...Johnson's famous characterization of the wit of what he called this school of 'metaphysical' poets: The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence...ransacked for illustrations, comparisons, and allusions . . .9 Dr Johnson's criticism is exaggerated and parodic. He could well have had in mind Donne's image...

...the metaphysical poets, on whom he was severe. The sentence from which Eliot quotes reads in full: "The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence...and allusions; their learning instructs and their subtlety surprises, but the reader commonly thinks his improvement dearly bought, and though he sometimes...

...nature nor life, neither painted the forms of matter, nor represented the operations of intellect. . . . The most heterogeneous ideas are yoked by violence...and allusions; their learning instructs, and their subtlety surprises; but the reader commonly thinks his improvement dearly bought, and, though he sometimes...

...kind of discordia concors; a combination of dissimilar images, or discovery of occult resemblances in things apparently unlike. Of wit thus defined they have more than enough. (9) It is fascinating to see how Johnson touches with such inadvertent penetration all the keys that...