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Popular passages
Page 225 - Notwithstanding the high veneration which I entertained for Dr. Johnson, I was sensible that he was sometimes a little actuated by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of that I hoped I should gain my point. I was persuaded that if I had come upon him with a direct proposal, " Sir, will you dine in company with Jack Wilkes ? " he would have flown into a passion, and would probably have answered, " Dine with Jack Wilkes, Sir ! I'd as soon dine with Jack Ketch.
Page 149 - From women's eyes this doctrine I derive: They sparkle still the right Promethean fire ; They are the books, the arts, the academes, That show, contain, and nourish all the world...
Page 322 - Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more ! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep ; Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast ;— Lady M.
Page 302 - Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser — in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man.
Page 225 - Sir, I am obliged to Mr. Dilly. I will wait upon him " BOSWELL : " Provided, Sir, I suppose, that the company which he is to have, is agreeable to you." JOHNSON : " What do you mean, Sir'? What do you take me for ? Do you think I am so ignorant of the world, as to imagine that I am to prescribe to a gentleman what company he is to have at his table ? " BOSWELL : " I beg your pardon, Sir, for wishing to prevent you from meeting people whom you might not like.
Page 225 - Mr. Dilly, sir, sends his respectful compliments to you, and would be happy if you would do him the honour to dine with him on Wednesday next along with me, as I must soon go to Scotland." Johnson: "Sir, I am obliged to Mr. Dilly. I will wait upon him — " Boswell: "Provided, sir, I suppose, that the company which he is to have is agreeable to you.
Page 227 - And who is the gentleman in lace ?' — 'Mr. Wilkes, sir.' This information confounded him still more; he had some difficulty to restrain himself, and taking up a book, sat down upon a window-seat and read, or at least kept his eye upon it intently for some time, till he composed himself.
Page 283 - break" not rhymed with "freak"? Will you tell me why it's true We say "sew," but likewise "few," And the maker of a verse Cannot cap his "horse" with "worse" ? "Beard" sounds not the same as "heard" ; "Cord" is different from "word"; "Cow" is cow, but "low" is low ; "Shoe
Page xvi - What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unus'd.
Page 291 - There is so much bad in the best of us, And so much good in the worst of us, That it hardly behooves any of us To talk about the rest of us.