The Letters of the British Spy |
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Page 20
... ocean , from which it has gradually emerged . But that this emersion is , even comparatively speaking , of recent date , cannot be admitted ; unless the com- parison be made with the creation of the earth ; and even then , in order to ...
... ocean , from which it has gradually emerged . But that this emersion is , even comparatively speaking , of recent date , cannot be admitted ; unless the com- parison be made with the creation of the earth ; and even then , in order to ...
Page 24
... ocean . The whole phenomenon bore the clearest evidence that the animal had pe- " The last lava we crossed , before our arrival there [ Jaci Reale ] is of vast extent . I thought we never should have had done with it : it certainly is ...
... ocean . The whole phenomenon bore the clearest evidence that the animal had pe- " The last lava we crossed , before our arrival there [ Jaci Reale ] is of vast extent . I thought we never should have had done with it : it certainly is ...
Page 25
William Wirt. rished in its native element ; and as the ocean is the nearest resort of the whale , it follows that the ocean must once have covered the country , at least as high up as Williams- burg . ving reached the sea before their ...
William Wirt. rished in its native element ; and as the ocean is the nearest resort of the whale , it follows that the ocean must once have covered the country , at least as high up as Williams- burg . ving reached the sea before their ...
Page 30
... ocean ? From this place , for eighty miles to the west- ward , the ascent of the country is very gra- dual ; to and even up the Blue Ridge , marine shells and other phenomena are found , which demonstrate that that country too , has ...
... ocean ? From this place , for eighty miles to the west- ward , the ascent of the country is very gra- dual ; to and even up the Blue Ridge , marine shells and other phenomena are found , which demonstrate that that country too , has ...
Page 32
... ocean , drawn from east to west , against the revolving earth , contribute to aid the process , and hasten the alluvion . But admit- ting the Abbé Raynal's idea , that America is a far younger country than either of the other continents ...
... ocean , drawn from east to west , against the revolving earth , contribute to aid the process , and hasten the alluvion . But admit- ting the Abbé Raynal's idea , that America is a far younger country than either of the other continents ...
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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.