A History of the Earth, and Animated NatureWilliam Sprent, 1854 - 998 pages |
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... observed , indeed , that I was a little dull , but at the same time allowed that I seemed to be very goodnatured , and had no harm in me . " The only one of his relatives who did not appear to lose faith in him was his uncle Contarine ...
... observed , indeed , that I was a little dull , but at the same time allowed that I seemed to be very goodnatured , and had no harm in me . " The only one of his relatives who did not appear to lose faith in him was his uncle Contarine ...
Page 7
... observed that Goldsmith's genius flowered late ; he should have said it flowered early , but was late in bringing ... observations on the life of an author in the " Inquiry into the State of Polite Learning , " published some years ...
... observed that Goldsmith's genius flowered late ; he should have said it flowered early , but was late in bringing ... observations on the life of an author in the " Inquiry into the State of Polite Learning , " published some years ...
Page 23
... observed that he could hardly expect his friendly exertions after the unprovoked attack he had made upon his management . Goldsmith replied that he had in- dulged in no personalities , and had only spoken what he believed to be the ...
... observed that he could hardly expect his friendly exertions after the unprovoked attack he had made upon his management . Goldsmith replied that he had in- dulged in no personalities , and had only spoken what he believed to be the ...
Page 27
... observed , a vague notion that valuable discoveries were to be made there , and many useful inventions in the arts brought back to the stock of European knowledge . " Thus , in Siberian Tartary , " observes he , in one of his writings ...
... observed , a vague notion that valuable discoveries were to be made there , and many useful inventions in the arts brought back to the stock of European knowledge . " Thus , in Siberian Tartary , " observes he , in one of his writings ...
Page 29
... observed by one of his biographers , " exhibit a nicer perception or more delicate delineation of life and man- ners . Wit , humour , and sentiment pervade every page ; the vices and follies of the day are touched with the most playful ...
... observed by one of his biographers , " exhibit a nicer perception or more delicate delineation of life and man- ners . Wit , humour , and sentiment pervade every page ; the vices and follies of the day are touched with the most playful ...
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Common terms and phrases
amusement animal appear Ballymahon beautiful become beginning Bennet Langton bezoar body Boswell breed Buffon called carnivorous CHAP chiefly climate colour considered continue Countess of Northumberland Covent Garden covered creature earth elephant enemy extremely eyes feet female flesh forest former friends furnished Garrick give Goldsmith Greenland guinea hair head horns horse hyæna inches inhabitants Johnson kind known Lapland legs less lion literary live mankind manner motion mountains mouth native Nature never obliged observed OLIVER GOLDSMITH perceived poet poor prey produced proportion pursue quadrupeds quantity rabbit resembles rest rivers round savage says scarce seems seen seldom Senegal short side sidered Sir Joshua Reynolds skin sometimes soon stag substance supposed surface tail teeth tion Traveller trees usually variety vegetables Vicar of Wakefield whole wild William Filby wind young
Popular passages
Page 37 - ... which he might be extricated. He then told me that he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it and saw its merit; told the landlady I should soon return; and, having gone to a bookseller, sold it for sixty pounds. I brought Goldsmith the money, and he discharged his rent, not without rating his landlady in a high tone for having used him so ill.
Page 49 - Goldsmith's putting himself against another, is like a man laying a hundred to one who cannot spare the hundred. It is not worth a man's while. A man should not lay a hundred to one, unless he can easily spare it, though he has a hundred chances for him : he can get but a guinea, and he may lose a hundred. Goldsmith is in this state. When he contends, if he gets the better, it is a very little addition to a man of his literary reputation : if he does not get the better, he is miserably vexed.
Page 33 - ... remarkably decorous philosopher. Instead of which, down from his bedchamber, about noon, came, as newly risen, a huge uncouth figure, with a little dark wig which scarcely covered his head, and his clothes hanging loose about him. But his conversation was so rich, so animated, and so forcible, and his religious and political notions so congenial with those in which Langton had been educated, that he conceived for him that veneration and attachment which he ever preserved.
Page 49 - For instance (said he), the fable of the little fishes, who saw birds fly over their heads, and, envying them, petitioned Jupiter to be changed into birds. The skill (continued he) consists in making them talk like little fishes.
Page 67 - Robertson would be crushed with 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 whenever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike...
Page 67 - China; that a dog-butcher is as common there as any other butcher; and that when he walks abroad all the dogs fall on him. JOHNSON. That is not owing to his killing dogs, Sir. I remember a butcher at Lichfield, whom a dog that was in the house where I lived, always attacked.
Page 111 - Don't you consider, Sir, that these are not the manners of a gentleman ? I will not be baited with what and why ; what is this ? what is that ? why is a cow's tail long? why is a fox's tail bushy ?" The gentleman, who was a good deal out of countenance, said, " Why, Sir, you are so good, that I venture to trouble you.
Page 85 - England, for which I have been a good deal abused in the news-papers for betraying the liberties of the people. God knows I had no thought for or against liberty in my head ; my whole aim being to make up a book of a decent size, that, as "Squire Richard says, would do no harm to nobody.