The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Comprehending an Account of His Studies and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order; a Series of His Epistolatory Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published: the Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great-Britain, for Near Half a Century During which He Flourished, Volume 2 |
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
5 stars |
| ||
4 stars |
| ||
3 stars |
| ||
2 stars |
| ||
1 star |
|
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
LibraryThing Review
User Review - keithhamblen - LibraryThing12/22/20 I own the complete set (vol 1-54) and keep them at home on the top west shelf of my office; this includes The Great Conversation (which is volume 1) and The Great Ideas (volumes 2-3, the ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - pjskimin - LibraryThingPicked up this entire set in excellent condition at a library sponsored used book sale for $60.00. hands down one of my best finds. Read full review
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance admiration Ætat affectionate afraid afterwards appeared Ashbourne asked authour believe BENNET LANGTON booksellers BOSWELL TO DR character church compliments consider conversation Court of Session DEAR SIR dined Doctor of Medicine Dodd doubt Edinburgh edition eminent England English Erse Etat favour Garrick gentleman give glad Goldsmith happy hear heard Hebrides honour hope humble servant humour JAMES BOSWELL John Johnson judge King lady Langton language learned letter Lichfield live London Lord Bute Lord Hailes Lord Mansfield Lord Monboddo mentioned mind never obliged observed occasion opinion Percy perhaps pleased pleasure poem Poets publick reason recollect remark SAMUEL JOHNSON Scotch Scotland seemed shew Sir Joshua Sir Joshua Reynolds Streatham suppose sure talked tell thing thought Thrale tion told truth Whig Williams wish wonderful write written wrote
Popular passages
Page 426 - Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life ; for there is in London all that life can afford.
Page 166 - The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write ; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.
Page 444 - He had always been very zealous against slavery in every form, in which I with all deference thought that he discovered " a zeal without knowledge." Upon one occasion, when in company with some very grave men at Oxford, his toast was, " Here's to the next insurrection of the negroes in the West Indies.
Page 369 - tis too late to praise. If want of skill or want of care appear, Forbear to hiss; — the poet cannot hear. By all, like him, must praise and blame be found, At last a fleeting gleam, or empty sound.
Page 442 - ... dejection, so that I was ready to shed tears; and of daring resolution, so that I was inclined to rush into the thickest part of the battle. ' Sir, (said he,) I should never hear it, if it made me such a fool.
Page 316 - Many things which are false are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. One of these is the cry against the evil of luxury. Now the truth, is that luxury produces much good. Take the luxury of buildings in London.
Page 422 - WE were now treading that illustrious Island, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish, if it were possible. 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...
Page 73 - the fable of the little fishes, who saw birds fly over their heads and, envying them, petitioned Jupiter to be changed into birds. The skill," continued ht;, " consists in making them talk like little fishes.
Page 23 - But, Sir, in the British constitution it is surely of importance to keep up a spirit in the people, so as to preserve a balance against the crown." JOHNSON. "Sir, I perceive you are a vile Whig. — Why all this childish jealousy of the power of the crown? The crown has not power enough.
Page 437 - I asked whether Prior's poems were to be printed entire ; Johnson said they were. I mentioned Lord Hailes's censure of Prior, in his preface to a collection of " Sacred Poems," by various hands, published by him at Edinburgh a great many years ago, where he mentions " those impure tales which will be the eternal opprobrium of their ingenious author.