The British Novelists: With an Essay, and Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, Volume 31, Part 2

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F. C. and J. Rivington, 1820 - English literature
 

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Page 97 - May numerous herds and flocks be seen : And lasses chanting o'er the pail, And shepherds piping in the dale ; And ancient faith that knows no guile, And industry embrown'd with toil ; And hearts resolved and hands prepared The blessings they enjoy to guard 1 [S
Page 74 - Edinburgh is a hot-bed of genius. I have had the good fortune to be made acquainted with many authors of the first distinction ; such as the two Humes, Robertson, Smith, Wallace, Blair, Ferguson, Wilkie, etc., and I have found them all as agreeable in conversation as they are instructive and entertaining in their writings.
Page 116 - Alighting, and giving his horse to the landlord, he advanced to an old man who was at work in paving the street, and accosted him in these words : " This is hard work for such an old man as you." So saying, he took the instrument out of his hand, and began to thump the pavement. After a few strokes — " Have you never a son, ' said he, " to ease you of this labour ? " — " Yes, an' please your honour," replied the senior, " I have three hopeful lads ; but, at present, they are out of the way.
Page 13 - ... legs, which were cased in black spatterdashes. As for his thighs, they were long and slender, like those of a grasshopper ; his face was at least half a yard in length, brown and shrivelled, with projecting cheekbones, little grey eyes...
Page 97 - While, lightly poised, the scaly brood In myriads cleave thy crystal flood; The springing trout in speckled pride, The salmon, monarch of the tide; The ruthless pike, intent on war, The silver eel, and mottled par. Devolving from thy parent lake, A charming maze thy waters make, By bowers of birch and groves of pine, And hedges flower'd with eglantine.
Page 116 - The traveller made three quick steps towards the jail; then turning short, " Tell me," said he, " has that unnatural captain sent you nothing to relieve your distresses?" "Call him not unnatural," replied the other, " God's blessing be upon him ! he sent me a great deal of money, but I made a bad use of it; I lost it by being security for a gentleman that was my landlord, and was stripped of all I had in the world besides.
Page 3 - The external appearance of an old cathedral cannot be but displeasing to the eye of every man, who has any idea of propriety and proportion, even though he may be ignorant of architecture as a science; and the long slender spire puts one in mind of a criminal impaled, with a sharp stake rising up through his shoulder. These towers, or steeples, were likewise borrowed from the Mahometans; who, having no bells, used such minarets for the purpose of calling the people to prayers. They may be of...
Page 65 - ... but of a much harder consistence - This they strike with such force and dexterity from one hole to another, that they will fly to an incredible distance.
Page 62 - House is an elegant piece of architecture, but sunk in an obscure, and, as I take it, unwholesome bottom, where one would imagine it had been placed on purpose to be concealed. The apartments are lofty, but unfurnished ; and as for the pictures of the Scottish kings, from Fergus I. to King William, they are paltry daublings, mostly by the same hand, painted either from the imagination, or porters hired to sit for the purpose.
Page 33 - I ever encountered. His manner is as harsh as his countenance; but his peculiar turn of thinking, and his pack of knowledge made up of the remnants of rarities, rendered his conversation desirable, in spite of his pedantry and ungracious address. I have often met with a crab-apple in a hedge, which I have been tempted to eat for its flavour, even while I was disgusted by its austerity.

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