An Abridgment of Lectures on Rhetoric |
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Page 9
... expression , but barren or erroneous in sentiment . Oratory , it is true , has often been disgraced by attempts to establish a false criterion of its value . Writers have endea- voured to supply want of matter by graces of composition ...
... expression , but barren or erroneous in sentiment . Oratory , it is true , has often been disgraced by attempts to establish a false criterion of its value . Writers have endea- voured to supply want of matter by graces of composition ...
Page 27
... expression . It will easily appear , why a defect either in conciseness or simplicity is pe- culiarly hurtful to the sublime . The emotion excit- ed in the mind by some great or noble object , raises it considerably above its common ...
... expression . It will easily appear , why a defect either in conciseness or simplicity is pe- culiarly hurtful to the sublime . The emotion excit- ed in the mind by some great or noble object , raises it considerably above its common ...
Page 30
... expression , by rising above what is customary or vulgar , constitutes the sublime ; yet nothing is in reality more false . In genuine instances of sublime writing , nothing of this kind appears . " God said , let there be light ; and ...
... expression , by rising above what is customary or vulgar , constitutes the sublime ; yet nothing is in reality more false . In genuine instances of sublime writing , nothing of this kind appears . " God said , let there be light ; and ...
Page 34
... expression , which it conveys , of the qualities of the mind , of good sense , of good humour , of candour , benevolence , sen- sibility , or other amiable dispositions . It may be ob- served , that there are certain qualities of the ...
... expression , which it conveys , of the qualities of the mind , of good sense , of good humour , of candour , benevolence , sen- sibility , or other amiable dispositions . It may be ob- served , that there are certain qualities of the ...
Page 41
... expression . Interjections , it has been shown , or passionate ex- clamations , were the elements of speech . Men la- boured to communicate their feelings to each other by those expressive cries and gestures , which nature taught them ...
... expression . Interjections , it has been shown , or passionate ex- clamations , were the elements of speech . Men la- boured to communicate their feelings to each other by those expressive cries and gestures , which nature taught them ...
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abounds action admit Æneid agreeable ancient appear arguments attention beauty blank verse characters Cicero circumstances comedy composition concise critics degree Demosthenes dignity discourse distinction distinguished effect elegant eloquence emotion employed English English language epic poem epic poetry excel exhibit expression fancy fault figure founded French frequently genius Give an example grace Greek Greek tragedy guage hearers Hence Homer human ideas Iliad imagination imitation instance introduced invention kind language Livy Lusiad manner metaphor Milton mind modern moral motion narration nature never nouns objects observed orator ornament painting Paradise Lost passion pastoral pastoral poetry pathetic pause peculiar perspicuity Pharsalia pleasing pleasures poet poetical proper propriety public speaking racter render requisite rule scene sense sentence sentiments simplicity sound speaker species speech spirit strength strong style sublime syllable Tacitus taste tence thing thought Thucydides tion tragedy unity variety verb verse Virgil voice words writing
Popular passages
Page 111 - We cannot indeed have a single image in the fancy that did not make its first entrance through the sight; but we have the power of retaining, altering, and compounding those images which we have once received, into all the varieties of picture and vision...
Page 88 - Me miserable ! which way shall I fly Infinite wrath, and infinite despair? Which way I fly is Hell; myself am Hell; And, in the lowest deep, a lower deep Still threatening to devour me opens wide, To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven.
Page 74 - I shall detain you no longer in the demonstration of what we should not do, but straight conduct you to a hill-side, where I will point you out the right path of a virtuous and noble education; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect and melodious sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming.
Page 25 - That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, And shall perform all my pleasure ; Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built ; And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Page 151 - Before all temples the upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first Wast present, and, with mighty wings outspread, Dove-like, sat'st brooding on the vast abyss, And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark Illumine; what is low, raise and support...
Page 90 - Earth felt the wound, and Nature, from her seat Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe, That all was lost.
Page 25 - He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Page 110 - Our sight is the most perfect and most delightful of all our senses. It fills the mind with the largest variety of ideas, converses with its objects at the greatest distance, and continues the longest in action without being tired or satiated with its proper enjoyments. The sense of feeling can indeed give us a notion of extension, shape, and all other ideas that enter at the eye, except colours ; but at the same time it is very much straitened and confined in its operations to the number, bulk,...
Page 186 - O SING unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Page 115 - A man should endeavour, therefore, to make the sphere of his innocent pleasures as wide as possible, that he may retire into them with safety, and find in them such a satisfaction as a wise man would not blush to take.