WorldT. and J. Allman, 1823 - English essays |
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admirer agreeable appearance attend bagnio called cards character companion confess conversation cribbage daugh daughter death discovered door double entendre dress endeavour entertaining fashion father favour Fitz-Adam fortune Game of Happiness genteel gentleman give gout hand Harry mounted honour hope humble servant husband journeymen tailors Julius Cæsar Jupiter laughed labouring lady late least lence letter live look LOVEBOX mankind manner marriage married means ments mind nature neral ness never obliged observed occasion pains paper passion Penthesilea perly persons physician play pleased pleasure polite poor post-chaise postillion present pride proper Ptolemy racter rat-catcher readers reason sentiments shew Sir Harry soon spirit sure Tatlers Telethusa tell thing thought THURSDAY tion told town truth vice virtue vocation whist whole wife woman word XXIX young
Popular passages
Page 243 - But let concealment like a worm i' th' bud Feed on her damask cheek: she pin'd in thought, And with a green and yellow melancholy, She sat like Patience on a Monument, Smiling at grief.
Page 207 - ... check rather expose themselves to a momentary ridicule (which, by the way, would be followed by universal applause), than run the least risk of being irreparably mischievous. I know it is said in their behalf, that this impulse to wrath is constitutionally so sudden and so strong that they cannot stifle it, even in its birth; but experience shows us, that this allegation is notoriously false; for we daily observe that these stormy persons both can and do lay those gusts of passion, when awed...
Page 210 - There is another very irascible sort of human animals, whose madness proceeds from pride. These are generally the people, who, having just fortunes sufficient to live idle and useless to society, create themselves gentlemen, and are scrupulously tender of the rank and dignity which they have not. They require the more respect, from being conscious that they have no right to any. They construe everything into a slight, ask explanations with heat, and misunderstand them with fury.
Page 3 - ... they are fit only to be inhabitants of Lubberland, where, as the child's geography informs us, men lie upon their backs with their mouths open, and it rains fat pigs, ready roafted.
Page 171 - I take it for granted that the most sensible and informed part of mankind, I mean people of fashion, pursue singly their own interests and pleasures ; that they desire, as far as possible, to enjoy them exclusively, and to avail themselves of the simplicity, the ignorance, and the prejudices of the vulgar, who have neither the same strength of mind, nor the same advantages of education. Now it is certain that nothing would more contribute to that desirable end, than a strict observance of this decorum,...
Page 174 - I will admit that a fine woman of a certain rank, cannot have too many real vices ; but, at the same time. I do insist upon it, that it is essentially her interest, not to have the appearance of any one. This decorum, I confess, will conceal her conquests, and prevent her triumphs ; but, on the other hand, if she will be pleased to reflect that those conquests are known, sooner or later, always to end in her total defeat, she will not upon an average find herself a loser. There are indeed some husbands...
Page 276 - The good old gentleman would have proceeded, but his speech failed him again, and he lay as if expiring for two whole hours ; during which interval, as I had no time to spare, and as all I had heard was then fresh in my memory, I sat myself down to fulfil the promise I had made. When I had written thus far, he again attempted to speak to me, but could not.
Page 113 - MC No. 178. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1756. NOT long since, I met at St. James's coffee-house an old acquaintance of mine, sir Harry Prigg ; who having been long rusticated, and much altered, I should never have recollected, had it not been for the information of a fine old coat, in which I remembered him to have made a figure about town many years ago. After the...
Page 3 - ... that all business should be neglected, than to enforce the performance of it ; and to give up all authority, rather than take the pains to support it ; from whence it happens, that in great and noble families, where the domestics are very numerous, they will not so much as wait upon themselves ; and was it not for the friendly assistance of char-women, porters, chairmen, and shoe-blacks procured by a generous distribution of coals, candles, and provisions, the common offices of life could never...
Page 208 - Menagiana, a very pretty story of one of these angry gentlemen, which sets their extravagancy in a very ridiculous light. Two gentlemen were riding together, one of whom, who was a choleric one, happened to be mounted on a high-mettled horse. The horse grew a little troublesome, at which the rider grew very angry, and whipped and spurred him with great fury ; to which the horse, almost as wrong-headed as his master, replied with kicking and plunging.