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 36
... philosophers call matter or corporeal substance . And in doing of this , there is no dam- age done to the rest of mankind , who , I dare say , will never miss it . The atheist indeed will want the colour of an empty name to support his ...
... philosophers call matter or corporeal substance . And in doing of this , there is no dam- age done to the rest of mankind , who , I dare say , will never miss it . The atheist indeed will want the colour of an empty name to support his ...
Page 38
... philosophers , " these men " ; it does not make clear what alternative there is to their conduct , nor indi- cate surely that there is one . It obviously appeals to the vast but unmen- tioned bulk of mankind who somehow resist ...
... philosophers , " these men " ; it does not make clear what alternative there is to their conduct , nor indi- cate surely that there is one . It obviously appeals to the vast but unmen- tioned bulk of mankind who somehow resist ...
Page 47
... philosophers ; and it emerges with special force because of this agree- ment : Hylas . You were represented in last night's conversation , as one who maintained the most extravagant opinion that ever entered into the mind of man , to ...
... philosophers ; and it emerges with special force because of this agree- ment : Hylas . You were represented in last night's conversation , as one who maintained the most extravagant opinion that ever entered into the mind of man , to ...
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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