Things Not Generally Known: a Popular Handbook of Facts Not Readily Accessible in Literature, History, and ScienceDavid Ames Wells |
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Page 9
... say , are Latin and Greek Latin , however , has the larger share . It will thus be seen that the Anglo - Saxon , even if we look at the mere number of words , has contributed our principal source of strength . Sharon Turner , from our ...
... say , are Latin and Greek Latin , however , has the larger share . It will thus be seen that the Anglo - Saxon , even if we look at the mere number of words , has contributed our principal source of strength . Sharon Turner , from our ...
Page 12
... says : " The most ancient sort of charta ( or paper ) was of the inner bark of tree , called liber in Latin , whence a book had the name of liber ; but very little of this sort is now in being . " Hence the term leaf was first applied ...
... says : " The most ancient sort of charta ( or paper ) was of the inner bark of tree , called liber in Latin , whence a book had the name of liber ; but very little of this sort is now in being . " Hence the term leaf was first applied ...
Page 13
... says he , there are Scriptoria not only in the monasteries but in other places , in which are conceived books equal to the divine works of the philosophers . The Scriptorium of the monastery in which the general business of a literary ...
... says he , there are Scriptoria not only in the monasteries but in other places , in which are conceived books equal to the divine works of the philosophers . The Scriptorium of the monastery in which the general business of a literary ...
Page 15
... say that the Bible was a common book among them , or that every monk possessed one - far different indeed was the case ; a copy of the Old and New Testament often supplied the wants of an entire monastery , and in others , only LANGUAGE ...
... say that the Bible was a common book among them , or that every monk possessed one - far different indeed was the case ; a copy of the Old and New Testament often supplied the wants of an entire monastery , and in others , only LANGUAGE ...
Page 16
... says Astle , " the poor librarii , or common scrip- tores , of great part of their business , so that they found it difficult to gain a subsistence for themselves and their families . This put them about finding out more expeditious ...
... says Astle , " the poor librarii , or common scrip- tores , of great part of their business , so that they found it difficult to gain a subsistence for themselves and their families . This put them about finding out more expeditious ...
Common terms and phrases
acid ancient animal appear Atlantic Atlantic Ocean atmosphere average bed of justice blue body bushel called carbonic carbonic acid cause cent centre century church color common contains court cubic death depth derived diameter distance earth effect England English English language fact fathoms feet fire France French Girondists glacier glass Greek Gregorian Calendar Gulf Stream half heat hence Henry horse hour Hudibras hundred inches increase iron Jacobin Club John Herschel Justinian king known Latin less light London Lord Louis XIV matter means miles minute mistletoe moon motion nearly observed ocean origin Papal tiara pass period persons plant pounds present probably produced quantity reign Roman round Saxon says Scotland Scriptoria side square star supposed surface temperature term tion velocity vessels waves weight wind word yards yellow
Popular passages
Page 58 - In the midst of this sublime and terrible storm, Dame Partington, who lived upon the beach, was seen at the door of her house with mop and pattens, trundling her mop, squeezing out the sea-water, and vigorously pushing away the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic was roused, Mrs. Partington's spirit was up; but I need not tell you that the contest was unequal. The Atlantic Ocean beat Mrs. Partington. She was excellent at a slop or a puddle, but she should not have meddled with a tempest.
Page 112 - Majesty, or to any person marrying a second time, whose husband or wife shall have been continually absent from such person for the space of seven years then last past, and shall not have been knownby such person to be living within that time...
Page 58 - Sidmouth, and of the conduct of the excellent Mrs. Partington on that occasion. In the winter of 1824, there set in a great flood upon that town ; the tide rose to an incredible height ; the waves rushed in upon the houses, and everything was threatened with destruction.
Page 266 - Swallows follow the flies and gnats, and flies and gnats usually delight in warm strata of air; and as warm air is lighter, and usually moister than cold air, when the warm strata of air are high, there is less chance of moisture being thrown down from them by the mixture with cold air; but when the warm and moist air is close to the surface, it is almost certain that, as the cold air flows down into it, a deposition of water will take place.
Page 116 - The True History of the State Prisoner, commonly called the Iron Mask...
Page 25 - On the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, as manifested in the Creation ; illustrating such work by all reasonable arguments ; as for instance the variety and formation of God's creatures in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms ; the effect of digestion, and thereby of conversion ; the construction of the hand of man, and an infinite variety of...
Page 55 - The southwest counties of Scotland have seldom corn enough to serve them round the year; and the northern parts producing more than they need, those in the west come in the summer to buy at Leith the stores that come from the north; and from a word, whiggam, used in driving their horses, all that drove were called the whiggamors, and shorter the whiggs.
Page 154 - Clive — but these are warriors, and perhaps you may think there are greater things than war — I do not : I worship the Lord of Hosts. But take the most illustrious achievements of civil prudence. Innocent III., the greatest of the popes, was the despot of Christendom at thirty-seven. John de Medici was a cardinal at fifteen, and, Guicciardini tells us, baffled with his statecraft Ferdinand of Arragon himself.
Page 153 - Lepanto at twentyfive — the greatest battle of modern time ; had it not been for the jealousy of Philip, the next year he would have been Emperor of Mauritania. Gaston de Foix was only twenty-two when he stood a victor on the plain of Ravenna. Every one remembers Conde
Page 78 - Hobson kept a stable of forty good cattle, always ready and fit for travelling ; but when a man came for a horse, he was led into the stable, where there was great choice, but he obliged him to take the horse which stood next to the stable door ; so that every customer was alike well served according to his chance ; and every horse ridden with the same justice ; from whence it became a proverb when what ought to be your election was forced upon you, to say, Hobson's choice.