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 76
... society in mind . Dr. Arbuthnot , then , is the arbiter between the poet , whose many social annoyances have made him socially imprudent , and an attentive and vindictive society . It is chiefly Dr. Arbuthnot's commitment to arbitration ...
... society in mind . Dr. Arbuthnot , then , is the arbiter between the poet , whose many social annoyances have made him socially imprudent , and an attentive and vindictive society . It is chiefly Dr. Arbuthnot's commitment to arbitration ...
Page 82
... society as Peter Walter and Lord Selkirk . Consider , for ex- ample , this exchange : F. Yet none but you by Name the Guilty lash ; Ev'n Guthry saves half Newgate by a Dash . Spare then the Person , and expose the Vice . P. How Sir ...
... society as Peter Walter and Lord Selkirk . Consider , for ex- ample , this exchange : F. Yet none but you by Name the Guilty lash ; Ev'n Guthry saves half Newgate by a Dash . Spare then the Person , and expose the Vice . P. How Sir ...
Page 139
... society of his more general opinion that " Milton never learned the art of doing little things with grace . " This choice of Lycidas , rather than some other of Milton's shorter poems , thus reveals again the Occamist sensibility that ...
... society of his more general opinion that " Milton never learned the art of doing little things with grace . " This choice of Lycidas , rather than some other of Milton's shorter poems , thus reveals again the Occamist sensibility that ...
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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