The Microcosm: A Periodical Work

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John Smith, George Canning, John Hookham Frere, Robert Percy Smith
Published for C. Knight, 1788 - 455 pages
 

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Page 124 - That age will never again return, when a Pericles, after walking with Plato in a portico built by Phidias and painted by Apelles, might repair to hear a pleading of Demosthenes or a tragedy of Sophocles.
Page 101 - HERE are few precepts dictated like the above by judgment and experience, which, though originally confined to a particular application (as this to the formation of dramatic character) may not be adopted with success in the several branches of the same science, and even transferred into another. The direction which the poet gives us here, to preserve a regard for simplicity and uniformity, may be applied to the general design and main structure of a poem; and if we allow them a still greater latitude...
Page 186 - A multitude of circumstances, equally unforeseen and unavoidable, must concur to the formation of a language. An improvement, or corruption of manners; the reduction of a foreign enemy ; or an invasion from abroad, are circumstances that ultimately or immediately tend to produce some change in the language of a people. And even of these the most feeble agents have been found more efficacious than the joint operations of power and policy.
Page 10 - ... between the contending heroes of his little circle; or a general, the future terror of France and Spain, now the dread only of his equals, and the undisputed lord and president of the boxing-ring.
Page 217 - He was naturally of a morofe, faturnine temper, which a confiderable quantity of port, regularly difcufled after dinner for a continuance of thirty years, had not a little contributed to heighten. The ufual companion of his leifure hours was the Parifh Attorney, a fupple knave, who, as occafion ferved, could rail at the times, praife the wine, take fnuff, or ring for t'other bottle. Argument, it is natural to fuppofe, would not have beguiled many hours with fuch a duumvirate ; but the 'Squire was...
Page 126 - Yet how few of them in their maturer years fulfill thofe expectations, which the earlieft period of their life fo juftly excited.— The reafon is evident, when at School they had full and fair fcope for the exercife of their talents; they were fired with emulation, animated by the hope of glory. Envy had not as yet tainted the purity of the breaft ; and every one honeftly confefled his admiration of their fuperior powers. When they enter the larger Theatre of the World, the cafe is widely different...
Page 284 - ... of national wisdom, and are perhaps the best guides to the character or genius of a people. And it is not improbable that the extension of this method of inquiry, to the established opinions and received ideas of mankind in general, may lead us to a more perfect and general knowledge of them. That the mind of man is not framed for happiness is a principle, of the truth of which perhaps the most certain criterion is its popularity. At the revival of learning, the idea of gradual and progressive...
Page 227 - Edmond could at this ejaculation no longer contain himfelf, but into the room, and hanging over his fainting friend, "All may yet be well," faid he, " we may. yet live to renew our pleafures; to " purfue thofe fond projects which your too de" licate generofity has fo cruelly interrupted!
Page 261 - Flows through each member of th' embodied state, Sure, not unconscious of the mighty blessing, Her grateful sons shine bright with ev'ry virtue ; Untainted with the LUST OF INNOVATION ; Sure, all unite to hold her league of rule, Unbroken, as the sacred chain of nature, That links the jarring elements in peace.
Page 150 - No. 13. contemplated the beauties of fo highly finifhed a picture, we caft our eyes on an imperfect fketch which fuffers fo much by the comparifon. A ftate of nature, however, when diverted of its poetical ornaments, will be found to be by no means a flate of innocence ; and we fhall perceive,.

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