The Miscellaneous Works: The bee. Essays. An inquiry into the present state of polite learning in Europe. Prefaces and introductionsPutnam, 1856 |
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Page 17
... endeavor to fortify myself against the future contempt or neglect of some readers , and am prepared for their dislike by mutual recrimination . If such should impute dealing neither in battles nor scandal to me as a fault , instead of ...
... endeavor to fortify myself against the future contempt or neglect of some readers , and am prepared for their dislike by mutual recrimination . If such should impute dealing neither in battles nor scandal to me as a fault , instead of ...
Page 20
... endeavor tc preserve the peculiar humor by the make of the mask ; but I have seen others still preserve a great fund of humor in the face without a mask ; one actor , particularly , by a squint which he threw into some characters of low ...
... endeavor tc preserve the peculiar humor by the make of the mask ; but I have seen others still preserve a great fund of humor in the face without a mask ; one actor , particularly , by a squint which he threw into some characters of low ...
Page 65
... great- est importance to endeavor , by repeated experiments , to strike a * [ " At length a mighty man of Greece began To assert the natʼral liberty of man . " ] - CREECH . light out of the chaos in which truth seemed to FATHER FEYJOO . 65.
... great- est importance to endeavor , by repeated experiments , to strike a * [ " At length a mighty man of Greece began To assert the natʼral liberty of man . " ] - CREECH . light out of the chaos in which truth seemed to FATHER FEYJOO . 65.
Page 70
... endeavor to grow beneath him , and keeps down that merit which , but for his influence , might rise into equal eminence . While others , still worse , peruse old books for their amusement , and new books only to condemn ; so that the ...
... endeavor to grow beneath him , and keeps down that merit which , but for his influence , might rise into equal eminence . While others , still worse , peruse old books for their amusement , and new books only to condemn ; so that the ...
Page 71
... endeavor to please by the goodness of my entertainment , rather than by the magnificence of my sign . The Spectator , and many succeeding essayists , frequently inform us of the numerous compliments paid them in the course of their ...
... endeavor to please by the goodness of my entertainment , rather than by the magnificence of my sign . The Spectator , and many succeeding essayists , frequently inform us of the numerous compliments paid them in the course of their ...
Common terms and phrases
absurdity acquainted admiration Æneid amusement ancient appear applause Asem beauty Broom of Cowdenknows character comedy continental connections continued criticism David Rizzio Demetrius Phalereus elector of Saxony eloquence empire endeavor enemies England English entertainment ESSAY Europe excellence expect eyes fame fancy fortune France French friends friendship genius give happiness honor humor imagination imitation improvement Italy king king of Prussia labor lady language liberty lived Lysippus Manetho mankind manner means ment merit mind nation nature neighbors never obliged observed occasion once orator passion perceived perhaps philosopher Planxty pleasing pleasure poet poetry polite learning possessed praise present prince proper Quintilian reader regard reputation ridiculous says scarcely seems seldom sense sentiments society Spain spirit spondee taste Thespis thing thought tion truth Virgil virtue vulgar whole words writer
Popular passages
Page 324 - 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 ix - The life of Dr. Parnell is a task which I should very willingly decline, since it has been lately written by Goldsmith, a man of such variety of powers, and such felicity of performance, that he always seemed to do best that which he was doing; a man who had the art of being minute without tediousness, and general without confusion; whose language was copious without exuberance, exact without constraint, and easy without weakness.
Page 306 - The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make, With a bare bodkin?
Page 329 - O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream My great example, as it is my theme! Though deep, yet clear, though gentle, yet not dull, Strong without rage, without o'er-flowing full.
Page 306 - tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more ; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep...
Page 280 - 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 379 - If they happen to have faults or foibles, the spectator is taught, not only to pardon, but to applaud them, in consideration of the goodness of their hearts; so that folly, instead of being ridiculed, is commended, and the comedy aims at touching our passions without the power of being truly pathetic.
Page 306 - 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...
Page 78 - 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. It frequently traversed it round, examined the strength of every part of it, retired into its hole, and came out very frequently.
Page 306 - With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To groan and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death — That undiscovered country, from whose bourne No traveller returns! — puzzles the will; And makes us rather bear those ills we have, Than fly to others that we know not of.