The Plain Speaker: Opinions on Books, Men, and Things, Volume 1H. Colburn, 1826 - 447 pages |
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... Character 85 Essay V. - On People of Sense 113 Essay VI . - On Antiquity 139 Essay VII . - On the Difference between Writing and Speaking 163 Essay VIII . - On a Portrait of an English Lady , by Vandyke 205 Essay IX . - On Novelty and ...
... Character 85 Essay V. - On People of Sense 113 Essay VI . - On Antiquity 139 Essay VII . - On the Difference between Writing and Speaking 163 Essay VIII . - On a Portrait of an English Lady , by Vandyke 205 Essay IX . - On Novelty and ...
Page 5
... times better in the more refined and lofty conception of character and sentiment , and had failed in the more palpable appeal to the senses and pre- judices of the vulgar , in the usual “ appli- TO SUCCESS IN LIFE . 5.
... times better in the more refined and lofty conception of character and sentiment , and had failed in the more palpable appeal to the senses and pre- judices of the vulgar , in the usual “ appli- TO SUCCESS IN LIFE . 5.
Page 6
... character or turn of accident- " some trick not worth an egg " - There's but the twinkling of a star Betwixt a man of peace and war ; A thief and justice , fool and knave , A huffing officer and a slave ; A crafty lawyer and pick ...
... character or turn of accident- " some trick not worth an egg " - There's but the twinkling of a star Betwixt a man of peace and war ; A thief and justice , fool and knave , A huffing officer and a slave ; A crafty lawyer and pick ...
Page 31
... characters will not only sneer at your well - meant endea- vours , and kept silent as to your good qualities , but are ... character is not enough . " Such a poor forked animal , " as a mere poet or philosopher turned loose upon public ...
... characters will not only sneer at your well - meant endea- vours , and kept silent as to your good qualities , but are ... character is not enough . " Such a poor forked animal , " as a mere poet or philosopher turned loose upon public ...
Page 32
... character of a man of genius in this country , who was not of patrician birth — or connections by marriage ! This hook was well baited . Written in June 1820 . These are the doctrines that enrich the shops , That 32 ON THE ...
... character of a man of genius in this country , who was not of patrician birth — or connections by marriage ! This hook was well baited . Written in June 1820 . These are the doctrines that enrich the shops , That 32 ON THE ...
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Common terms and phrases
abstract admire appears artist beauty Black Dwarf Boccacio cause character circumstances colour common delight effect elegance Elgin marbles English ESSAY evanescent expression face fancy favour favourite feel French genius gentleman give grace habit hand head heart House House of Commons human ideas imagination imitation impression Job Orton lady laugh less living look Lord Byron Mademoiselle Mars manner means ment merit mind nature neral ness never object opinion Othello painted pass passion person philosophy picture play pleasure poet poetry portrait prejudices pretensions principle racter Raphael reason respect Second Series seems sense sentiment Shakespear shew sion Sir Walter Sir Walter Scott smile sophism sort soul speak spirit style supposed sympathy taste thing thought tion Titian Tom Jones true truth turn understand vanity Whigs whole words write
Popular passages
Page 266 - O'er a' the ills o" life victorious ! But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed ; Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white — then melts for ever; Or like the Borealis race, That flit ere you can point their place; Or like the rainbow's lovely form Evanishing amid the storm. — Nae man can tether time or tide ; The hour approaches Tam maun ride; That hour, o...
Page 41 - I'll tell you, friend! a wise man and a fool. You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk, Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow, The rest is all but leather or prunella.
Page 311 - Yet nature is made better by no mean, But nature makes that mean: so, o'er that art, Which you say adds to nature, is an art That nature makes. You see, sweet maid, we marry A gentler scion to the wildest stock, And make conceive a bark of baser kind By bud of nobler race: this is an art Which does mend nature, — change it rather; but The art itself is nature.
Page 416 - I care not, fortune, what you me deny ; You cannot rob me of free nature's grace ; You cannot shut the windows of the sky, Through which Aurora shows her brightening face, You cannot bar my constant feet to trace The woods and lawns, by living stream, at eve : Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace, And I their toys to the great children leave : Of fancy, reason, virtue, nought can me bereave.
Page 335 - Merciful heaven! What, man! ne'er pull your hat upon your brows; Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak Whispers the o'erfraught heart, and bids it break.
Page 289 - Piety displays Her mouldering roll, the piercing eye explores New manners, and the pomp of elder days, Whence culls the pensive bard his pictured stores. Nor rough nor barren are the winding ways Of hoar Antiquity, but strewn with flowers.
Page 170 - How charming is divine Philosophy! Not harsh and crabbed, as dull fools suppose, But musical as is Apollo's lute, And a perpetual feast of nectar'd sweets, Where no crude surfeit reigns.
Page 266 - DUKE'S PALACE. [Enter DUKE, CURIO, LORDS; MUSICIANS attending.] DUKE. If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die.— That strain again;— it had a dying fall; O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south, That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour.— Enough; no more; 'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
Page 155 - Time travels in divers paces with divers persons : I'll tell you who time ambles withal, who time trots withal, who time gallops withal, and who he stands still withal.
Page 22 - Doubtless the pleasure is as great In being cheated, as to cheat. As lookers-on find most delight, Who least perceive the juggler's sleight ; And still the less they understand, The more admire the sleight of hand.