The Writings of James Russell Lowell: Literary essays

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Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1890

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Page 224 - If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching.
Page 208 - The Shepherd in Virgil, grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks. 'Is not a patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground encumbers him with help?
Page 45 - O good old man ; how well in thee appears The constant service of the antique world, When service sweat for duty, not for meed...
Page 294 - From Paul's I went, to Eton sent, To learn straightways the Latin phrase, Where fifty-three stripes given to me At once I had. For fault but small, or none at all, It came to pass thus beat I was; See, Udal, see the mercy of thee To me, poor lad.
Page 56 - The wondering neighbours ran, And swore the dog had lost his wits, To bite so good a man. The wound it seemed both sore and sad, To every Christian eye : And while they- swore the dog was mad, They swore the man would die. But soon a wonder came to light, That showed the rogues they lied ; The man recovered of the bite, The dog it was that died.
Page 15 - ... to the end that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers...
Page 247 - I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race, where that immortal garland is to be run for not without dust and heat.
Page 15 - It was in making education not only common to all, but in some sense compulsory on all, that the destiny of the free republics of America was practically settled.
Page 202 - In bigness to surpass Earth's giant sons, Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room Throng numberless...
Page 322 - Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin's fee; And for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself?

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