Boswell's Life of Johnson: Including Their Tour to the Hebrides |
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Page 5
... reason whatsoever to believe that any of Dr. John- son's family were natives of Scotland . - CROKER . One of the most curious and important chapters in the history of the human mind is still to be written , that of Here- ditary Insanity ...
... reason whatsoever to believe that any of Dr. John- son's family were natives of Scotland . - CROKER . One of the most curious and important chapters in the history of the human mind is still to be written , that of Here- ditary Insanity ...
Page 15
... reason , the dis- turbance or obscuration of that faculty was the evil most to be dreaded . Insanity , there- fore , was the object of his most dismal appre- hension ; and he fancied himself seized by it , or approaching to it , at the ...
... reason , the dis- turbance or obscuration of that faculty was the evil most to be dreaded . Insanity , there- fore , was the object of his most dismal appre- hension ; and he fancied himself seized by it , or approaching to it , at the ...
Page 15
... reason for con- cealing that passage of Mr. Hector's paper quoted in p . 9 , note 1 .; but Johnson himself was not so scrupulous . He said post , Sept. 16. 1778 ) , that " he had inherited from his father a vile melancholy , which had ...
... reason for con- cealing that passage of Mr. Hector's paper quoted in p . 9 , note 1 .; but Johnson himself was not so scrupulous . He said post , Sept. 16. 1778 ) , that " he had inherited from his father a vile melancholy , which had ...
Page 25
... reason the marriage ceremony was not performed at Birmingham ; but a resolution was taken that it should be at Derby , for which place the bride and bride- groom set out on horseback , I suppose in very good humour . But though Mr ...
... reason the marriage ceremony was not performed at Birmingham ; but a resolution was taken that it should be at Derby , for which place the bride and bride- groom set out on horseback , I suppose in very good humour . But though Mr ...
Page 29
... reason the marriage ceremony was not performed at Birmingham ; but a resolution was taken that it should be at Derby , for which place the bride and bride- groom set out on horseback , I suppose in very good humour . But though Mr ...
... reason the marriage ceremony was not performed at Birmingham ; but a resolution was taken that it should be at Derby , for which place the bride and bride- groom set out on horseback , I suppose in very good humour . But though Mr ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admiration afterwards anecdote antè appears Bishop bookseller Boswell Boswell's Burney Cave CHAPTER character College conversation copy CROKER David Garrick dear Sir death Dictionary died doubt edition eminent endeavoured English Essay father favour Garrick gentleman Gentleman's Magazine happy Hector honour hope humble servant JAMES BOSWELL Johnson kind labour lady Langton Latin learned letter Lichfield literary lived London Lord Chesterfield Lord Gower Lucy Porter MALONE manner master mentioned mind Miss never notes obliged observed occasion opinion Oxford paper Paul Whitehead Pembroke Pembroke College person Piozzi pleased poem poet Pope Porter probably published Rambler recollected remarkable Reynolds Samuel Johnson Savage seems Shakspeare Sheridan Sir John Hawkins Sir Joshua Sir Joshua Reynolds style suppose thing Thomas THOMAS WARTON thought tion told translation truth verses Warton wish write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 38 - 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.
Page 281 - Stern o'er each bosom reason holds her state, With daring aims irregularly great. Pride in their port, defiance in their eye, I see the lords of...
Page 38 - 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; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a Patron which Providence has enabled me to do for myself.
Page 87 - His brown suit of clothes looked very rusty: he had on a little old shrivelled unpowdered wig, which was too small for his head ; his shirtneck and knees of his breeches were loose ; his black worsted stockings ill drawn up; and he had a pair of unbuckled shoes by way of slippers. But all these slovenly particularities were forgotten the moment that he began to talk. Some gentlemen, whom I do not recollect, were sitting with him ; and when they went away, I also rose ; but he said to me, "Nay, don't...
Page 179 - It having been observed that there was little hospitality in London ; JOHNSON. " Nay, sir, any man who has a name, or who has the power of pleasing, will be very generally invited in London. The man, Sterne, I have been told, has had engagements for three months." GOLDSMITH.
Page 269 - Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses ; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me and from my friends be such frigid philosophy, as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground •which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue. That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the...
Page 179 - For my part, I'd tell truth, and shame the devil." JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir ; but the devil will be angry. I wish to shame the devil as much as you do, but I should choose to be out of the reach of his claws.
Page 125 - Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one of the worst of men; a rascal who ought to be hunted out of society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled him; and it is a shame that he is protected in this country.
Page 139 - In comparing those two writers, he used this expression ; " that there was as great a difference between them as between a man who knew how a watch was made, and a man who could tell the hour by looking on the dial-plate.
Page xxviii - Sir, she had read the old romances, and had got into her head the fantastical notion that a woman of spirit should use her lover like a dog. So, sir, at first she told me that I rode too fast, and she could not keep up with me, and, when I rode a little slower, she passed me, and complained that I lagged behind. I was not to be made the slave of caprice; and I resolved to begin as I meant to end. I therefore pushed on briskly, till I was fairly out of her sight. The road lay between two hedges, so...