Common Courtesy in Eighteenth-century English LiteratureIn one of his Idlers, Johnson indicated the problems involved in such an achievement as follows: "As a question becomes more complicated and involved, and extends to a greater number of relations, disagreement of opinion will always be multiplied: not because we are irrational, but because we are finite beings, furnished with different kinds of knowledge, exerting different degrees of attention, one discovering consequences which escape another, none taking in the whole concatenation of causes and effects, and most comprehending but a very small part, each comparing what he observes with a different criterion and each referring it to a different purpose. "Where, then, is the wonder, that they who see only a small part should judge erroneously of the whole? |
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Page 176
... Author represents himself , first of all , as belonging to one intellectual company or another and to such companies ... Author , reduced to nothing but matter . In the competition , which he will soon confidently accept , bricks would ...
... Author represents himself , first of all , as belonging to one intellectual company or another and to such companies ... Author , reduced to nothing but matter . In the competition , which he will soon confidently accept , bricks would ...
Page 181
... Author is apparently dedi- cated can speak at length without fear of interruption . The Author describes these elevated structures at some length , presenting subordinate discus- sions of inappropriate elevations , of especially elegant ...
... Author is apparently dedi- cated can speak at length without fear of interruption . The Author describes these elevated structures at some length , presenting subordinate discus- sions of inappropriate elevations , of especially elegant ...
Page 182
William Bowman Piper. true statements assertions that were substantially false . The Author has thus practiced on us the tyranny he is at the same time espousing . He has advo- cated an author's providing delusory entertainment for ...
William Bowman Piper. true statements assertions that were substantially false . The Author has thus practiced on us the tyranny he is at the same time espousing . He has advo- cated an author's providing delusory entertainment for ...
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acknowledges actually agreement allows apparent argument asserts attention Author believe Berkeley Boswell common sense concern Consider continually conversation course courteous courtesy critics described discourse discussion doubt effect enforces epistle Essay established evident example existence experience explains expression figures finally further give hope human Hylas ideas imagine immediately indicated individual instance intellectual Johnson judgment kind knowledge learned least letter literary Lord matter meaning mind nature never notice objects observed occasion once opinion particular passage passive philosophers poem poet polite Pope Pope's position possible practice present Press question quotes Rambler readers reason recognizes reference remarkable represented respondent seems Shandy share social society sometimes Sterne style suggests things thought throughout tion Toby's topics train Treatise Tristram truth turn uncle understanding universal writing