work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
5452,"","Searching ""mind"" in PGDP",2013-06-21 18:08:39 UTC,"Mr. Harte says, in that letter, that he looks upon Professor Mascow to be one of the ablest men in Europe, in treaty and political knowledge. I am extremely glad of it; for that is what I would have you particularly apply to, and make yourself perfect master of. The treaty part you must chiefly acquire by reading the treaties themselves, and the histories and memoirs relative to them; not but that inquiries and conversations upon those treaties will help you greatly, and imprint them better in your mind. In this course of reading, do not perplex yourself, at first, by the multitude of insignificant treaties which are to be found in the Corps Diplomatique; but stick to the material ones, which altered the state of Europe, and made a new arrangement among the great powers; such as the treaties of Munster, Nimeguen, Ryswick, and Utrecht.
(I.cxi, p. 224, BATH, March 1, O. S. 1748.)",,21107,"","""The treaty part you must chiefly acquire by reading the treaties themselves, and the histories and memoirs relative to them; not but that inquiries and conversations upon those treaties will help you greatly, and imprint them better in your mind.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 18:08:39 UTC,""
5452,"","Searching ""mind"" In PGDP",2013-06-21 18:13:35 UTC,"[...] Attend minutely to your style, whatever language you speak or write in; seek for the best words, and think of the best turns. Whenever you doubt of the propriety or elegance of any word, search the dictionary or some good author for it, or inquire of somebody, who is master of that language; and, in a little time, propriety and elegance of diction will become so habitual to you, that they will cost you no more trouble. As I have laid this down to be mechanical and attainable by whoever will take the necessary pains, there will be no great vanity in my saying, that I saw the importance of the object so early, and attended to it so young, that it would now cost me more trouble to speak or write ungrammatically, vulgarly, and inelegantly, than ever it did to avoid doing so. The late Lord Bolingbroke, without the least trouble, talked all day long, full as elegantly as he wrote. Why? Not by a peculiar gift from heaven; but, as he has often told me himself, by an early and constant attention to his style. The present Solicitor-General, Murray,——has less law than many lawyers, but has more practice than any; merely upon account of his eloquence, of which he has a never-failing stream. I remember so long ago as when I was at Cambridge, whenever I read pieces of eloquence (and indeed they were my chief study) whether ancient or modern, I used to write down the shining passages, and then translate them, as well and as elegantly as ever I could; if Latin or French, into English; if English, into French. This, which I practiced for some years, not only improved and formed my style, but imprinted in my mind and memory the best thoughts of the best authors. The trouble was little, but the advantage I have experienced was great. While you are abroad, you can neither have time nor opportunity to read pieces of English or parliamentary eloquence, as I hope you will carefully do when you return; but, in the meantime, whenever pieces of French eloquence come in your way, such as the speeches of persons received into the Academy, 'orasions funebres', representations of the several parliaments to the King, etc., read them in that view, in that spirit; observe the harmony, the turn and elegance of the style; examine in what you think it might have been better; and consider in what, had you written it yourself; you might have done worse. Compare the different manners of expressing the same thoughts in different authors; and observe how differently the same things appear in different dresses. Vulgar, coarse, and ill-chosen words, will deform and degrade the best thoughts as much as rags and dirt will the best figure. In short, you now know your object; pursue it steadily, and have no digressions that are not relative to, and connected with, the main action. Your success in parliament will effectually remove all OTHER OBJECTIONS; either a foreign or a domestic destination will no longer be refused you, if you make your way to it through Westminster.
([pp. 297-8 in Roberts ed.], LONDON, February 12, 1754)",,21111,"","""This, which I practiced for some years, not only improved and formed my style, but imprinted in my mind and memory the best thoughts of the best authors.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 18:13:35 UTC,""
5452,"","Searching ""passion"" in PGDP",2013-06-21 20:28:43 UTC,"MY DEAR FRIEND: As you chiefly employ, or rather wholly engross my thoughts, I see every day, with increasing pleasure, the fair prospect which you have before you. I had two views in your education; they draw nearer and nearer, and I have now very little reason to distrust your answering them fully. Those two were, parliamentary and foreign affairs. In consequence of those views, I took care, first, to give you a sufficient stock of sound learning, and next, an early knowledge of the world. Without making a figure in parliament, no man can make any in this country; and eloquence alone enables a man to make a figure in parliament, unless, it be a very mean and contemptible one, which those make there who silently vote, and who do 'pedibus ire in sententiam'. Foreign affairs, when skillfully managed, and supported by a parliamentary reputation, lead to whatever is most considerable in this country. You have the languages necessary for that purpose, with a sufficient fund of historical and treaty knowledge; that is to say, you have the matter ready, and only want the manner. Your objects being thus fixed, I recommend to you to have them constantly in your thoughts, and to direct your reading, your actions, and your words, to those views. Most people think only 'ex re nata', and few 'ex professo': I would have you do both, but begin with the latter. I explain myself: Lay down certain principles, and reason and act consequently from them. As, for example, say to yourself, I will make a figure in parliament, and in order to do that, I must not only speak, but speak very well. Speaking mere common sense will by no means do; and I must speak not only correctly but elegantly; and not only elegantly but eloquently. In order to do this, I will first take pains to get an habitual, but unaffected, purity, correctness and elegance of style in my common conversation; I will seek for the best words, and take care to reject improper, inexpressive, and vulgar ones. I will read the greatest masters of oratory, both ancient and modern, and I will read them singly in that view. I will study Demosthenes and Cicero, not to discover an old Athenian or Roman custom, nor to puzzle myself with the value of talents, mines, drachms, and sesterces, like the learned blockheads in us; but to observe their choice of words, their harmony of diction, their method, their distribution, their exordia, to engage the favor and attention of their audience; and their perorations, to enforce what they have said, and to leave a strong impression upon the passions. Nor will I be pedant enough to neglect the modern; for I will likewise study Atterbury, Dryden, Pope, and Bolingbroke; nay, I will read everything that I do read in that intention, and never cease improving and refining my style upon the best models, till at last I become a model of eloquence myself, which, by care, it is in every man's power to be. If you set out upon this principle, and keep it constantly in your mind, every company you go into, and every book you read, will contribute to your improvement, either by showing you what to imitate, or what to avoid. Are you to give an account of anything to a mixed company? or are you to endeavor to persuade either man or woman? This principle, fixed in your mind, will make you carefully attend to the choice of your words, and to the clearness and harmony of your diction.
(LONDON, September 26, 1752)",,21127,"","""I will study Demosthenes and Cicero, not to discover an old Athenian or Roman custom, nor to puzzle myself with the value of talents, mines, drachms, and sesterces, like the learned blockheads in us; but to observe their choice of words, their harmony of diction, their method, their distribution, their exordia, to engage the favor and attention of their audience; and their perorations, to enforce what they have said, and to leave a strong impression upon the passions.""",Impressions,2013-06-21 20:28:43 UTC,""
7541,"",Reading; text from DocSouth,2013-07-11 21:16:26 UTC,"Your friendly letter convinced me that you are still the same--and gave in that conviction a ten-fold pleasure:--you carried out (through God's grace) an honest friendly heart, a clear discerning head, and a soul impressed with every humane feeling.--That you are still the same--I repeat it--gives me more joy--than the certainty would of your being worth ten Jaghires:--I dare say you will ever remember that the truest worth is that of the mind--the blest rectitude of the heart--the conscience unsullied with guilt--the undaunted noble eye, enriched with innocence, and shining with social glee--peace dancing in the heart--and health smiling in the face.--May these be ever thy companions!--and for riches, you will ever be more than vulgarly rich--while you thankfully enjoy--and gratefully assist the wants (as far as you are able) of your fellow creatures. But I think (and so will you) that I am preaching. I only meant in truth to thank you, which I most sincerely do, for your kind letter:--believe me, it gratifies a better principle than vanity--to know that you remember your dark-faced friend at such a distance; but what would have been your feelings--could you have beheld your worthy, thrice worthy father--joy sitting triumphant in his honest face--speeding from house to house amongst his numerous friends, with the pleasing testimonials of his son's love and duty in his hands--every one congratulating him, and joining in good wishes--while the starting tear plainly proved that over-joy and grief give the same livery?
(I,i, pp. 1-3; pp. 25-6 in Carretta)",,21665,"","""You carried out (through God's grace) an honest friendly heart, a clear discerning head, and a soul impressed with every humane feeling.""",Impressions,2013-07-11 21:16:26 UTC,"Vol. I, Letter 1"
7541,"",Reading; text from DocSouth,2013-07-11 21:23:50 UTC,"I thank you for your kindness to my poor black brethren--I flatter myself you will find them not ungrateful--they act commonly from their feelings:--I have observed a dog will love those who use him kindly--and surely, if so, negroes--in their state of ignorance and bondage will not act less generously, if I may judge them by myself--I should suppose kindness would do any thing with them;--my soul melts at kindness--but the contrary--I own with shame--makes me almost a savage.--If you can with conveniency--when you write again--send me half a dozen cocoa nuts, I shall esteem them for your sake--but do not think of it if there is the least difficulty.--In regard to wages I think you acted quite right--don't seek too hastily to be independent--it is quite time enough yet for one of your age to be your own master.--Read Mr. Garrick's letter night and morning--put it next your heart--impress it on your memory--and may the God of all Mercy give you grace to follow his friendly dictates!--I shall ever truly rejoice to hear from you--and your well-doing will be a comfort to me ever;--it is not in your own power and option to command riches--wisdom and health are immediately the gift of God--but it is in your own breast to be good--therefore, my dear child, make the only right election--be good, and trust the rest to God; and remember he is about your bed, and about your path, and spieth out all your ways.--I am, with pride and delight, [...]
(I.xii, pp. 39-41; pp. 44-5 in Carretta)",,21672,"","""Read Mr. Garrick's letter night and morning--put it next your heart--impress it on your memory--and may the God of all Mercy give you grace to follow his friendly dictates!""",Impressions,2013-07-11 21:23:50 UTC,"Vol. I, letter xii"
7541,"",Reading,2013-07-11 21:41:36 UTC,"MY gall has been plentifully stirred--by the barbarity of a set of gentry, who every morning offend my feelings--in their cruel parade through Charles Street to and from market--they vend potatoes in the day--and thieve in the night season.--A tall lazy villain was bestriding his poor beast (although loaded with two panniers of potatoes at the same time) and another of his companions, was good-naturedly employed in whipping the poor sinking animal--that the gentleman-rider might enjoy the two-fold pleasure of blasphemy and cruelty--this is a too common evil--and, for the honor of rationality, calls loudly for redress.--I do believe it might be in some measure amended--either by a hint in the papers, of the utility of impressing such vagrants for the king's service--or by laying a heavy tax upon the poor Jack-asses--I prefer the former, both for thy sake and mine;--and, as I am convinced we feel instinctively the injuries of our fellow creatures, I do insist upon your exercising your talents in behalf of the honest sufferers.--I ever had a kind of sympathetic (call it what you please) for that animal--and do I not love you?--Before Sterne had wrote them into respect, I had a friendship for them--and many a civil greeting have I given them at casual meetings--what has ever (with me) stamped a kind of uncommon value and dignity upon the long ear'd kind of the species, is, that our Blessed Saviour, in his day of worldly triumph, chose to use that in preference to the rest of his own blessed creation--""meek and lowly, riding upon an ass."" I am convinced that the general inhumanity of mankind proceeds--first, from the cursed false principle of common education--and, secondly, from a total indifference (if not disbelief) of the Christian faith;--a heart and mind impressed with a firm belief of the Christian tenets, must of course exercise itself in a constant uniform general philanthropy--such a being carries his heaven in his breast--and such be thou! therefore write me a bitter Philippick against the misusers of Jack-asses--it shall honor a column in the Morning Post--and I will bray--bray my thanks to you--thou shalt figure away the champion of poor friendless asses here--and hereafter shalt not be ashamed in the great day of retribution.
(I.xlvii, pp. 133-5; pp. 91-2 in Carretta)",,21685,"","""I am convinced that the general inhumanity of mankind proceeds--first, from the cursed false principle of common education--and, secondly, from a total indifference (if not disbelief) of the Christian faith;--a heart and mind impressed with a firm belief of the Christian tenets, must of course exercise itself in a constant uniform general philanthropy--such a being carries his heaven in his breast--and such be thou!""",Impressions,2013-07-11 21:41:36 UTC,"Vol. I, letter xlvii"