The History of Pompey the Little: Or, The Life and Adventures of a Lap-dog |
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Common terms and phrases
accompliſhed affembled againſt agreeable anſwer beauty becauſe began beggar breakfaſt CHAP Cleora cloaths confefs converfation cries curiofity daugh dear defire drefs expence faid fame faſhion fatire favour favourite feemed feen fent fervants ferved feve feven feveral fhall fhew fhort fhould filk firft firſt fome foon fooner foul fpirit ftairs ftand ftill ftory fubject fuch fupper fure gentleman greateſt hero herſelf hiftory highwayman Hillario himſelf honour houfe houſe huſband impoffible lady Betty lady Tempeft ladyfhip laft lap-dog likewife little Pompey lord lordship madam mafter mamma mifs miſtreſs moft morning moſt muft muſt never obferved obliged occafion paffed paffion perfon pleafe pleaſe pleaſure poffeffion poffible prefent purpoſe reaſon refolved replied Rhymer ribaldry ſhe thefe themſelves theſe thing thought thouſand tion underſtand univerfity uſed vanity vifit whofe wife young lady Zounds
Popular passages
Page v - Now, tho' many reasons may be given for this ridiculous and affected disdain, I believe a very principal one, is the pride and pedantry of learned men, who are willing to monopolize reading to themselves, and therefore fastidiously decry all books that are on a level with common understandings, as empty, trifling and impertinent.
Page 256 - From hence it comes to pass, that pupils of this rank are excused from all public exercises, and allowed to absent themselves at pleasure from the private lectures in their tutors' rooms, as often as they have made a party for hunting, or an engagement at the tennis-court, or are not well recovered from their evening's debauch. And...
Page 186 - Tis the Want of Titles, and not the Want of Faces, that makes a Place empty.' " There are indications, which I think have escaped the notice of Goldsmith's editors, that the author of the Citizen of the World condescended to take some of his ideas from Pompey the Little. In Count Tag, the impoverished little fop who fancies himself a man of quality, and who begs pardon of people...
Page iv - CAN one help wondering therefore at the contempt, with which many people affect to talk of this sort of composition? they seem to think it degrades the dignity of their understandings, to be found with a novel in their hands, and take great pains to let you know that they never read them. They are people of too great importance, it seems, to spend their time in so idle a manner, and much too wise to be amused. Now, tho...
Page vi - ... tis well enough for such a sort of a thing;' after which the grave observator retires to his news-paper, and there, according to the general estimation, employs his time to the best advantage. But besides these, there is another set, who never read any modern books at all. They, wise men, are so deep in the learned languages, that they can pay no regard to what has been published within these last thousand years. The world is grown old; mens...
Page 255 - Justice, is one who sits at the same table and enjoys the conversation of the fellows. It differs from what is called a gentleman-commoner at Oxford, not only in the name but also in the greater privileges and licences indulged to the members of this order ; who do not only enjoy the conversation of the fellows, but likewise a full liberty of following their own imaginations in everything.
Page iv - ... species of composition. To convey instruction in a pleasant manner, and mix entertainment with it, is certainly a commendable undertaking, perhaps more likely to be attended with success than graver precepts; and even where amusement is the chief thing consulted, there is some little merit in making people laugh, when it is done without giving offence to religion, or virtue, or good manners. If the laugh be not raised at the expence of innocence or decency, good humour bids us indulge it, and...
Page xi - Fielding, cannot be at a loss to determine who that superior is. Few books of this kind have ever been written with a spirit equal to Joseph Andrews, and no story that I know of, was ever invented with more happiness, or conducted with more art and management than that of Tom Jones.
Page 269 - College bell summoned him to dinner in the public hall. His afternoons were spent in drinking tea with some worthy young ladies in the town, who all esteemed him a prodigious genius, and were ready to laugh at his wit before he opened his mouth. In these agreeable visits he remained till the time of evening chapel, after which supper succeeded, to find him fresh employment, from whence he repaired to the coffee-house, and then to some engagement at a friend's room for the remaining part of the evening....
Page 9 - I hope the very fuperiority of the character here treated of, above the heroes of common romances, will procure it a favourable reception, altho' perhaps I may fall, fhort of my great cotemporaries in the elegance of ftyle, and graces of language.