Critical and historical essays |
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Page 3
... cause . The fact is , that common observers reason from the progress of the experi- mental sciences to that of the imitative arts . The improvement of the former is gradual and slow . Ages are spent in collecting materials , ages more ...
... cause . The fact is , that common observers reason from the progress of the experi- mental sciences to that of the imitative arts . The improvement of the former is gradual and slow . Ages are spent in collecting materials , ages more ...
Page 15
... cause , Oldmixon for instance , and Catherine Macaulay , have , to say the least , been more distinguished by zeal than either by candour or by skill . On the other side are the most authori- tative and the most popular historical works ...
... cause , Oldmixon for instance , and Catherine Macaulay , have , to say the least , been more distinguished by zeal than either by candour or by skill . On the other side are the most authori- tative and the most popular historical works ...
Page 20
... cause of Pub- lic Liberty . We are not aware that the poet has been charged with personal participation in any of the blameable excesses of that time . The favourite topic of his enemies is the line of conduct which he pursued with ...
... cause of Pub- lic Liberty . We are not aware that the poet has been charged with personal participation in any of the blameable excesses of that time . The favourite topic of his enemies is the line of conduct which he pursued with ...
Page 25
... cause of the King was the cause of bigotry and tyranny , we yet cannot refrain from looking with complacency on the character of the honest old Cavaliers . We feel a national pride in comparing them with the instruments which the ...
... cause of the King was the cause of bigotry and tyranny , we yet cannot refrain from looking with complacency on the character of the honest old Cavaliers . We feel a national pride in comparing them with the instruments which the ...
Page 42
... cause and that of his brethren in misfortune , carried him beyond even the licence of fiction . Jonson seems to have combined some hints taken from this tale , with others from Boccaccio , in the plot of " The Devil is an Ass , " a play ...
... cause and that of his brethren in misfortune , carried him beyond even the licence of fiction . Jonson seems to have combined some hints taken from this tale , with others from Boccaccio , in the plot of " The Devil is an Ass , " a play ...
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Common terms and phrases
absurd admiration appeared army authority Bacon believe Bengal Catholic century character Charles Christian Church Church of England Church of Rome Clive conduct Council Court Crown defend doctrines Dupleix eminent enemies England English Europe evil favour feeling France French Gladstone Hampden Hastings honour House of Bourbon House of Commons human hundred India interest judge King letters liberty lived Long Parliament Lord Lord Byron manner means ment mind minister moral Nabob nation nature never Novum Organum Nuncomar Omichund opinion Parliament party passed persecuted person philosophy Pitt poet poetry political Prince principles produced Protestant Protestantism reason reform reign religion religious respect Revolution Rome scarcely seems Sir James Mackintosh society Southey sovereign Spain spirit statesman strong talents temper Temple thing thought thousand tion took Tories truth Walpole Whigs whole writer
Popular passages
Page 416 - We see in needle-works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work upon a lightsome ground : judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for Prosperity doth best discover vice, but Adversity doth best discover virtue.
Page 416 - Yet even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more in describing the afflictions of Job than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.
Page 17 - Oliver Cromwell, his bitterest enemies themselves being judges, destitute of private virtues? And what, after all, are the virtues ascribed to Charles? A religious zeal, not more sincere than that of his son, and fully as weak and narrow-minded, and a few of the ordinary household decencies which half the tombstones in England claim for those who lie beneath them. A good father! A good husband! Ample apologies indeed for fifteen years of persecution, tyranny, and falsehood!
Page 11 - God, the uncreated, the incomprehensible, the invisible, attracted few worshippers. A philosopher might admire so noble a conception : but the crowd turned away in disgust from words which presented no image to their minds. It was before Deity embodied in a human form, walking among men, partaking of their infirmities, leaning on their bosoms, weeping over their graves, slumbering in the manger, bleeding on the cross, that the prejudices of the Synagogue, and the doubts of the Academy, and the pride...
Page 454 - Pleased with the danger, when the waves went high He sought the storms; but, for a calm unfit, Would steer too nigh the sands to boast his wit.
Page 548 - She saw the commencement of all the governments and of all the ecclesiastical establishments that now exist in the world ; and we feel no assurance that she is not destined to see the end of them all.
Page 19 - But the remedy is, not to remand him into his dungeon, but to accustom him to the rays of the sun. The blaze of truth and liberty may at first dazzle and bewilder nations which have become half blind in the house of bondage. But let them gaze on, and they will soon be able to bear it. In a few years men learn to reason. The extreme violence of opinions subsides.
Page 359 - No man ever spoke more neatly, more pressly, more weightily, or suffered less emptiness, less idleness, in what he uttered. No member of his speech but consisted of his own graces. His hearers could not cough or look aside from him without loss. He commanded where he spoke, and had his judges angry and pleased at his devotion. No man had their affections more in his power. The fear of every man that heard him was lest he should make an end.
Page 23 - The Puritans were men whose minds had derived a peculiar character from the daily contemplation of superior beings and eternal interests. Not content with acknowledging, in general terms, an overruling Providence, they habitually ascribed every event to the will of the Great Being, for whose power nothing was too vast, for whose inspection nothing was too minute.
Page 192 - The style of Bunyan is delightful to every reader, and invaluable as a study to every person who wishes to obtain a wide command over the English language. The vocabulary is the vocabulary of the common people. There is not an expression, if we except a few technical terms of theology, which would puzzle the rudest peasant. We have observed several pages which do not contain a single word of more than two syllables. Yet no writer has said more exactly what he meant to say.