The Auto-biography of Edward Gibbon, Esq: Illustrated from His Letters, with Occasional Notes and NarrativesTurner & Hayden, 1846 - 381 pages |
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Page 8
... less detailed than the others . The two remaining sketches are still more imperfect . It is difficult to discover the order in which these several pieces were written , but there is reason to believe that the most copious was the last ...
... less detailed than the others . The two remaining sketches are still more imperfect . It is difficult to discover the order in which these several pieces were written , but there is reason to believe that the most copious was the last ...
Page 9
... less qualified for it . This opinion has rendered me anxious to publish the present Memoirs , without any unnecessary delay ; for I am persuaded that the author of them cannot be made to appear in a truer light than he does in the ...
... less qualified for it . This opinion has rendered me anxious to publish the present Memoirs , without any unnecessary delay ; for I am persuaded that the author of them cannot be made to appear in a truer light than he does in the ...
Page 3
... less truly noble than the offspring of a man of genius , whose writings will instruct or delight the latest posterity . The family of Confucius is , in my opinion , the most illustrious in the world . After a painful ascent of eight or ...
... less truly noble than the offspring of a man of genius , whose writings will instruct or delight the latest posterity . The family of Confucius is , in my opinion , the most illustrious in the world . After a painful ascent of eight or ...
Page 6
... less promiscuously assumed : one of them , under the reign of Queen Elizabeth , was captain of the militia of Kent ; and a free school , in the neighboring town of Benenden , proclaims the charity and opulence of its founder . But time ...
... less promiscuously assumed : one of them , under the reign of Queen Elizabeth , was captain of the militia of Kent ; and a free school , in the neighboring town of Benenden , proclaims the charity and opulence of its founder . But time ...
Page 13
... less precious than than those of his nephew Edward : but an author professes at least to write for the public benefit ; and the slow balance of trade can be pleasing to those persons only , to whom it is advantageous . The successful ...
... less precious than than those of his nephew Edward : but an author professes at least to write for the public benefit ; and the slow balance of trade can be pleasing to those persons only , to whom it is advantageous . The successful ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance Adieu agreeable amusement Archbishop of Arles aunt Beriton Berne CHAP character church Cicero College Comte de Caylus connexion conversation Cornelius Nepos curiosity death Deyverdun EDWARD GIBBON England English enjoyed epistle equal essay esteem excuse eyes father favour feel fortune France French friendship Geneva genius Greek habits happiness honour hope indulged JOURNAL journey labour lady language Latin Lausanne learning letter London Lord Sheffield Madame Magdalen College ment merit militia mind months native Necker never opinion Oxford Paris passed Pavilliard perhaps persons perusal philosopher pleasure political Porten praise present provinces of France prudence Putney racter residence scene sentiments Severy Sheffield-place society soon spirit style summer Swiss Switzerland Tacitus taste tion Vaud volume weeks Westminster School winter wish write youth
Popular passages
Page 171 - that the influence of the Crown had increased, was increasing, and ought to be diminished', and Mr Burke's Bill of Reform was framed with skill, 162 introduced with eloquence, and supported by numbers.
Page 7 - Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar school; and whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used, and, contrary to the king, his crown and dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill.
Page 5 - Who builds a church to God, and not to Fame, Will never mark the marble with his name : Go, search it there, where to be born and die, Of rich and poor makes all the history ; Enough, that Virtue fill'd the space between ; Prov'd by the ends of being, to have been.
Page 66 - After a painful struggle I yielded to my fate : I sighed as a lover, I obeyed as a son 9 ; (8) my wound was insensibly healed by time, absence, and the habits of a new life.
Page 139 - Our solid and increasing establishments in America, where we need less dread the inundation of Barbarians, promise a superior stability and duration to the English language.
Page 186 - I wrote the last lines of the last page, in a summer house in my garden. After laying down my pen, I took several turns in a berceau, or covered walk of acacias, which commands a prospect of the country, the lake, and the mountains.
Page 133 - It was at Rome, on the 15th of October, 1764, as I sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol, while the bare-footed friars were singing vespers in the temple of Jupiter,* that the idea of writing the decline and fall of the city first started to my mind.
Page 158 - I am at a loss how to describe the success of the work, without betraying the vanity of the writer. The first impression was exhausted in a few days; a second and third edition were scarcely adequate to the demand ; and the bookseller's property was twice invaded by the pirates of Dublin. My book was on every table, and almost on every toilette ; the historian was crowned by the taste or fashion of the day j nor was the general voice disturbed by the barking of any profane critic.
Page 26 - My own introduction to the university of Oxford forms a new sera in my life ; and at the distance of forty years I still remember my first emotions of surprise and satisfaction. In my fifteenth year I felt myself suddenly raised from a boy to a man ; the persons whom I respected as my superiors in age and academical rank, entertained me with every mark of attention and civility ; and my vanity was flattered by the velvet cap and silk gown, which distinguish a gentleman commoner from a plebeian student.
Page 54 - As soon as I understood the principles, I relinquished for ever the pursuit of the mathematics ; nor can I lament that I desisted, before my mind was hardened by the habit of rigid demonstration, so destructive of the finer feelings of moral evidence, which must, however, determine the actions and opinions of our lives.