Dictionary of English literature, being a comprehensive guide to English authors and their works / [William Davenport Adams].

  • William Davenport Adams
Date:
[1879?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dictionary of English literature, being a comprehensive guide to English authors and their works / [William Davenport Adams]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    694/720 (page 686)
    •with, such an innocent boldness, that we seem to see that matchless beauty of her face which in- spires such gay confidence into her, and are ready to expect, when she has done her pleadings, that her very judges, her accusers, the grave ambassadors who sit as spectators, and all the court, will rise and make proffer to defend her, in spite of tho utmost conviction of her guilt.” White Doe of Rylstone, The : “ or, the Pate of the Nortons.” A poem by William Wordsworth (1770—1850), founded on a tradi- tion connected with Bolton Priory, Yorkshire, which the author visited, for the first time, in 1807. (See also the ballad, The Rising of the North.) The tradition is, that “ about this time,” not long after the Dissolution, “ a white doe long continued to make a weekly pilgrimage from Rylstone over the fells of Bolton, and was constantly found in the Abbey churchyard during divine service, after the close of which she returned home as regularly ■as the rest of the congregation.” White, Gilbert, clergyman and naturalist (b. 1720, d. 1793), published The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne (1789), The Naturalist's Calendar (1795), and some Miscellaneous Observations and a Calendar, which are included in certain editions of the foregoing. See the Biographical Memoir by Jesse, prefixed to an edition of the Natural History, published in 1850. See Sel- borne, &c. White, Henry Kirke, poet (b. 1785, d. 1806), was the author of Clifton Grove and other poems, published in 1803. His Remains were edited, with a Life, by Southey. See also the Biography by Sir Harris Nicolas. White, James, vicar of Bonchurch (b. 1804, d. 1862), wrote a poem entitled The Village Poor- house : by a Country Curate (1832); some plays, including The Earl of Gowrie, Feudal Times, and The King of the Commons; several contributions to Blackwood's Magazine; a series of Historical Landmarks; histories of France and England; and an historical summary called The Eighteen Christian Centuries. White, Joseph Blanco, miscellaneous writer (b. 1775, d. 1841), published Letters from Spain (1822) ; Practical and Tnternal Evidence against Catholicism (1825); The Poor Man's Preservative against Popery (1825); Letters to Mr. Butler on his Notice of the latter (1826); Second Travels of an Irish Gentleman in Search of a Religion (1833), [see Moore, Thomas] ; and Observations on Heresy ■and Orthodoxy (1839). He also edited The London Review, and translated into Spanish the Evidences of Porteous and Paley, the Book of Common Prayer, and some of the Homilies. His Life, “ written by himself,” appeared, with a portion of his Corre- spondence, edited by J. Hamilton Thom, in 1845. See Leucadio Doblado, Don ; Night, On. White Lady of Avenel, The, figures in Scott’s novel of The Monastery (q.v.) as a myste- rious spirit that watches over the fortunes of the Avenel family. She describes herself, in the work, as “ Something betwixt heaven and heU, Something that neither stood nor fell. .... Neither substance quite or shadow. Haunting lonely moor and meadow. Dancing by the haunted spring, Riding on the whirlwind's wing, Aping in fantastic fashion ~Z Every change of human passion. “White radiance of eternity, The.” An expression used by Shelley in his Adonais, lii.:— “ Life, like a dome of many-coloured glass, Stains the white radiance of eternity.” White, Richard Grant, American essayist and Shakespearian critic (b. 1822), has published Shakspere's Scholar (1854); an edition of the plays of Shakespeare, with essays and notes (1857—64); The Life and Genius of Shakspere (1865); Words and their Uses (1870); and several other works. See Yankee, A. White Rose and Red. A poem by Robert Buchanan (q.v.), published anonymously in 1873. It is American in scenery and incident. Whitefield, George, Methodist preacher (b. 1714, d. 1770), published a great number of sermons and journals. His Works, with an account of his life, appeared in 1771—2. Whitefoord, Caleb, wit and satirist (b. 1734, d. 1809), fives in English literature in the post- script to Goldsmith’s Retaliation (1774), where he is described as “ Rare compound of oddity, frolic, and fun,” and as the “ Best-humour’d man with the worst humour’d muse.” His writings were chiefly confined to epigrams and other verses, contributed to The Public Advertiser. Whitehead, Paul, poet (b. 1710, d. 1774), wrote State Dunces, Manners, Honour, Satires, and The Gymnasiad (q.v.). His Poems and Miscellaneous Compositions were edited, with a Life, by Edward Thompson, in 1777. Whitehead, William, poet-laureate and dramatist (b. 1715, d. 1785), wrote On the Danger of Writing Verse (q.v.), Atys and Adrastus (1743), An Essay on Ridicule (1743), The Roman Father (1750), Crcusa (q.v.), The School for Lovers (q.v.), A Charge to the Poets (1762), The Trip to Scotland (1770), and various other works. He himself pub- lished, in 1774, a collection of his Plays and Poems, to which was added, in 1788, some further pieces and a Life by W. Mason. See also Fatal Con- stancy ; Sweepers, The. Whitelocke, Bulstrode, lawyer and poli- tician (b. 1605, d. 1676), wrote Memoirs of the English Affairs from the beginning of the Reign of Charles I. to the Happy Restoration of Charles II.; An Account of the Swedish Embassy in 1653—4; and Memorials of the English Affairs from the supposed