The Letters of the British Spy |
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Page 7
... truth is , that I had suspended writing until a more intimate acquaintance with the people and their country should furnish me with the ma- terials for a correspondence . Having now collected those materials , the apology ceases , and ...
... truth is , that I had suspended writing until a more intimate acquaintance with the people and their country should furnish me with the ma- terials for a correspondence . Having now collected those materials , the apology ceases , and ...
Page 44
... truth , not novelty and fash- ion . In the progress of science , many principles , in my opinion , have been dropped to make way for others , which are newer but less true . And among them Mr. Buffon's theory of the earth . The effect ...
... truth , not novelty and fash- ion . In the progress of science , many principles , in my opinion , have been dropped to make way for others , which are newer but less true . And among them Mr. Buffon's theory of the earth . The effect ...
Page 45
... truth him- self , may have dropped a hint , an accidental clew , which may serve to lead others to the door of the temple . In this spirit , I not only excuse , but am grateful even for , the wildest of Dr. Darwin's philosophical ...
... truth him- self , may have dropped a hint , an accidental clew , which may serve to lead others to the door of the temple . In this spirit , I not only excuse , but am grateful even for , the wildest of Dr. Darwin's philosophical ...
Page 54
... truth is , my dear S ..... that this scarcity of genuine and sublime eloquence , is not confined to the United States : in- stances of it in any civilized country have always been rare indeed . Mr. Blair is cer- tainly correct in the ...
... truth is , my dear S ..... that this scarcity of genuine and sublime eloquence , is not confined to the United States : in- stances of it in any civilized country have always been rare indeed . Mr. Blair is cer- tainly correct in the ...
Page 58
... truth is little more than a tissue of rhapsodies , assailing the ear indeed , with pleasant sounds , but leaving few clear and useful traces on the mind . Plutarch speaks of his person as all grace , his voice as perfect musick , his ...
... truth is little more than a tissue of rhapsodies , assailing the ear indeed , with pleasant sounds , but leaving few clear and useful traces on the mind . Plutarch speaks of his person as all grace , his voice as perfect musick , his ...
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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.