The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D: Including A Journal of His Tour to the Hebrides, Volume 1Harper & Bros., 1846 |
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Page 11
... told her the worst of me ; that I am of mean ex- traction ; that I have no money ; and that I have had an uncle hanged . ' She replied , that she valued no one more or less for his descent ; that she had no more money than myself ; and ...
... told her the worst of me ; that I am of mean ex- traction ; that I have no money ; and that I have had an uncle hanged . ' She replied , that she valued no one more or less for his descent ; that she had no more money than myself ; and ...
Page 14
... told me in his presence at Lichfield , in 1776 , by his step - daughter , Mrs. Lucy Por- ter , as related to her by his mother . When he was a child in petticoats , and had learnt to read , Mrs. Johnson one morning put the common prayer ...
... told me in his presence at Lichfield , in 1776 , by his step - daughter , Mrs. Lucy Por- ter , as related to her by his mother . When he was a child in petticoats , and had learnt to read , Mrs. Johnson one morning put the common prayer ...
Page 15
... told him that he resembled an able performer upon a bad instrument . How false and contempti- ble then are all the remarks which have been made to the prejudice either of his candour or of his philosophy , founded upon a suppo- Xsition ...
... told him that he resembled an able performer upon a bad instrument . How false and contempti- ble then are all the remarks which have been made to the prejudice either of his candour or of his philosophy , founded upon a suppo- Xsition ...
Page 16
... told me that " he was an excellent master , and that his ushers were most of them men of eminence ; that Holdbrook , one of the most ingenious men , best scholars , and best preachers of his age , was usher during the greatest part of ...
... told me that " he was an excellent master , and that his ushers were most of them men of eminence ; that Holdbrook , one of the most ingenious men , best scholars , and best preachers of his age , was usher during the greatest part of ...
Page 19
... told me ) was a very able man , but an idle man , and to me very severe ; but I cannot blame him much . I was then a big boy ; he saw I did not reverence him ; and that he should get no honour by me . I had brought enough with me , to ...
... told me ) was a very able man , but an idle man , and to me very severe ; but I cannot blame him much . I was then a big boy ; he saw I did not reverence him ; and that he should get no honour by me . I had brought enough with me , to ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance afterwards appears asked authour believe BENNET LANGTON Boswell Boswell's called Cave character church conversation dear sir Dictionary dined doubt Earl edition editor English Erse father favour Garrick gentleman Gentleman's Magazine give Goldsmith happy Hawkins heard Hebrides Highland honour hope humble servant Inchkenneth JAMES BOSWELL Johnson kind king Kingsburgh lady Langton late learned letter Lichfield literary lived London Lord Lord Chesterfield Lord Monboddo LUCY PORTER M'Queen Macleod manner ment mentioned mind Miss never night obliged observed occasion opinion Oxford Pembroke College perhaps person Piozzi pleased pleasure poem probably publick published Rambler Rasay recollect Samuel Johnson Scotland seems Shakspeare Sir John Hawkins Sir Joshua Sir Joshua Reynolds suppose sure talked tell thing thought Thrale tion told truth verses Warton wish write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 434 - Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses ; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me and from my friends be such frigid philosophy, as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue.
Page 109 - Seven years, my Lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door ; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a Patron before.
Page 109 - is recommended to the public, were written by your lordship. To be so distinguished, is an honour, which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge.
Page 109 - Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before. 'The Shepherd in Virgil, grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.
Page 123 - I have protracted my work till most of those whom I wished to please have sunk into the grave; and success and miscarriage are empty sounds. I therefore dismiss it with frigid tranquillity, having little to fear or hope from censure or from praise.
Page 109 - Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground encumbers him with help...
Page 174 - I am willing to flatter myself that I meant this as light pleasantry to soothe and conciliate him, and not as an humiliating abasement at the expense of my country. But however that might be, this speech was somewhat unlucky; for with that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable, he seized the expression 'come from Scotland...
Page 296 - The misfortune of Goldsmith in conversation is this : he goes on without knowing how he is to get off. His genius is great, but his knowledge is small. As they say of a generous man, it is a pity he is not rich, we may say of Goldsmith, it is a pity he is not knowing. He would not keep his knowledge to himself.
Page 189 - I believe, sir, you have a great many. Norway, too, has noble wild prospects; and Lapland is remarkable for prodigious noble wild prospects. But, sir, let me tell you, the noblest prospect which a Scotchman ever sees, is the high road that leads him to England !" This unexpected and pointed sally produced a roar of applause.
Page 310 - Robertson would be crushed by his own weight, — would be buried under his own ornaments. Goldsmith tells you shortly all you want to know : Robertson detains you a great deal too long. No man will read Robertson's cumbrous detail a second time ; but Goldsmith's plain narrative will please again and again. I would say to Robertson what an old tutor of a college said to one of his pupils : ' Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike...