The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.J.M. Dent and Company, 1900 - Authors, English |
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Page ix
... NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED : THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN IN GREAT BRITAIN , FOR NEAR HALF A CENTURY , DURING WHICH HE FLOURISHED . Br JAMES BOSWELL , Esq . Quò fit ut OMNIS Votiva pateat veluti descripta ...
... NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED : THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN IN GREAT BRITAIN , FOR NEAR HALF A CENTURY , DURING WHICH HE FLOURISHED . Br JAMES BOSWELL , Esq . Quò fit ut OMNIS Votiva pateat veluti descripta ...
Page 1
... never had persevering diligence enough to form them . into a regular composition . Of these memorials a few have been preserved ; but the greater part was consigned by him to the flames , a few days before his death . As I had the ...
... never had persevering diligence enough to form them . into a regular composition . Of these memorials a few have been preserved ; but the greater part was consigned by him to the flames , a few days before his death . As I had the ...
Page 2
... never saw in his company , I think , but once , and I am sure not above twice . Johnson might have esteemed him for his decent , religious demeanour , and his knowledge of books and literary history ; but from the rigid formality of his ...
... never saw in his company , I think , but once , and I am sure not above twice . Johnson might have esteemed him for his decent , religious demeanour , and his knowledge of books and literary history ; but from the rigid formality of his ...
Page 13
James Boswell. HIS INFANT PRECOCITY 13 never forsook him . The fact was acknowledged to me by himself , upon the authority of his mother . One day when the servant who used to be sent to school to conduct him home , had not come in time ...
James Boswell. HIS INFANT PRECOCITY 13 never forsook him . The fact was acknowledged to me by himself , upon the authority of his mother . One day when the servant who used to be sent to school to conduct him home , had not come in time ...
Page 15
... never perceived it . 2 I supposed him to be only near - sighted ; and indeed I must observe , that in no other respect could I discern any defect in his vision ; on the contrary , the force of his attention and perceptive quick- ness ...
... never perceived it . 2 I supposed him to be only near - sighted ; and indeed I must observe , that in no other respect could I discern any defect in his vision ; on the contrary , the force of his attention and perceptive quick- ness ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admiration afterwards appeared asked Baretti believe BENNET LANGTON Bishop bookseller BOSWELL character Colley Cibber compliment consider conversation Croker DEAR SIR death Dictionary Dodsley edition eminent endeavour English Essay favour Francis Barber Garrick genius gentleman Gentleman's Magazine give Goldsmith happy heard Hebrides honour hope human humble servant JAMES BOSWELL Johnson kind King labour lady Langton language Latin learning letter Lichfield literary lived London Lord Chesterfield Lucy Porter mankind manner mentioned merit mind never obliged observed occasion opinion Oxford Pembroke College pleased pleasure poem poet praise published Rambler received recollect remarkable Reverend Samuel Johnson Savage Scotland Shakespeare shew Sir John Hawkins Sir Joshua Reynolds spirit suppose talk tell thing THOMAS WARTON thought Thrale tion told translation truth verses Warton wish write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 186 - Is not a Patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it,3 till I am known, and do not want it.
Page 187 - Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less ; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation. My Lord, your lordship's most humble, most obedient servant,
Page 185 - I HAVE been lately informed, by the proprietor of ' The World,' that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your Lordship. To be so distinguished, is an honour, which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge. " When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your Lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment...
Page 137 - Where then shall Hope and Fear their objects find ? Must dull Suspense corrupt the stagnant mind? Must helpless man, in ignorance sedate, Roll darkling down the torrent of his fate?
Page 142 - March,2 1752, on which day it closed. This is a strong confirmation of the truth of a remark of his, which I have had occasion to quote elsewhere,3 that " a man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it...
Page 439 - Baretti or the pickleman has kept Davies from sleep : nor does he know himself. And as to his not sleeping, Sir, Tom Davies is a very great man ; Tom has been upon the stage, and knows how to do those things : I have not been upon the stage, and cannot do those things." BOSWELL : " I have often blamed myself, Sir, for not feeling for others, as sensibly as many say they do." JOHNSON : " Sir, don't be duped by them any more. You will find these very feeling people are not very ready to do you good....
Page 186 - ... Seven years, my Lord,' have now passed, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it at last to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before. " The Shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a...
Page 191 - Sir, he was a scoundrel, and a coward : a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality ; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it off himself, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotchman to draw the trigger after his death...
Page 348 - Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind.
Page 401 - Sir, they may talk of the King as they will; but he is the finest gentleman I have ever seen.