A Critical Enquiry Into the Moral Writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson: In which the Tendency of Certain Passages in the Rambler, and Other Publications of that Celebrated Writer, is Impartially Considered : to which is Added an Appendix, Containing a Dialogue Between Boswell and Johnson in the ShadesC. Corrall, 1802 - 144 pages |
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Page xi
... things . Judicious and limited commenda- tion may further be compared to the sun in its relation to the natural world . It ripens the crude seeds of genius , and shelters its blossoms ; those blossoms which severe criticism would have ...
... things . Judicious and limited commenda- tion may further be compared to the sun in its relation to the natural world . It ripens the crude seeds of genius , and shelters its blossoms ; those blossoms which severe criticism would have ...
Page 4
... thing to be discussed , and this requires to be done with as much preci- sion , brevity and perspicuity , as possible . How far I may attain to this , is properly the decision of my readers , Johnson naturally possessed a misan- thropic ...
... thing to be discussed , and this requires to be done with as much preci- sion , brevity and perspicuity , as possible . How far I may attain to this , is properly the decision of my readers , Johnson naturally possessed a misan- thropic ...
Page 7
... thing , on the pretence that some are false . A young mind rising from a perusal of the Rambler would conceive the most melancholy ideas of human nature and human events . Mankind would appear to him as an undistinguished mass of fraud ...
... thing , on the pretence that some are false . A young mind rising from a perusal of the Rambler would conceive the most melancholy ideas of human nature and human events . Mankind would appear to him as an undistinguished mass of fraud ...
Page 8
... thing which tends to ob- struct the activity of man , and to crush well - founded hopes on this life , severely , merits reprehension . The circle of our pleasures is sufficiently contracted , and our truest happiness can be derived ...
... thing which tends to ob- struct the activity of man , and to crush well - founded hopes on this life , severely , merits reprehension . The circle of our pleasures is sufficiently contracted , and our truest happiness can be derived ...
Page 11
... thing till its reputation is established ; others too envious to promote that fame which gives them pain by its increase . What is new is opposed , because most are unwilling to be taught , and what is known is rejected because it is ...
... thing till its reputation is established ; others too envious to promote that fame which gives them pain by its increase . What is new is opposed , because most are unwilling to be taught , and what is known is rejected because it is ...
Other editions - View all
A Critical Enquiry Into the Moral Writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson: In Which ... William Mudford No preview available - 2019 |
A Critical Enquiry Into the Moral Writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson: In Which ... William Mudford No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Abouzaid Abyssinia Addison admiration affected allegories Almamoulin amusement argument ATTALUS beauties believe cause celibacy censure choly confess consequences considered conviction declamation delight dignity disgust displays dities dreadful elegance employed endeavours English language enquiry envy error Essays evil exist false fame fluence frequently friends genius gloomy happiness happy valley heart honour hope human nature Human Wishes idle Idler indulge infelicity intellect Johnson Johnson's mind Jupiter labour language Learning lence less ligion literary mahogany mankind manner marriage melan melancholy ments merit misanthropy miseries Morad moral moralist ness never novelty observations opinion papers passage passions perhaps perspicuity perusal pleasure poet poetry possess praise precepts prejudice produced pursue Rambler Rasselas reader reason regard remarks retirement SAMUEL JOHNSON shew spect sublime suppose Tatler thee thing thor thou thought tion truth Vanity of Human vice vigour virtue virtuous wretched writings youth
Popular passages
Page 87 - He must divest himself of the prejudices of his age or country ; he must consider right and wrong in their abstracted and invariable state ; he must disregard present laws and opinions, and rise to general and transcendental truths, which will always be the same...
Page 76 - Resistless burns the fever of renown, Caught from the strong contagion of the gown: O'er Bodley's dome his future labours spread. And Bacon's mansion trembles o'er his head.
Page 87 - But the knowledge of nature is only half the task of a poet; he must be acquainted likewise with all the modes of life. His character requires that he estimate the happiness and misery of every condition, observe the power of all the passions in all their combinations and trace the changes of the human mind as they are modified by various institutions and accidental influences of climate or custom from the sprightliness of infancy to the despondence of decrepitude.
Page 79 - To press the weary minutes' flagging wings; New sorrow rises as the day returns, A sister sickens, or a daughter mourns; Now kindred Merit fills the sable bier, Now lacerated Friendship claims a tear; Year chases year, decay pursues decay, Still drops some joy from...
Page 73 - Has Heaven reserv'd in pity to the poor, No pathless waste or undiscovered shore ? No secret island in the boundless main ? No peaceful desert yet unclaimed by Spain ? Quick let us rise, the happy seats explore And bear oppression's insolence no more.
Page 74 - On ev'ry stage the foes of peace attend, Hate dogs their flight, and insult mocks their end. Love ends with hope, the sinking statesman's door Pours in the morning...
Page 78 - New sorrow rises as the day returns, A sister sickens, or a daughter mourns. Now kindred Merit fills the sable bier, Now lacerated Friendship claims a tear; Year chases year, decay pursues decay, Still drops some joy from with'ring life away ; New forms arise, and...
Page 77 - Nor think the doom of man revers'd for thee: Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from Letters, to be wise; There mark what ills the scholar's life assail, Toil, envy, want, the patron, and the jail. See nations, slowly wise, and meanly just, To buried merit raise the tardy bust.
Page 94 - I could be content that we might procreate like trees without conjunction, or that there were any way to perpetuate the world without this trivial and vulgar way of coition : it is the foolishest act a wise man commits in all his life ; nor is there any thing that will more deject his cooled imagination, when he shall consider what an odd and unworthy piece of folly he hath committed.
Page 96 - Such is the common process of marriage. A youth and maiden meeting by chance, or brought together by artifice, exchange glances, reciprocate civilities, go home and dream of one another. Having little to divert attention, or diversify thought, they find themselves uneasy when they are apart, and therefore conclude that they shall be happy together. They marry, and discover what nothing but voluntary blindness before had concealed : they wear out life in altercations, and charge nature with cruelty.