english 12 Neoclassic
---
## Alexander Pope – An Essay on Man (1733–34)
1. "To err is human; to forgive, divine."
2. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast."
3. **"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;
The proper study of mankind is man."**
---
## Samuel Johnson – A Dictionary of the English Language (1755)
- While the dictionary itself doesn’t lend itself to quotable lines, from The Rambler (1750–52):
1. "Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect."
2. "Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful."
---
## Jonathan Swift – Gulliver's Travels (1726)
1. "Undoubtedly, philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison."
2. "I said the thing which was not." (*Euphemism for lying*)
3. From A Modest Proposal (1729):
"A young healthy child well nursed is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food." (Satirical tone)
---
## James Boswell – The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791)
1. "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." (Johnson’s quote recorded by Boswell)
2. "A man who is tired of London is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." (Johnson’s observation recorded by Boswell)
---
## Olaudah Equiano – The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789)
1. "When you make men slaves, you deprive them of half their virtue."
2. "Is not the slave trade entirely a war with the heart of man?"
3. "I am neither a saint, a hero, nor a tyrant."
---
## William Wilberforce – A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System (1797)
1. "True Christianity is a love of Christ that influences the heart and directs the conduct."
2. "You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know." (On slavery)
3. "God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners."
---
## Thomas Gray – Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751)
1. "The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
2. **"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."**
3. **"Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learned to stray."**
---
## Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
- Bio:
- Born in London, England. Raised in a Catholic family during a time of anti-Catholic sentiment, which restricted his education.
- Suffered from tuberculosis of the spine, which left him with health issues and physical disabilities throughout his life.
- Known for his mastery of the heroic couplet and his satirical wit.
- Major Works:
- Pastorals (1709) – Early work showcasing his poetic skill.
- An Essay on Criticism (1711) – A poetic treatise on literary criticism and the role of the poet.
- The Rape of the Lock (1712, expanded 1714) – A mock-epic satirizing the vanity of aristocratic society.
- The Dunciad (1728, revised 1743) – A scathing attack on bad poets and literary hacks.
- An Essay on Man (1733–34) – A philosophical poem exploring human nature and the idea of a divine order.
---
## Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
- Bio:
- Born in Lichfield, England.
- Struggled with poverty and health problems in his early life.
- Became one of the most influential literary figures of the 18th century.
- Known for his deep moral insight, wit, and scholarship.
- Major Works:
- A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) – A landmark work in English lexicography.
- The Lives of the Poets (1779–81) – Biographical and critical essays on poets from the 17th and 18th centuries.
- The Rambler (1750–52) – A series of essays on moral and philosophical issues.
- Rasselas (1759) – A philosophical novel about the search for happiness.
---
## Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)
- Bio:
- Born in Dublin, Ireland.
- Educated at Trinity College, Dublin.
- Became a clergyman in the Church of Ireland.
- Known for his biting satire and political commentary.
- Major Works:
- A Tale of a Tub (1704) – A satirical work on religious corruption and hypocrisy.
- Gulliver's Travels (1726) – A satirical exploration of human nature and society.
- The Drapier's Letters (1724) – Political pamphlets criticizing British policies in Ireland.
- A Modest Proposal (1729) – A satirical pamphlet suggesting that the Irish could solve their poverty by selling their children as food.
---
## James Boswell (1740–1795)
- Bio:
- Born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Trained as a lawyer but gained fame as a biographer.
- Close friend and companion of Samuel Johnson.
- Major Works:
- The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) – One of the greatest biographies in English literature, based on Boswell’s detailed records of conversations with Johnson.
- Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1785) – A travel narrative of Boswell’s trip with Johnson to Scotland.
---
## Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745–1797)
- Bio:
- Born in what is now Nigeria.
- Kidnapped and sold into slavery as a child.
- Bought his freedom and became an abolitionist and writer.
- Major Works:
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789) – One of the first major slave narratives, describing his capture, enslavement, and journey to freedom. It played a key role in the abolitionist movement.
---
## William Wilberforce (1759–1833)
- Bio:
- Born in Hull, England.
- Became an evangelical Christian, which shaped his moral and political convictions.
- Led the parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade.
- Major Works:
- A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians (1797) – A call for authentic Christian faith and morality.
- His speeches and parliamentary efforts helped lead to the passage of the Slave Trade Act (1807).
---
## Thomas Gray (1716–1771)**
- Bio:
- Born in London, England.
- Educated at Eton and Cambridge.
- Lived a reclusive life, focusing on scholarship and poetry.
- Known for his melancholic and reflective tone.
- Major Works:
- Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751) – A meditative poem on death and the lives of common people.
- Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College (1747) – Reflecting on the innocence of youth.
- The Bard (1757) – A dramatic ode about the legend of a Welsh bard.