The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., Volume 1Macmillan, 1922 |
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Page xiv
... hope for the countenance of that venerable gentleman to this Work , will appear from what he wrote to me upon a former occasion from Oxford , November 17 , 1785 : - " Dear Sir , I hazard this letter , not knowing where it will find you ...
... hope for the countenance of that venerable gentleman to this Work , will appear from what he wrote to me upon a former occasion from Oxford , November 17 , 1785 : - " Dear Sir , I hazard this letter , not knowing where it will find you ...
Page 7
... hope for impartiality , but must expect little intelligence ; for the incidents which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanescent kind , such as soon escape the memory , and are rarely transmitted by tradition . We ...
... hope for impartiality , but must expect little intelligence ; for the incidents which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanescent kind , such as soon escape the memory , and are rarely transmitted by tradition . We ...
Page 14
... hope . " This is so beautifully imagined , that I would not suppress it . But , like many other theories , it is deduced from a supposed fact , which is , indeed , a fiction . B. HIS DEFECTIVE SIGHT 1 15 that of the other . 14 BOSWELL'S ...
... hope . " This is so beautifully imagined , that I would not suppress it . But , like many other theories , it is deduced from a supposed fact , which is , indeed , a fiction . B. HIS DEFECTIVE SIGHT 1 15 that of the other . 14 BOSWELL'S ...
Page 43
... hope for out of my father's effects , previous to the death of my mother ; an event which I pray God may be very remote . I now therefore see that I must make my own fortune . Meanwhile let me take care that the powers of my mind be not ...
... hope for out of my father's effects , previous to the death of my mother ; an event which I pray God may be very remote . I now therefore see that I must make my own fortune . Meanwhile let me take care that the powers of my mind be not ...
Page 44
... hope , that at least , my gratitude made me worthy of his notice . He was of an advanced age , and I was only not a boy , yet he never received my notions with contempt . He was a Whig , with all the virulence and malevolence of his ...
... hope , that at least , my gratitude made me worthy of his notice . He was of an advanced age , and I was only not a boy , yet he never received my notions with contempt . He was a Whig , with all the virulence and malevolence of his ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admiration afterwards appeared asked Baretti believe BENNET LANGTON Bishop bookseller BOSWELL character Colley Cibber consider conversation Croker DEAR SIR death Dictionary Dodsley edition eminent endeavour English Essay favour Francis Barber Garrick genius gentleman Gentleman's Magazine give Goldsmith happy Hebrides honour hope House of Stuart human humble servant JAMES BOSWELL Johnson kind King labour lady Langton language Latin learning letter Lichfield literary lived London Lord Chesterfield Lucy Porter mankind manner mentioned merit mind never obliged observed occasion opinion Oxford Pembroke College pleased pleasure poem poet praise published Rambler received recollect remarkable Reverend Samuel Johnson Savage Scotland Shakespeare shew Sir John Hawkins Sir Joshua Reynolds spirit suppose talk tell thing THOMAS WARTON thought Thrale tion told translation truth verses Warton wish write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 186 - 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? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it,3 till I am known, and do not want it.
Page 187 - Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less ; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation. My Lord, your lordship's most humble, most obedient servant,
Page 186 - When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment...
Page 371 - Where Angels tremble while they gaze, He saw ; but blasted with excess of light. Closed his eyes in endless night. Behold, where Dryden's less presumptuous car, Wide o'er the fields of glory bear Two coursers of ethereal race, With necks in thunder clothed, and long-resounding pace.
Page 142 - Somebody talked of happy moments for composition, and how a man can write at one time and not at another. "Nay," said Dr Johnson, "a man may write at any time if he will set himself doggedly to it.
Page 186 - ... Seven years, my Lord,' have now passed, 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. " The Shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a...
Page 191 - Sir, he was a scoundrel, and a coward : a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality ; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it off himself, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotchman to draw the trigger after his death...
Page 348 - Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind.
Page 401 - Sir, they may talk of the King as they will; but he is the finest gentleman I have ever seen.
Page 505 - Richardson used to say, that had he not known who Fielding was, he should have believed he was an ostler. Sir, there is more knowledge of the heart in one letter of Richardson's, than in all