The Letters of the British Spy |
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Page 7
... land of free- men , a land of equal liberty and equal rights .... Whether this debasing sense of inferiority which I have mentioned , is a remnant of their colonial character , or whether it be that it is natural for poverty and ...
... land of free- men , a land of equal liberty and equal rights .... Whether this debasing sense of inferiority which I have mentioned , is a remnant of their colonial character , or whether it be that it is natural for poverty and ...
Page 9
... land hereabout was owned by Col. William Byrd .... this gentleman ,, with the former proprietor of the land at the head of tide water on Appomattox river , was appoint . ( .9 )
... land hereabout was owned by Col. William Byrd .... this gentleman ,, with the former proprietor of the land at the head of tide water on Appomattox river , was appoint . ( .9 )
Page 16
... land of any use to the proprietors . " It is curious to consider , that the surface of this black and barren matter , in process of time , becomes one of the most fertile soils upon earth : But what must be the time to bring it to it's ...
... land of any use to the proprietors . " It is curious to consider , that the surface of this black and barren matter , in process of time , becomes one of the most fertile soils upon earth : But what must be the time to bring it to it's ...
Page 18
... land here , was then , inundated ; and as there is no ground between this and the Atlantic , higher than that on which Richmond is built , it seems to me indispu- tably certain , that the whole of this beautiful country was once covered ...
... land here , was then , inundated ; and as there is no ground between this and the Atlantic , higher than that on which Richmond is built , it seems to me indispu- tably certain , that the whole of this beautiful country was once covered ...
Page 31
... lands may emerge in the neighborhood of the Antarctic circle , which by progressive accumulations and a consequent in- crease of weight , may keep a juster balance be- tween the poles , and produce a material differ- ence in our ...
... lands may emerge in the neighborhood of the Antarctic circle , which by progressive accumulations and a consequent in- crease of weight , may keep a juster balance be- tween the poles , and produce a material differ- ence in our ...
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Common terms and phrases
Adieu alluvion America argument astonishing beautiful believe Blue Ridge British Spy Buffon cause censure certainly character Chieved clear continent curious dear deism Demosthenes deserves doubt earth east eastern effect elevation eloquence emersion Enquirer enterprize eyes fancy feelings fluid force furnish genius gentleman give Great-Britain hearers heart Heaven human hypothesis Indians James River judgment lava letters light literary look Lord Verulam manner ment miles mind motion mountains native nature never ocean once opinion orator Pacific Ocean passion perhaps perpetual person Pliny the younger political present principles produced reason remarks Richmond river sail of comfort scite shore solid soul South America speaker spirit style sublime superior suppose surface tains talents theory ther thing thor thought tides tion tomb stone town truth Virginia voice western coast whole Williamsburg wonder writer Zoilus
Popular passages
Page 105 - Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Some village Hampden that with dauntless breast The little tyrant of his fields withstood; Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood. Th...
Page 105 - Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire ; Hands that the rod of empire might have sway'd, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.
Page 84 - Socrates died like a philosopher" — then pausing, raising his other hand, pressing them both clasped together, with warmth and energy to his breast, lifting his " sightless balls" to heaven, and pouring his whole soul into his tremulous voice — " but Jesus Christ — like a God...
Page 83 - The first sentence with which he broke the awful silence was a quotation from Rousseau : — " Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ, like a God !" I despair of giving you any idea of the effect produced by this short sentence, unless you could perfectly conceive the whole manner of the man, as well as the peculiar crisis in the discourse. Never before did I completely understand what Demosthenes meant by laying such stress on delivery.
Page 81 - Devotion alone should have stopped me, to join in the duties of the congregation; but I must confess that curiosity to hear the preacher of such a wilderness was not the least of my motives.
Page 83 - ... very uneasy for the situation of the preacher. For I could not conceive how he would be able to let his audience down from the height to which he had wound them, without impairing the solemnity and dignity of his subject, or perhaps shocking them by the abruptness of the fall.
Page 86 - On a rock, whose haughty brow, Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood, Robed in the sable garb of woe, With haggard eyes the Poet stood ; (Loose his beard, and hoary hair Streamed, like a meteor, to the troubled air) And with a Master's hand, and Prophet's fire, Struck the deep sorrows of his lyre.
Page 76 - ... a venerable old man, a Nestor, or an Ossian, who has witnessed and survived the ravages of successive generations, the companions of his youth and of his maturity, and now mourns his own solitary and desolate condition, and hails their spirits in every passing cloud ? Whatever may be the cause, as I look at it I feel my soul drawn forward, as by the cords of gentlest sympathy, and involuntarily open my lips to offer consolation to the drooping pile.
Page 82 - His peculiar phrases had that force of description, that the original scene appeared to be at that moment acting before our eyes. We saw the very faces of the Jews; the staring, frightful distortions of malice and rage. We saw the buffet; my soul kindled with a flame of indignation; and my hands were involuntarily and convulsively clenched.
Page 82 - He then drew a picture of the sufferings of our Saviour; his trial before Pilate; his ascent up Calvary; his crucifixion and his death. I knew the whole history; but never until then had I heard the circumstances so selected, so arranged, so colored. It was all new, and I seemed to have heard it for the first time in my life.