The British Essayists: With Prefaces, Historical and Biographical, Volume 20Little, Brown, 1855 - English essays |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 33
Page 18
... tell us can never be acquired without an association with the idle and the profligate , and a proportionate sacrifice of time and character . The subject , however , has cer- tainly been better understood since the ap- pearance of these ...
... tell us can never be acquired without an association with the idle and the profligate , and a proportionate sacrifice of time and character . The subject , however , has cer- tainly been better understood since the ap- pearance of these ...
Page 74
... tell the town , that they were a parcel of fops , fools , and vain coquettes ; but in such a manner , as even pleased them , and made them more than half in- clined to believe that he spoke truth . * The Present State of Wit ...
... tell the town , that they were a parcel of fops , fools , and vain coquettes ; but in such a manner , as even pleased them , and made them more than half in- clined to believe that he spoke truth . * The Present State of Wit ...
Page 91
... tell you all that will happen before it comes to pass . " But this last faculty I shall use very spar- ingly , and speak but of few things till they are passed , † for fear of divulging matters which may offend our superiors . " WHITE'S ...
... tell you all that will happen before it comes to pass . " But this last faculty I shall use very spar- ingly , and speak but of few things till they are passed , † for fear of divulging matters which may offend our superiors . " WHITE'S ...
Page 98
... telling a tale ; and nothing in nature is so ungraceful as story - telling against the grain ; therefore take it as the author has given it to you . * THE MEDICINE . A TALE - FOR THE LADIES . Miss Molly , a fam'd Toast , was fair and ...
... telling a tale ; and nothing in nature is so ungraceful as story - telling against the grain ; therefore take it as the author has given it to you . * THE MEDICINE . A TALE - FOR THE LADIES . Miss Molly , a fam'd Toast , was fair and ...
Page 119
... tell her that I love , Leave the rest to her and fate ; Some kind planet from above May , perhaps , her passion move : Lovers on their stars must wait . " But the stars I am so intimately acquainted with , that I can assure him he will ...
... tell her that I love , Leave the rest to her and fate ; Some kind planet from above May , perhaps , her passion move : Lovers on their stars must wait . " But the stars I am so intimately acquainted with , that I can assure him he will ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Addison advices affairs appear APRIL APRIL 22 army arrived beauty called character Court desire discourse dream dress Duke of Anjou Duke of Marlborough enemy entertained Esquire excellent eyes farrago libelli favour France French gentleman give Hague happy honour hope humour instant ISAAC BICKERSTAFF JAMES'S COFFEE-HOUSE JUNE King King of Denmark lady late letters live Lord Madam Majesty manner Marquis de Bay Marshal Villars matter Minister Monsieur Torcy morning motley paper seizes nature neral never obliged observed occasion Olivenza passion peace persons play POPE present pretend Pretty Fellow Prince Eugene Quarterstaff Quicquid agunt homines racter received sense sent spirit Steele Steele's Swift Tatler theme things thought tion Tom D'Urfey Torcy town treaty troops Whate'er wherein WHITE'S CHOCOLATE-HOUSE whole WILL'S COFFEE-HOUSE writ write
Popular passages
Page 357 - Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus ; but use all gently ; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.
Page 8 - Congreve was not tenable : whatever glosses he might use for the defence or palliation of single passages, the general tenour and tendency of his plays must always be condemned. It is acknowledged, with universal conviction, that the perusal of his works will make no man better; and that their ultimate effect is to represent pleasure in alliance with vice, and to relax those obligations by which life ought to be regulated.
Page 185 - Or winds begun through hazy skies to blow, At evening a keen eastern breeze arose, And the descending rain unsullied froze. Soon as the silent shades of night withdrew, The ruddy morn...
Page 73 - The general purpose of the whole has been to recommend truth, innocence, honour, and virtue, as the chief ornaments of life ; but I considered, that severity of manners was absolutely necessary to him who would censure others, and for that reason, and that only, chose to talk in a mask. I shall not carry my humility so far as to call myself a vicious man, but at the same time must confess, my life is at best but pardonable.
Page 29 - Hero, with a design principally to fix upon his own mind a strong impression of virtue and religion, in opposition to a stronger propensity towards unwarrantable pleasures.
Page 4 - To teach the minuter decencies and inferior duties, to regulate the practice of daily conversation, to correct those depravities which are rather ridiculous than criminal, and remove those grievances which, if they produce no lasting calamities, impress hourly vexation...
Page 11 - I must confess I am amazed that the press should be only made use of in this way by news-writers, and the zealots of parties : as if it were not more advantageous to mankind, to be instructed in wisdom and virtue, than in politics ; and to be made good fathers, husbands, and sons, than counsellors and statesmen.
Page 16 - The freaks, and humours, and spleen, and vanity of women, as they embroil families in discord and fill houses with disquiet, do more to obstruct the happiness of life in a year than the ambition of the clergy in many centuries.
Page 357 - Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature; for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end both at the first, and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.
Page 357 - Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue : but if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines.