The Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties, Volume 1Harper & Brothers, 1847 - Self-culture |
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acquaintance acquired admirable Adventures of Telemachus afterwards already ancient appeared Archimedes arithmetic attained attention became blind bookseller born Brindley Cæsar called canal carried celebrated circumstances commenced contrived Copley gold medal died difficulties distinguished Dominical Letter early eminent employed England English exertions extraordinary father formed fortune French friends gave genius grammar Greek Hebrew humble hundred Iliad Julius Cæsar King knowledge labors language Latin learned letters literary literature lived London manner master ment mentioned Metonic Cycle miles mind Minnigaff native natural never obliged obtained occupation original Ovid person philosopher poem poet possessed principal printer procured profession published pursuit remarkable Rome says scarcely scholar Scotland shillings Sir William Jones soon success talents thing Thomas à Kempis Thrace tion told Trojan War Venetian Academy volume writing young
Popular passages
Page 30 - He scarce had ceased, when the superior fiend Was moving toward the shore: his ponderous shield, Ethereal temper, massy, large, and round, Behind him cast; the broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views, At evening, from the top of Fesole, Or in Valdarno, to descry new lands, Rivers, or mountains, in her spotty globe.
Page 83 - That what the greatest and choicest wits of Athens, Rome, or modern Italy, and those Hebrews of old did for their country, I in my proportion with this over and above of being a Christian, might do for mine...
Page 305 - ... who, as he was a happie imitator of Nature, was a most gentle expresser of it. His mind and hand went together; and what he thought, he uttered with that easinesse that wee have scarse received from him a blot in his papers.
Page 234 - Thus with the year Seasons return, but not to me returns Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn, Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine: But cloud instead, and ever-during dark Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair Presented with a universal blank Of nature's works, to me expunged and rased, And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out.
Page 236 - This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask Content though blind, had I no better guide.
Page 216 - Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage; Minds innocent and quiet take That for an hermitage; If I have freedom in my love And in my soul am free, Angels alone, that soar above, Enjoy such liberty.
Page 236 - Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt. Dispraise or blame, nothing but well and fair. And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Page 129 - Is happy as a Lover; and attired With sudden brightness, like a Man inspired ; And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw; Or if an unexpected call succeed, Come when it will, is equal to the need: —He who, though thus endued as with a sense And faculty for storm and turbulence, Is yet a Soul whose master-bias leans To home-felt pleasures and to gentle scenes; Sweet images! which, wheresoe'er he be, Are at his heart; and such fidelity It is his darling...
Page 99 - I bought the books, and I learned geometry. By reading I found that there were good books in these two sciences in Latin : I bought a Dictionary, and I learned Latin. I understood also that there were good books of the same kind in French : I bought a dictionary, and I learned French. And this, my lord, is what I have done : it seems to me that we may learn every thing when we know the twenty-four letters of the alphabet.
Page 317 - Smerdon, and therefore secretly prosecuted my favorite study, at every interval of leisure. These intervals were not very frequent ; and, when the use I made of them, was found out, they were rendered still less so. I could not guess the motives for this, at first ; but at length I discovered that my master destined his youngest son, for the situation to which I aspired. " I possessed, at this time, but one book in the world : it was a treatise on algebra, given to me by a young woman, who had found...