The Letters of the British Spy |
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Page 4
... genius . To those who would inculcate the degrading doctrine , that this is the country " Where Genius sickens , and where Fancy dies , " " " * we would offer the letters of the British Spy as an unquestionable evidence that America is ...
... genius . To those who would inculcate the degrading doctrine , that this is the country " Where Genius sickens , and where Fancy dies , " " " * we would offer the letters of the British Spy as an unquestionable evidence that America is ...
Page 12
... genius , without one adventitious beam of science , without any of those traits of soft benevolence which are so universally captivating , I found his mind dark and benighted , his manners , bold , forward and assuming , and his whole ...
... genius , without one adventitious beam of science , without any of those traits of soft benevolence which are so universally captivating , I found his mind dark and benighted , his manners , bold , forward and assuming , and his whole ...
Page 62
... genius , which was otherwise brave and confident , was , in the presence of Octavianus Cæsar , poor and cowardly therefore he advised him to absent himself as much as he could and remove far from him . It turned out , however , that ...
... genius , which was otherwise brave and confident , was , in the presence of Octavianus Cæsar , poor and cowardly therefore he advised him to absent himself as much as he could and remove far from him . It turned out , however , that ...
Page 65
... genius have been infused . I am acquainted with a gentleman who never sits down to a composition , wherein he wishes to shine , without previously reading , with in- tense application , half a dozen pages of his favourite Bolingbroke ...
... genius have been infused . I am acquainted with a gentleman who never sits down to a composition , wherein he wishes to shine , without previously reading , with in- tense application , half a dozen pages of his favourite Bolingbroke ...
Page 66
... genius only , he may receive their quali- ties by subtile transmission , and eventually , get the eye , the ardour and the enterprise of an eagle . But whither am I wandering ? Permit me to return . Admitting the correctness of the ...
... genius only , he may receive their quali- ties by subtile transmission , and eventually , get the eye , the ardour and the enterprise of an eagle . But whither am I wandering ? Permit me to return . Admitting the correctness of the ...
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Common terms and phrases
Adieu alluvion America appearance argument astonishing Atlantick audience beautiful believe Blue Ridge British Spy Briton Buffon cause censure certainly character classick clear continent curious dear deism Demosthenes doubt earth east eastern coast effect eleva elevation eloquence ergy errour eyes fancy feelings fluid force furnish genius gentleman give glass house hearers heart heaven honour human Indians Inquirer intirely James river judgment lava letters light look lord Verulam manner ment miles mind motion mountains native nature neral never observed ocean once orator passion perpetual person Pliny the younger Pocahuntas polite present principles produced reason remarks republick Richmond river sand shore solid soul South America speaker spirit stratum style sublime superiour suppose surface tain talents taste theory thing thought tides tion town truth ture universal genius Virginia voice western whole WIRT NBV writer
Popular passages
Page 176 - Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayed, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.
Page 134 - I had thought it exhausted long ago. Little did I suppose that in the wild woods of America I was to meet with a man whose eloquence would give to this topic a new and more sublime pathos than I had ever before witnessed. "As he descended from the pulpit to distribute the mystic symbols...
Page 137 - ... be able to let his audience down from the height to which he had wound them, without impairing the solemnity and dignity of his subject, or perhaps shocking them by the abruptness of the fall. But, no ; the descent was as beautiful and sublime as the elevation had been rapid and enthusiastic. The first sentence with which he broke the awful silence was a quotation from Rousseau, "Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God.
Page 176 - Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Some village Hampden that with dauntless breast The little tyrant of his fields withstood; Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood. Th...
Page 137 - ... of portentous, deathlike silence which reigned throughout the house ; the preacher removing his white handkerchief from his aged face, (even yet wet from the recent torrent of his tears) , and slowly stretching forth the palsied hand which holds it, begins the sentence, "Socrates died like a philosopher...
Page 150 - This grew speedily to an excess; for men began to hunt more after words than matter; and more after the choiceness of the phrase, and the round and clean composition of the sentence, and the sweet falling of the clauses, and the varying and illustration of their works with tropes and figures, than after the weight of matter, w•orth of subject, soundness of argument, life of invention, or depth of judgment.
Page 138 - Socrates died like a philosopher," — then pausing, raising his other hand, pressing them both clasped together with warmth and energy to his breast, lifting his "sightless balls" to heaven, and pouring his whole soul into his tremulous voice, " but Jesus Christ — like a God...
Page 109 - This extraordinary man, without the aid of fancy, without the advantages of person, voice, attitude, gesture, or any of the ornaments of an orator, deserves to be considered as one of the most eloquent men in the world — if eloquence may be said to consist in the power of seizing the attention with irresistible force, and never permitting it to elude the grasp, until the hearer has received the conviction which the speaker intends.
Page 121 - Heaven, and glances at that divinely consoling proclamation, " come unto me, all ye, who are weary and " heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Page 135 - His peculiar phrases had that force of description that the original scene appeared to be, at that moment, acting before our eyes. We saw the very faces of the Jews; the staring, frightful distortions of malice and rage. We saw the buffet: my soul kindled with a flame of indignation; and my hands were involuntarily and convulsively clinched.