The Rambler. ...W. Gordon, C. Wright, and the other booksellers, 1750 - English essays |
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Page 2
... common life . They , perhaps , believed that when , like Thucydides , they bequeathed to man- kind anμa is asė , an eftate for ever , it was an addi- tional favour to inform them of its value . It may , indeed , be no lefs dangerous to ...
... common life . They , perhaps , believed that when , like Thucydides , they bequeathed to man- kind anμa is asė , an eftate for ever , it was an addi- tional favour to inform them of its value . It may , indeed , be no lefs dangerous to ...
Page 7
... common topicks is fo tempting to a writer , that he cannot eafily refign it ; a train of fentiments generally received enables him to fhine without labour , and to conquer without a conteft . It is fo eafy to laugh at the folly of him ...
... common topicks is fo tempting to a writer , that he cannot eafily refign it ; a train of fentiments generally received enables him to fhine without labour , and to conquer without a conteft . It is fo eafy to laugh at the folly of him ...
Page 12
... common objects , fo as to give them fresh grace and more powerful attractions , to spread fuch flowers over the regions through which the intellect has already made its progrefs , as may tempt it to re- turn , and take a fecond view of ...
... common objects , fo as to give them fresh grace and more powerful attractions , to spread fuch flowers over the regions through which the intellect has already made its progrefs , as may tempt it to re- turn , and take a fecond view of ...
Page 14
... common eyes . Whatever ART could complicate , or FOLLY could confound , was , upon the first gleam of the torch of TRUTH , exhibited in its di- ftinct parts and original fimplicity ; it darted through the labyrinths of fophiftry , and ...
... common eyes . Whatever ART could complicate , or FOLLY could confound , was , upon the first gleam of the torch of TRUTH , exhibited in its di- ftinct parts and original fimplicity ; it darted through the labyrinths of fophiftry , and ...
Page 18
... common reader ; as the flipper ill executed was cenfured by a fhoemaker who happened , to ftop in his way at the Venus of Apelles . But the fear of not being approved as juft copyers of human manners , is not the most important . con ...
... common reader ; as the flipper ill executed was cenfured by a fhoemaker who happened , to ftop in his way at the Venus of Apelles . But the fear of not being approved as juft copyers of human manners , is not the most important . con ...
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Common terms and phrases
againſt arifes becauſe caufe cauſe cenfure cife confequence confider converfation defire difcover eafily endeavour equally eſcape fafe fame fatisfaction favour fays fchemes fear fecure feem feldom felves fenfe fent fentiments fervants feven fhall fhew fhort fhould fide fince fincerity firft firſt folly fome fometimes foon ftate ftill ftudy fubject fuccefs fuch fudden fuffer fufficient fuppofe fure genius happineſs herſelf himſelf honour hope houſe imagination inftruction intereft itſelf juft labour lady laft leaft LEARNING leaſt lefs lofe loft mankind ment mifery mind moft moſt muft muſt myſelf nature neceffary neceffity neral never NUMB obferved occafion oppofition ourſelves OVID paffed paffions paftoral pain perfons perfuaded pleafing pleaſe pleaſure praiſe prefent promife publick purpoſe raiſed RAMBLER reafon reft ſhall ſhe ſtate thefe themſelves theſe thing thofe thoſe thought thouſand tion underſtanding univerfal uſe vifit virtue whofe whoſe
Popular passages
Page 13 - Yet there is a certain race of men, that either imagine it their duty, or make it their amusement, to hinder the reception of every work of learning or genius ; who stand as sentinels in the avenues of fame, and value themselves upon giving ignorance and envy the first notice of a prey.
Page 237 - Retire with me, O rash unthinking mortal, from the vain allurements of a deceitful world, and learn that pleasure was not designed the portion of human life. Man was born to mourn and to be wretched ; this is the condition of all below the stars ; and whoever endeavours to oppose it acts in contradiction to the will of Heaven.
Page 19 - In the romances formerly written, every transaction and sentiment was so remote from all that passes among men, that the reader was in very little danger of making any applications to himself...
Page 18 - They are engaged in portraits of which every one knows the original, and can detect any deviation from exactness of resemblance. Other writings are safe, except from the malice of learning, but these are in danger from every common reader; as the slipper ill executed was censured by a shoemaker who happened to stop in his way at the Venus of Apelles.
Page 17 - The works of fiction with which the present generation seems more particularly delighted are such as exhibit life in its true state, diversified only by accidents that daily happen in the world, and influenced by passions and qualities which are really to be found in conversing with mankind.
Page 18 - The task of our present writers is very different; it requires, together with that learning which is to be gained from books, that experience which can never be attained by solitary diligence, but must arise from general converse, and accurate observation of the living world.
Page 19 - For this reason these familiar histories may perhaps be made of greater use than the solemnities of professed morality, and convey the knowledge of vice and virtue with more efficacy than axioms and definitions.
Page 259 - ... never arrives. He lies down delighted with the thoughts of to-morrow, pleases his ambition with the fame he shall acquire, or his benevolence with the good he shall confer. But in the night the skies...
Page 238 - Providence diffused such innumerable objects of delight but that all might rejoice in the privilege of existence, and be filled with gratitude to the beneficent author of it? Thus to enjoy the blessings he has sent is virtue and obedience; and to reject them merely as means of pleasure is pitiable ignorance or absurd perverseness.
Page 22 - In narratives where historical veracity has no place, I cannot discover why there should not be exhibited the most perfect idea of virtue ; of virtue not angelical, nor above probability, for what we cannot credit, we shall never imitate, but the highest and purest that humanity can reach...