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 69
... suggests , he is trying to convince his friend of a point that , although it may accord with sense , the friend's ... suggest the seriousness of Bolingbroke's personal need and the depth of his discontent . Until line 131 this epistle ...
... suggests , he is trying to convince his friend of a point that , although it may accord with sense , the friend's ... suggest the seriousness of Bolingbroke's personal need and the depth of his discontent . Until line 131 this epistle ...
Page 75
... suggest repeated , widely observed attitudes , and thus enrich the sense of a social milieu . Pope often implicates ... suggests that both he and Pope - and the rest of society— know all about these two . The confidence with which the ...
... suggest repeated , widely observed attitudes , and thus enrich the sense of a social milieu . Pope often implicates ... suggests that both he and Pope - and the rest of society— know all about these two . The confidence with which the ...
Page 144
... suggests a judgment that takes some account of their position . Then he concludes with the hope that what he has " here not dogmatically but deliberately written " may lead to a new exam- ination of the rules ; or , failing that , that ...
... suggests a judgment that takes some account of their position . Then he concludes with the hope that what he has " here not dogmatically but deliberately written " may lead to a new exam- ination of the rules ; or , failing that , 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