The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Comprehending an Account of His Studies, and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; a Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published; the Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century During which He Flourished, Volume 4J. Richardson and Company, 1821 |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 62
Page 14
... words I should have used . No , sir ; the imitators of my style have not hit it . Miss Aikin has done it the best ; for she has imitated the sentiment as well as the diction . " 1 I intend , before this work is concluded , to exhibit ...
... words I should have used . No , sir ; the imitators of my style have not hit it . Miss Aikin has done it the best ; for she has imitated the sentiment as well as the diction . " 1 I intend , before this work is concluded , to exhibit ...
Page 15
... words , or words too big for the thoughts , could be pointed out ; but this I do not believe can be done . For instance ; in the passage which Lord Monboddo admires , We were now treading that illustrious region , ' the word illustrious ...
... words , or words too big for the thoughts , could be pointed out ; but this I do not believe can be done . For instance ; in the passage which Lord Monboddo admires , We were now treading that illustrious region , ' the word illustrious ...
Page 27
... word . If , for instance , he had promised you an acorn , and none had grown that year in his woods , he would not have contented himself with that excuse he would have sent to Denmark for it . So unconditional was he in keeping his word ...
... word . If , for instance , he had promised you an acorn , and none had grown that year in his woods , he would not have contented himself with that excuse he would have sent to Denmark for it . So unconditional was he in keeping his word ...
Page 30
... the quick transition from the thickness of the fore - part , to the tenuity - the thin part - be- hind , -which a bull - dog ought to have . " This te- 66 nuity was the only hard word that I heard him 30 [ 1777 . THE LIFE OF.
... the quick transition from the thickness of the fore - part , to the tenuity - the thin part - be- hind , -which a bull - dog ought to have . " This te- 66 nuity was the only hard word that I heard him 30 [ 1777 . THE LIFE OF.
Page 31
... word that I heard him use during this interview , and it will be observed , he in- stantly put another expression in its place . Taylor said , a small bull - dog was as good as a large one . JOHNSON . " No , sir ; for , in proportion to ...
... word that I heard him use during this interview , and it will be observed , he in- stantly put another expression in its place . Taylor said , a small bull - dog was as good as a large one . JOHNSON . " No , sir ; for , in proportion to ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admirable affectionate afterwards appeared Ashbourne asked Auchinleck authour Beauclerk believe better Bishop Burke character consider conversation dear sir dined dinner eminent entertaining excellent expressed favour Garrick gentleman give happy hear heard Hebrides honour hope humble servant humour JAMES BOSWELL John kind KNOWLES lady Langton late learning liberty Lichfield literary lived London Lord Lord Bathurst Lord Bolingbroke Lord Macartney Lord Monboddo Lordship Lucy Porter madam manner Marchmont mentioned merit mind Miss never obliged observed occasion once opinion Percy perhaps pleased pleasure poem poetry Poets Pope praise publick racter recollect remark SAMUEL JOHNSON Scotland sermons Shakspeare shewed shewn Sir Joshua Reynolds Streatham suppose sure talked tell thing thought Thrale tion told truth verses Whig Wilkes wish wonderful words write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 14 - Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses ; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me and from my friends be such frigid philosophy, as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue. That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the...
Page 19 - Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life ; for there is in London all that life can afford.
Page 13 - WE were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish, if it were possible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses, whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity...
Page 38 - I never experienced any where else. But, as Xerxes wept when he viewed his immense army, and considered that not one of that great multitude would be alive a hundred years afterwards, so it went to my heart to consider that there was not one in all that brilliant circle, that was not afraid to go home and think ; but that the thoughts of each individual there, would be distressing when alone.
Page 306 - Sir, a man has no more right to say an uncivil thing, than to act one ; no more right to say a rude thing to another than to knock him down.
Page 322 - The reason of this general perusal, Addison has attempted to [find in] derive from the delight which the mind feels in the investigation of secrets. " His best actions are but [convenient] inability of wickedness. " When once he had engaged himself in disputation [matter], thoughts flowed in on either side. " The abyss of an un-ideal [emptiness] vacancy.
Page 317 - Lost broke into open view with sufficient security of kind reception. Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyed the silent progress of his work, and marked its reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous current through fear and silence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and waiting without impatience the vicissitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of...
Page 43 - To abolish a status, which in all ages GOD has sanctioned, and man has continued, would not only be robbery to an innumerable class of our fellow-subjects, but it would be extreme cruelty to the African savages, a portion of whom it saves from massacre, or intolerable bondage in 'their own country, and introduces into a much happier state of life; especially now when their passage to the West Indies, and their treatment there, is humanely regulated. To abolish this trade would be to ' " shut the...
Page 365 - Johnson appeared bustling about, with an ink-horn and pen in his buttonhole, like an exciseman; and on being asked what he really considered to be the value of the property, which was to be disposed of, answered, " We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
Page 7 - Depend upon it, Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.