I took up the Economy of Human Life, and was much pleased with the simplicity, ease and elegance of its style. The Biographical Sketch of Dodsley is drawn with much beauty and taste.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Horrocks Ainsworth Print: Book
'bought Dodsley's "Trifles", a very entertaining book [in margin] Price 1s which Mr E. gave me to buy it with & has likewise given me the book.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Hunter Print: Book
'When I came to extract the remarks on Dodsley, I found [they?] were remarks upon an old edition & that the editors we have published in 1782, have adopted the remarks & c.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Hunter Print: Book
'Mr Dodsley this year brought out his "Preceptor", oned of the most valuable books for the improvement of young minds that has appeared in any language'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Boswell Print: Book
' [Johnson said] "Sir, you know the notion of confinement may be extended, as in the song, "Every island is a prison." There is, in Dodsley's 'Collection', a copy of verses to the authour of that song".
Smith's Latin verses on Pococke, the great traveller, were mentioned. He repeated some of them, and said they were Smith's best verses.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'[from the Johnsoniana imparted by Bennet Langton to Boswell in 1780] 'Of Dodsley's "Publick Virtue, a Poem", he said, "It was fine blank (meaning to express his usual contempt for blank verse); however, this miserable poem did not sell, and my poor friend Doddy said, Publick Virtue was not a subject to interest the age."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'[from the Johnsoniana imparted by Bennet Langton to Boswell in 1780] Mr. Langton, when a very young man, read Dodsley's "Cleone, a Tragedy", to him, not aware of his extreme impatience to be read to. As it went on he turned his face to the back of his chair, and put himself into various attitudes, which marked his uneasiness. At the end of an act, however, he said, "Come let's have some more, let's go into the slaughter-house again, Lanky. But I am afraid there is more blood than brains." Yet he afterwards said, "When I heard you read it, I thought higher of its power of language: when I read it myself, I was more sensible of its pathetick effect;" and then he paid it a compliment which many will think very extravagant. "Sir, (said he,) if Otway had written this play, no other of his pieces would have been remembered": Dodsley himself, upon this being repeated to him, said, "It was too much": it must be remembered, that Johnson always appeared not to be sufficiently sensible of the merit of Otway'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Bennet Langton Print: Book
'[from the Johnsoniana imparted by Bennet Langton to Boswell in 1780] Mr. Langton, when a very young man, read Dodsley's "Cleone, a Tragedy", to him, not aware of his extreme impatience to be read to. As it went on he turned his face to the back of his chair, and put himself into various attitudes, which marked his uneasiness. At the end of an act, however, he said, "Come let's have some more, let's go into the slaughter-house again, Lanky. But I am afraid there is more blood than brains." Yet he afterwards said, "When I heard you read it, I thought higher of its power of language: when I read it myself, I was more sensible of its pathetick effect;" and then he paid it a compliment which many will think very extravagant. "Sir, (said he,) if Otway had written this play, no other of his pieces would have been remembered": Dodsley himself, upon this being repeated to him, said, "It was too much": it must be remembered, that Johnson always appeared not to be sufficiently sensible of the merit of Otway'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'the Verses written by Bentley upon Learning & publish'd in Dodsley's Miscellanies - how like they are to Evelyn's Verses on Virtue published in Dryden's Miscellanies! yet I do not suppose them a Plagiarisme; old Bentley would have scorned such Tricks, besides what passed once between myself and Mr Johnson should cure me of Suspicion in these Cases. We had then some thoughts of giving a Translation of Boethius, and I used now & then to shew him the Verses I had made towards the Work: in the Ode with the Story of Orpheus in it - beginning
"felix qui potuit &c"
he altered some of my Verses to these which he [italics] thought [end italics] his own.
"Fondly viewed his following Bride
Viewing lost, and losing died."
Two Years after this, I resolved to go through all th Plays of Beaumont and Fletcher, and in one of them - Bonduca, I found two Lines so like these of Johnson's that one would have sworn he had imitated them: that very Afternoon he came, & says I, did you ever delight much in Reading Beaumont & Fletcher's Plays - I never read any of them at all replied he, but I intend some Time to go over them, here in your fine Edition'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
[Catherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter [1758] following stay in London with Carter:]
'I have looked in Dodsley, to see if any events had happened between your leaving town [on 'Wednesday last'] and this time worth mentioning.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Catherine Talbot Print: Serial / periodical