Letters on the Improvement of the Mind: Addressed to a Lady |
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Page 5
... feel the pleasures of real piety ! that prayer and thanksgiving should be performed , as they too ofteu are , not with joy , and love , and gratitude ; but , with cold indifference , melancholy dejection , or se- cret horror ! It is ...
... feel the pleasures of real piety ! that prayer and thanksgiving should be performed , as they too ofteu are , not with joy , and love , and gratitude ; but , with cold indifference , melancholy dejection , or se- cret horror ! It is ...
Page 24
... feel ? -No power of language can make the scene more touching than it appears in the plain and simple narrations of ... feels in reading this account , will be of no avail , unless applied to the true end ; -unless it inspires you with a ...
... feel ? -No power of language can make the scene more touching than it appears in the plain and simple narrations of ... feels in reading this account , will be of no avail , unless applied to the true end ; -unless it inspires you with a ...
Page 27
... feel the most earnest longings after immortality ? Do not all other views and desires seem mean and trifling , when compared with this ? And does not your inmost heart resolve that this shall be the chief and constant object of its ...
... feel the most earnest longings after immortality ? Do not all other views and desires seem mean and trifling , when compared with this ? And does not your inmost heart resolve that this shall be the chief and constant object of its ...
Page 28
... feel an active wish . to find the truth , since we know inced ; they might not prove , like sels to promote the honour of ' igion . It is not my intention into any of the arguments vity ; otherwise it would be . over that which arises ...
... feel an active wish . to find the truth , since we know inced ; they might not prove , like sels to promote the honour of ' igion . It is not my intention into any of the arguments vity ; otherwise it would be . over that which arises ...
Page 34
... feels not the least degree of kindness , in order to prevail on good - nature and gratitude to like and to com- mend him : but if , in any particular case , he fancies the airs of insolence and contempt may succeed better , he makes no ...
... feels not the least degree of kindness , in order to prevail on good - nature and gratitude to like and to com- mend him : but if , in any particular case , he fancies the airs of insolence and contempt may succeed better , he makes no ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquainted admiration advantage affection agreeable amiable amusement ancient Apocrypha appear ASSYRIAN EMPIRE attachment attention behaviour blessed book of CHRONICLES book of Kings character Christ Chro companions consider conversation dear dearest degree delicacy delight desire dignity duty endeavour engage entertainment esteem evil excellent expence Father faults feel finer feelings friendship give Greece happiness heart honour hope human important improve indulge innocent interest Israelites Jews Julius Cæsar kind knowledge least lover MACCABEES manner marriage marry mean ment mind moral nature neral ness never observe ourselves particularly passion perhaps perly person pleasure proper pursuits racter reason recommend religion render respect Roman Roman Republic sacking of Rome secret sense sensible sentiments servants shew sincere spirit superior taste temper thing tion true truth tural understanding vanity vate virtue whilst wish woman women young
Popular passages
Page 163 - I know nothing that renders a woman more despicable than her thinking it essential to happiness to be married ! Besides the gross indelicacy of the sentiment, it is a false one, as thousands of women have experienced.
Page 22 - Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them ; for this is the law and the prophets.
Page 53 - Though thou drawest a sword at a friend, yet despair not, for there may be a returning to favour; if thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not, for there may be a reconciliation ; except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound ; for, for these things every friend will depart.
Page 54 - Whoso discovereth secrets, loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind. Love thy friend, and be faithful unto him; but if thou betrayest his secrets, follow no more after him: for as a man hath destroyed his enemy, so hast thou lost the love of thy friend; as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy friend go, and...
Page 150 - I would have you to dance with spirit ; but never allow yourselves to be so far transported with mirth, as to forget the delicacy of your sex.— Many a girl, dancing in the gaiety and innocence of her heart, is thought to discover a spirit she little dreams of.
Page 73 - which has the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come.
Page 54 - ... not get him again. Follow after him no more, for he is too far off ; he is as a roe escaped out of the snare. As for a wound, it may be bound up, and after reviling there may be reconciliation ; but he that bewrayeth secrets, is without hope.
Page 94 - As to the learned languages, though I respect the abilities and application of those ladies who have attained them, and who make a modest and proper use of them, yet I would by no means advise you, or any other woman, who is not strongly impelled by a particular genius, to engage in such studies.
Page 90 - Young ladies, of nearly your own age, who visit there, fall of course to your share to entertain: but whilst you exert yourself to make their visit agreeable to them, you must not forget what is due to the elder part of the company, nor, by whispering and laughing apart, give them cause to suspect, what is too often true, that they themselves are the subjects of your mirth.
Page 163 - All this is owing to an exuberant activity of spirit, which, if it had found employment at home, would have rendered them respectable and useful members of society. I see other women, in the same situation, gentle, modest, blessed with sense, taste, delicacy, and every milder feminine virtue of the heart, but of weak spirits, bashful, and timid. I see such women sinking into obscurity and insignificance, and gradually losing every elegant accomplishment, for this evident reason, that they are not...