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 16
... courtesy than this , a courtesy that provided ladies and gentlemen an environment in which they might not avoid but confront serious and seriously vexatious topics— including " Whiggism " -testing these together in the full range of ...
... courtesy than this , a courtesy that provided ladies and gentlemen an environment in which they might not avoid but confront serious and seriously vexatious topics— including " Whiggism " -testing these together in the full range of ...
Page 24
... courtesy evident in their pointed social solicita- tion and in their easy colloquialism with infusions of wit , modesty , and humor . Such practices also proved useful , especially in Tristram's detailed exposition of things , to allay ...
... courtesy evident in their pointed social solicita- tion and in their easy colloquialism with infusions of wit , modesty , and humor . Such practices also proved useful , especially in Tristram's detailed exposition of things , to allay ...
Page 185
... courtesy in life at court . 2. " Polite , " which derives from Latin politus ( polished ) , appears several times in close connection with " courtesy " in quotations I have used in this chapter - revealing in these cases the customary ...
... courtesy in life at court . 2. " Polite , " which derives from Latin politus ( polished ) , appears several times in close connection with " courtesy " in quotations I have used in this chapter - revealing in these cases the customary ...
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Common terms and phrases
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