Microcosm. General index |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 5
Page viii
On proverbial expressions , and commonly received opinions — The progress of
national refinement considered as analogous to the improvement of personal
taste - Ideas of the existence of : No . Countries unknown _ Milton ' s opinion that
...
On proverbial expressions , and commonly received opinions — The progress of
national refinement considered as analogous to the improvement of personal
taste - Ideas of the existence of : No . Countries unknown _ Milton ' s opinion that
...
Page 129
Censure will not be restrained by the fear of giving offence ; nor praise allured ,
by the hopes of conciliating affection . Should he therefore taķe advantage of his
supposed absence , to discover the true opinions of others with regard to himself
...
Censure will not be restrained by the fear of giving offence ; nor praise allured ,
by the hopes of conciliating affection . Should he therefore taķe advantage of his
supposed absence , to discover the true opinions of others with regard to himself
...
Page 130
out the opinion others may entertain of him ; which when discovered , is generally
the cause of not a little mortification ... to canvas his faults ; and by a
remembrance of the dishonest artifice by which he obtained a knowledge of their
opinions .
out the opinion others may entertain of him ; which when discovered , is generally
the cause of not a little mortification ... to canvas his faults ; and by a
remembrance of the dishonest artifice by which he obtained a knowledge of their
opinions .
Page 161
To this end , Mr . Griffin , I shall not appeal to the candour of my readers , but shall
provoke their judgment ; I shall not solicit their indulgence , but by the force of
demonstration will claim their assent , to my opinion . • Poetry , Sir , is universally
...
To this end , Mr . Griffin , I shall not appeal to the candour of my readers , but shall
provoke their judgment ; I shall not solicit their indulgence , but by the force of
demonstration will claim their assent , to my opinion . • Poetry , Sir , is universally
...
Page 184
Unprejudiced ignorance is always diffident ; and to this cause are to be attributed
the credulity of childhood , and that readiness with which a barbarous age
receives the opinions of a superior genius . A mind too ignorant or too indolent for
...
Unprejudiced ignorance is always diffident ; and to this cause are to be attributed
the credulity of childhood , and that readiness with which a barbarous age
receives the opinions of a superior genius . A mind too ignorant or too indolent for
...
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Common terms and phrases
abilities actions admiration ambition appearance attempt attention called cause character claim common consequences consider course criticism desire distinguished doubt effect entirely equally excellence existence expression favour feel former frequently genius give glory Griffin ground hand heart hero honour hope human idea imitation immediately instance kind knowledge known labours language laws learning least less letter liberty light lines lived look mankind manners means ment merit mind MONDAY moral nature never object observation once opinion original passions perhaps period person pleasing poem poet poetry political possessed present principle probably proceed produced prove readers reason received reflect remain respect Roman seems short similar superior suppose taste tell thing thought tion true universal virtue whole wish writers
Popular passages
Page 249 - What he attempted, he performed ; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetic ; he is never rapid, and he never stagnates. His sentences have neither studied amplitude, nor affected brevity ; his periods, though not diligently rounded, are voluble and easy. Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison, HUGHES.
Page 249 - His prose is the model of the middle style ; on grave subjects not formal, on light occasions not grovelling ; pure without scrupulosity, and exact without apparent elaboration ; always equable and always easy, without glowing words or pointed sentences.
Page 169 - Let others better mould the running mass Of metals, and inform the breathing brass, And soften into flesh, a marble face ; Plead better at the bar ; describe the skies, And when the stars descend, and when they rise.
Page 85 - All on a summer's day." I cannot leave this line without remarking that one of the Scribleri, a descendant of the famous Martinus, has expressed his suspicions of the text being corrupted here, and proposes instead of " all on " reading " alone ", alleging, in favour of this alteration, the effect of solitude in raising the passions.
Page 184 - Yet all these were, when no man did them know; Yet have from wisest ages hidden beene: And later times things more unknowne shall show. Why then should witlesse man so much misweene That nothing is, but that which he hath scene?
Page 135 - With dust dishonour'd, and deform'd with gore. As the young olive, in some sylvan scene, Crown'd by fresh fountains with eternal green, Lifts the gay head, in snowy flowrets fair, And plays and dances to the gentle air; When lo ! a whirlwind from high heaven invades The tender plant, and...
Page 68 - I saw them under a green mantling vine That crawls along the side of yon small hill, Plucking ripe clusters from the tender shoots ; Their port was more than human, as they stood : I took it for a...
Page 81 - I too am not entirely destitute of abilities of this kind ; but that by possessing a decent share of critical discernment, and critical jargon, I am capable of becoming a very tolerable commentator. For the proof of which, I shall rather prefer calling the attention of my readers to an object, as yet untreated of by any of my immediate predecessors, than venture to throw in my observations on any work which has before passed the ordeal of frequent examination. And this I shall do for two reasons...
Page 81 - I to take occasion to shew that I too am not entirely destitute of abilities of this kind; but that by possessing a decent share of critical discernment, and critical jargon, I am capable of becoming a very tolerable commentator. For the proof of which, I shall rather prefer calling the attention of my readers to an ob°ject, as yet untreated of by any of my immediate...
Page 91 - Thus have I industriously gone through the several parts of this wonderful work ; and clearly proved it, in .every one of these parts, and in .all of them together, to be a due and proper epic poem ; and to have as good a right to that title, from its adherence to prescribed rules, as any of the celebrated master-pieces of antiquity. And here I cannot help again lamenting, that by not knowing the name of the author, I am unable to twine...
Bibliographic information
| Title | Microcosm. General index Volume 45 of The British Essayists: With Prefaces, Historical and Critical, Lionel Thomas Berguer |
| Author | Lionel Thomas Berguer |
| Publisher | T. and J. Allman, 1823 |
| Original from | the New York Public Library |
| Digitized | 5 Mar 2007 |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |