The British Prose Writers...: Goldsmith's essays, and BeeJ. Sharpe, 1821 |
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Page 5
... least upon par , and until they think fit to make me their humble debtor by praise , I am resolved not to lose a single inch of my self- importance . Instead , therefore , of attempting to establish a credit amongst them , it will ...
... least upon par , and until they think fit to make me their humble debtor by praise , I am resolved not to lose a single inch of my self- importance . Instead , therefore , of attempting to establish a credit amongst them , it will ...
Page 18
... least the com- fortable refreshment of having the spur often changed . As I see no reason why they should carry off all the rewards of genius , I have some thoughts for the future of making this essay a magazine in minia- ture : I shall ...
... least the com- fortable refreshment of having the spur often changed . As I see no reason why they should carry off all the rewards of genius , I have some thoughts for the future of making this essay a magazine in minia- ture : I shall ...
Page 28
... least , then , " said Asem , " they have neither architects , painters , nor statuaries , in their society ; but these are idle arts , and may be spared . However , before I spend much more time , you should have my thanks for ...
... least , then , " said Asem , " they have neither architects , painters , nor statuaries , in their society ; but these are idle arts , and may be spared . However , before I spend much more time , you should have my thanks for ...
Page 29
... least of an easy companion , who may tell me his thoughts , and to whom I may communicate mine . " " And to what purpose should either do this ? " says the genius : " flattery or curiosity are vicious motives , and never allowed of here ...
... least of an easy companion , who may tell me his thoughts , and to whom I may communicate mine . " " And to what purpose should either do this ? " says the genius : " flattery or curiosity are vicious motives , and never allowed of here ...
Page 32
... least in our religious assemblies . Whatever may become of the higher orders of mankind , who are generally possessed of collateral motives to virtue , the vulgar should be particularly regarded 32 GOLDSMITH'S ESSAYS .
... least in our religious assemblies . Whatever may become of the higher orders of mankind , who are generally possessed of collateral motives to virtue , the vulgar should be particularly regarded 32 GOLDSMITH'S ESSAYS .
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance actors admiration Æneid amusement ancient appear Asem audience beauty Broom of Cowdenknows called character Cicero comedy cried David Rizzio Demetrius Phalereus distress dress eloquence endeavour English entertainment excellence expression eyes fancy figure folly fond fortune friends frugality genius gentleman give hand Handel happy heart Homer honour human humour Iliad imagination imitation improvement Italy justice king king of Prussia labour lady language laugh laws learning lived Lysippus mankind manner master ment merit metaphors mind miser nation nature never obliged observed occasion Olinda once orator passion perceive Pergolese perhaps philosopher Plato pleased pleasure poet poetry polite possessed praise present quæ Quintilian ridiculous says scarcely seems simile society soon speak spondees sublime tankard taste Thespis thing thought tion tragedy truth ture vice Virgil virtue vulgar whole word writer
Popular passages
Page 139 - To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time.
Page 139 - No traveller returns, puzzles the will ; And makes us rather bear those ills we have, Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all ; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought ; And enterprizes of great pith and moment, With this regard, their currents turn away/ And lose the name of action.
Page 158 - Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners' legs ; The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers ; The traces, of the smallest spider's web ; The collars, of the moonshine's...
Page 158 - She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the forefinger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep : Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners...
Page 109 - And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand ; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously ; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Page 148 - O vale of bliss! O softly swelling hills! On which the power of cultivation lies, And joys to see the wonders of his toil.
Page 183 - Humor at present seems to be departing from the stage ; and it will soon happen that our comic players will have nothing left for it but a fine coat and a song. It depends upon the audience, whether they will actually drive those poor merry creatures from the stage, or sit at a play as gloomy as at the tabernacle. It is not easy to recover an art when once lost ; and it will be but a just punishment, that when, by our being too fastidious, we have banished humor from the stage, we should ourselves...
Page 81 - Let me no longer waste the night over the page of antiquity, or the sallies of contemporary genius ; but pursue the solitary walk, where vanity, ever changing, but a few hours past walked before me, where she kept up the pageant, and now, like a froward child, seems hushed with her own importunities.
Page 74 - ... of the little animal, I had the good fortune then to prevent its destruction, and I may say, it more than paid me by the entertainment it afforded. In three days the web was with incredible diligence completed; nor could I avoid thinking that the insect seemed to exult in its new abode.
Page 77 - It formed an attack upon a neighbouring fortification with great vigour, and at first was as vigorously repulsed. Not daunted, however, with one defeat, in this manner it continued to lay siege to another's web for three days, and at length, having killed the defendant, actually took possession. When smaller flies happen to fall into the snare, the spider does not sally out at once, but very patiently waits till it is sure of them; for, upon his immediately approaching, the terror of his appearance...