Elegant extracts: a copious selection of passages from the most eminent prose writers, Volume 21812 |
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Page 42
... occasion to be transgressed . But upon these occasions , though no one is entitled to distinguish- ed marks of respect , every one claims , and very justly , every mark of civility and good - breeding . Ease is allowed , but ...
... occasion to be transgressed . But upon these occasions , though no one is entitled to distinguish- ed marks of respect , every one claims , and very justly , every mark of civility and good - breeding . Ease is allowed , but ...
Page 50
... occasion us to be often with the persons whom we by no means resemble ; or , the place in which we are settled keeping us at a distance from others , if we will converse at all , it must be with some whose manners we least ap- prove ...
... occasion us to be often with the persons whom we by no means resemble ; or , the place in which we are settled keeping us at a distance from others , if we will converse at all , it must be with some whose manners we least ap- prove ...
Page 55
... occasion to con- verse more with mankind , never more need their good opinion or good word , it were then no great matter ( speaking as to the concernments of this world ) if a man spend his reputation all at once , and ventured it at ...
... occasion to con- verse more with mankind , never more need their good opinion or good word , it were then no great matter ( speaking as to the concernments of this world ) if a man spend his reputation all at once , and ventured it at ...
Page 60
... occasions , like those of speech , which return every hour . The habit therefore of lying , when once formed , is easily extended to serve the designs of malice or interest ; like all habits , it spreads indeed of itself . As there may ...
... occasions , like those of speech , which return every hour . The habit therefore of lying , when once formed , is easily extended to serve the designs of malice or interest ; like all habits , it spreads indeed of itself . As there may ...
Page 64
... occasion to tell a story in his turn ; in which he frequently repeated the words bottle and glass , instead of the usual ex- pletives of God , devil , and damn , which he did not ⚫ think quite so becoming for one of his cloth to make ...
... occasion to tell a story in his turn ; in which he frequently repeated the words bottle and glass , instead of the usual ex- pletives of God , devil , and damn , which he did not ⚫ think quite so becoming for one of his cloth to make ...
Common terms and phrases
acquired admirable advantage affect agreeable ancient ancient Greece Apollo Belvedere appear Aristophanes attended bad company bad education beauty character Chesterfield Cicero colours comma common consider conversation Demosthenes discourse distinguished Eastern world elegant elocution eloquence endeavour English language equal esteem excellent expression fancy genius give good-breeding grace Greek habit happy honour human ideas imagination improvement Isocrates kind knowledge labour language learning lives mankind manner masters means memory ment metaphors method mind nature neral never noble object observe occasions orator ornament ourselves painting particular passions pauses perfect persons Pindar Plato pleasing pleasure poetry poets Polybius principles proper propriety prose quired racter reader reason Rome sciences sense sentence sentiments soul speak speech style taste tence thing thought tion truth ture verb Virgil virtue voice vulgar words writing youth
Popular passages
Page 112 - ... twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure. Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theatre of others.
Page 245 - The business of a poet," said Imlac, "is to examine, not the individual, but the species ; to remark general properties and large appearances ; he does not number the streaks of the tulip, or describe the different shades in the verdure of the forest.
Page 245 - He must write as the interpreter of nature and the legislator of mankind, and consider himself as presiding over the thoughts and manners of future generations — as a being superior to time and place.
Page 243 - Whatever be the reason, it is commonly observed that the early writers are in possession of nature, and their followers of art ; that the first excel in strength and invention, and the latter in elegance and refinement.
Page 112 - Suit the action to the word, the word to the action: with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature; for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first, and now, was, and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time, his form, and pressure.
Page 112 - And let those that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them : for there be of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too ; though, in the mean time, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered: that's villainous; and . shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it.
Page 112 - Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve ; the censure of the which one, must, in your allowance, o'erweigh a whole theatre of others. Oh, there be players, that I have seen play, and heard others praise, and that highly, not to speak it profanely, that, neither having the accent of Christians, nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so strutted, and bellowed, that I have thought some of nature's journeymen had made men,...
Page 111 - I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue : but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus ; but use all gently ; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.
Page 252 - You seldom find him making Love in any of his Scenes, or endeavouring to move the Passions ; his genius was too sullen and saturnine to do it gracefully, especially when he knew he came after those who had performed both to such an height.
Page 111 - Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue : but if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines.