Specimens of English Prose Style: From Malory to MacaulayGeorge Saintsbury |
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Page xvi
... hands of those who have any pretence to style at all , its merits and its defects are in great part clearly traceable to discernment on the one hand , to confusion on the other , of the separate and distinct aims and methods of the ...
... hands of those who have any pretence to style at all , its merits and its defects are in great part clearly traceable to discernment on the one hand , to confusion on the other , of the separate and distinct aims and methods of the ...
Page xix
... hand , the more sober writers were not less classical than their forerunners , though in the endeavour not merely to write Latin sentences rendered into English , or English sentences that would translate with little alteration into ...
... hand , the more sober writers were not less classical than their forerunners , though in the endeavour not merely to write Latin sentences rendered into English , or English sentences that would translate with little alteration into ...
Page xxii
... hand , the period of original and copious thought ceased in England for a time , and men , having less to say , became more careful in saying it . The age of English prose which opens with Dryden and Tillotson ( the former being really ...
... hand , the period of original and copious thought ceased in England for a time , and men , having less to say , became more careful in saying it . The age of English prose which opens with Dryden and Tillotson ( the former being really ...
Page xxv
... hands of capable men became somewhat more suitable for the dignified branches of sustained prose - writing . We shall never have a greater historian in style as well as in matter than Gibbon ; in style at least we have not beaten Hume ...
... hands of capable men became somewhat more suitable for the dignified branches of sustained prose - writing . We shall never have a greater historian in style as well as in matter than Gibbon ; in style at least we have not beaten Hume ...
Page xxvi
... hands of others as well as to its perfor- mances in their own . They gave a further extension to the system of modulating sentences and clauses with a definite regard to harmony . Although there may be too much monotony in his method ...
... hands of others as well as to its perfor- mances in their own . They gave a further extension to the system of modulating sentences and clauses with a definite regard to harmony . Although there may be too much monotony in his method ...
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Common terms and phrases
ABRAHAM COWLEY amongst Anatomy of Melancholy appear Badman beauty better bishop body born church Cicero common Conyers Middleton death desire devil died discourse divine Donwell dreams effect enemy England English prose eyes faculty fancy fear friends give hand hath heaven honour horse human Hydriotaphia JOHN BUNYAN JOHN DRYDEN Joyous Gard kind king knowledge least less literary live London look Lord man's manner Mansoul Marsfield matter means mind nation nature never observed opinion passage passions perhaps person Phalaris pleasure poetry poor prince racter reason ROBERT SOUTH Samuel Hartlib seemed Seithenyn sense Sir Ector Sir Launcelot sometimes soul spirit style suffer temper things THOMAS FULLER thou thought tion took town Trimmer truth unto verse virtue walk whole WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH wind wise words writers
Popular passages
Page 194 - A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature ; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined.
Page 63 - Truth indeed came once into the world with her divine master, and was a perfect shape most glorious to look on : but when he ascended, and his apostles after him were laid asleep, then straight arose a wicked race of deceivers...
Page 175 - Things and actions are what they are, and the consequences of them will be what they will be : why then should we desire to be deceived...
Page 96 - When all is done, (he concludes,) human life is at the greatest and the best but like a froward child, that must be played with and humoured a little to keep it quiet, till it falls asleep, and then the care is over.
Page 184 - I perceive now it is what you told me. I am not afraid of anything; for I know it is but a play. And if it was really a ghost, it could do one no harm at such a distance, and in so much company; and yet if I was frightened, I am not the only person.
Page 269 - Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink ; for they are worthy.
Page 66 - What could a man require more from a Nation so pliant and so prone to seek after knowledge? What wants there to such a towardly and pregnant soil, but wise and faithful labourers, to make a knowing people, a Nation of Prophets, of Sages, and of Worthies?
Page 214 - The probability that any particular person shall ever be qualified for the employment to which he is educated, is very different in different occupations. In the greater part of mechanic trades, success is almost certain ; but very uncertain in the liberal professions. Put your son apprentice to a shoemaker, there is little doubt of his learning to make a pair of shoes : but send him to study the law, it is at least twenty to one if ever he makes such proficiency as will enable him to live by the...
Page 32 - So that the sum of all is : ready writing makes not good writing; but good writing brings on ready writing. Yet when we think we have got the faculty, it is even then good to resist it...
Page 164 - ... adventures. There let him work for twelve books; at the end of which you may take him out ready prepared to conquer, or to marry; it being necessary that the conclusion of an epic poem be fortunate. To make an Episode. — Take any remaining adventure of your former collection, in which you could no way involve your hero; or any unfortunate accident that was too good to be thrown away; and it will be of use applied to any other person, who may be lost and evaporate in the course of the work,...