The Rambler. ...W. Gordon, C. Wright, and the other booksellers, 1750 - English essays |
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Page 11
... should happen that an author is capable of excelling , yet his merit may pafs without notice , huddled in the variety of things , and thrown into the general mifcellany of life . He that en- deavours after fame by writing , folicits the ...
... should happen that an author is capable of excelling , yet his merit may pafs without notice , huddled in the variety of things , and thrown into the general mifcellany of life . He that en- deavours after fame by writing , folicits the ...
Page 19
... should be exhibited ; and that which is likely to operate so strongly , fhould not be mischievous or uncertain in its effects . The chief advantage which thefe fictions have over real life is , that their authors are at liberty , though ...
... should be exhibited ; and that which is likely to operate so strongly , fhould not be mischievous or uncertain in its effects . The chief advantage which thefe fictions have over real life is , that their authors are at liberty , though ...
Page 22
... should not be exhibited the most perfect idea of virtue ; of virtue not angelical , nor above probability , for what we cannot credit we shall never imitate , but the highest and pureft that humanity can reach , which , exercised in ...
... should not be exhibited the most perfect idea of virtue ; of virtue not angelical , nor above probability , for what we cannot credit we shall never imitate , but the highest and pureft that humanity can reach , which , exercised in ...
Page 40
... should be either unpro- fitably , or hurtfully employed , and the superfluities of intellect run to waste , it is no vain fpeculation to confider how we may govern our thoughts , reftrain them from irregular motions , or confine them ...
... should be either unpro- fitably , or hurtfully employed , and the superfluities of intellect run to waste , it is no vain fpeculation to confider how we may govern our thoughts , reftrain them from irregular motions , or confine them ...
Page 53
... should show under his blushes a latent refolution . This point of perfection , nice as it is , my correfpondent feems to have attained . That he is modeft , his own declaration may evince ; and , I think , the latent refolution may be ...
... should show under his blushes a latent refolution . This point of perfection , nice as it is , my correfpondent feems to have attained . That he is modeft , his own declaration may evince ; and , I think , the latent refolution may be ...
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Common terms and phrases
againſt arifes becauſe caufe cauſe cenfure cife confequence confider converfation defire difcover eafily endeavour equally eſcape fafe fame fatisfaction favour fays fchemes fear fecure feem feldom felves fenfe fent fentiments fervants feven fhall fhew fhort fhould fide fince fincerity firft firſt folly fome fometimes foon ftate ftill ftudy fubject fuccefs fuch fudden fuffer fufficient fuppofe fure genius happineſs herſelf himſelf honour hope houſe imagination inftruction intereft itſelf juft labour lady laft leaft LEARNING leaſt lefs lofe loft mankind ment mifery mind moft moſt muft muſt myſelf nature neceffary neceffity neral never NUMB obferved occafion oppofition ourſelves OVID paffed paffions paftoral pain perfons perfuaded pleafing pleaſe pleaſure praiſe prefent promife publick purpoſe raiſed RAMBLER reafon reft ſhall ſhe ſtate thefe themſelves theſe thing thofe thoſe thought thouſand tion underſtanding univerfal uſe vifit virtue whofe whoſe
Popular passages
Page 13 - Yet there is a certain race of men, that either imagine it their duty, or make it their amusement, to hinder the reception of every work of learning or genius ; who stand as sentinels in the avenues of fame, and value themselves upon giving ignorance and envy the first notice of a prey.
Page 237 - Retire with me, O rash unthinking mortal, from the vain allurements of a deceitful world, and learn that pleasure was not designed the portion of human life. Man was born to mourn and to be wretched ; this is the condition of all below the stars ; and whoever endeavours to oppose it acts in contradiction to the will of Heaven.
Page 19 - In the romances formerly written, every transaction and sentiment was so remote from all that passes among men, that the reader was in very little danger of making any applications to himself...
Page 18 - They are engaged in portraits of which every one knows the original, and can detect any deviation from exactness of resemblance. Other writings are safe, except from the malice of learning, but these are in danger from every common reader; as the slipper ill executed was censured by a shoemaker who happened to stop in his way at the Venus of Apelles.
Page 17 - The works of fiction with which the present generation seems more particularly delighted are such as exhibit life in its true state, diversified only by accidents that daily happen in the world, and influenced by passions and qualities which are really to be found in conversing with mankind.
Page 18 - The task of our present writers is very different; it requires, together with that learning which is to be gained from books, that experience which can never be attained by solitary diligence, but must arise from general converse, and accurate observation of the living world.
Page 19 - For this reason these familiar histories may perhaps be made of greater use than the solemnities of professed morality, and convey the knowledge of vice and virtue with more efficacy than axioms and definitions.
Page 259 - ... never arrives. He lies down delighted with the thoughts of to-morrow, pleases his ambition with the fame he shall acquire, or his benevolence with the good he shall confer. But in the night the skies...
Page 238 - Providence diffused such innumerable objects of delight but that all might rejoice in the privilege of existence, and be filled with gratitude to the beneficent author of it? Thus to enjoy the blessings he has sent is virtue and obedience; and to reject them merely as means of pleasure is pitiable ignorance or absurd perverseness.
Page 22 - In narratives where historical veracity has no place, I cannot discover why there should not be exhibited the most perfect idea of virtue ; of virtue not angelical, nor above probability, for what we cannot credit, we shall never imitate, but the highest and purest that humanity can reach...