The Speculatist: A Collection of Letters and Essays, Moral and Political, Serious and Humourous: Upon Various Subjects

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J. Walthoe, 1732 - 283 pages
 

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Page 77 - Just in the place where honour 's lodg'd, As wise philosophers have judg'd. Because a kick in that part more Hurts honour than deep wounds before.
Page 175 - ... Countries towards the memory of such as have excelled among them, and by the consent of all Nations in their admiration and applause of the Antients. We are the only people in Europe who have had good Poets among them, and yet suffer their reputation to moulder, and their memory as it were to rust, for want of a little of that Critical care, which is as truly due to their merit as to that of the antient Greek and Roman Writers — You perceive what I aim at. It is to observe to you, that some...
Page 251 - The firft Thing we meet with here (and indeed half the Work is taken up with it) is a Page or two of fevere Satire upon Bookfellers, .particularly one Edmund Curll. I won't enter into the Occafion or the State of the Controverfy, or the Strength of thefe Gentlemens Raillery and Reafoning...
Page 30 - ... Chatsworth Estates Company. "Matthew Concanen, in the London (or British) Journal, September 4, 1725, portrays a satirist who, offended by attacks, pretends to discover that the law permits even authors to defend themselves: "I have discovered a Method of defending my Reputation against such Insolent Attacks, unknown to all Authors who have lived before me. I can call in the Law to my Assistance; and I do hereby assure all People that read my Works for the future, that it will not be safe to...
Page 176 - Westminster-Abbey; how much more emphatically might it be said to be erected to his memory, if it were a Comment upon his excellent Hudibras: which, for want of such illustration, grows every day less pleasing to his Readers; who lose half his wit and pleasantry, while they are ignorant of the facts he alludes to. I own, it grows daily more difficult to perform this duty to old Authors; and therefore the Italians say, that a Comment ought to be made when the...
Page 29 - Design to abuse me: But however as he only meant it, and as his Hand at drawing Characters keeps the Originals from a Danger of being discovered, I have no Wrath against him.
Page 175 - ... receiving any other, or as they really are Benefactors in a very high degree to mankind. This is in a great measure confessed by the practice of other Countries towards the memory of such as have excelled among them, and by the consent of all Nations in their admiration and applause of the Antients. We are the only people in Europe who have had good Poets among them, and yet suffer their reputation to moulder, and their memory as it were to rust, for want of a little of that Critical care, which...
Page 178 - ... conclude without observing, that such a Critick as this might bring the name of a Commentator into the repute which it has lost by the dull and useless pedantry of some Pretenders to it. Such a Gentleman, and none but such, ought to republish an old Writer, since it is in his power to make reprisals upon his Author, and to receive as much glory from him as he gives to him.
Page 175 - Every Writer is obliged to make himself understood of the age in which he lives ; but, as he cannot answer for the changes of manners and language which may happen after his death, those who receive pleasure and instruction from him are obliged, as well in gratitude to him as in duty to posterity, to endeavour to perpetuate his memory, by preserving his meaning. This is what the French have done by their Marots...

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