character_n of_o philidel_n though_o but_o mr._n dryden_n own_o fairy_n creation_n or_o those_o pious_a reason_n as_o he_o call_v they_o the_o before_o quote_v line_n have_v any_o thing_n of_o that_o extraordinary_a air_n of_o pleasantry_n to_o set_v either_o the_o atheist_n agog_o or_o the_o company_n a_o titter_a and_o here_o i_o must_v desire_v he_o once_o again_o to_o read_v milton_n and_o tell_v we_o if_o his_o paradise_n lose_v have_v not_o character_v the_o whole_a body_n of_o the_o apostate_n angel_n animate_v each_o other_o into_o a_o obstinacy_n and_o emulation_n in_o wickedness_n glory_v in_o the_o very_a cause_n of_o their_o fall_n their_o rebellion_n against_o god_n though_o in_o the_o midst_n of_o their_o torment_n they_o suffer_v for_o it_o better_o to_o rule_n in_o hell_n than_o serve_v in_o heaven_n reproach_v every_o infernal_a faintness_n dare_v each_o other_o in_o every_o new_a and_o hardy_a insult_n against_o god_n and_o pride_v and_o plume_v in_o every_o success_n in_o their_o machination_n against_o hate_a man._n nay_o do_v not_o cowley_n in_o his_o divine_a poem_n of_o davideis_n make_v his_o infernal_a envy_n a_o copy_n from_o the_o original_a speak_v in_o the_o same_o dialect_n dare_v none_o attempt_v what_o become_v fury_n be_v you_o grow_v