And Bezaleel made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women. And, in the lowest deep, a lower deep Still threat'ning to devour me, opens wide. SECTION VII. Avoid all such words and phrases, as are not adapted to the ideas * you mean to communicate; or which are less significant thin others, of those ideas. See Vol. 1. p. 299, and the Key, Part 5. Chap. 2. Sec. 7. No less than two hundred scholars have been educated in that school. The attempt, however laudable, was found to be impracti cable. He is our mutual benefactor, and deserves our respect and obedience. Vivacity is often promoted, by presenting a sensible object to the mind, instead of an intelligible one. They broke down the banks, and the country was soon overflown. The garment was decently formed, and sown very neatly. Though learn'd, well bred; and though well bred, sincere; A fop is a risible character, in every one's view but his own. An action that excites laughter, without any mixture of contempt, may be called a ridiculous action. It is difficult for him to speak three sentences together. By this expression, I do not intend what some persons annex to it. The negligence of timely precaution was the cause of this great loss. All the sophism which has been employed, cannot obscure so plain a truth. Disputing should always be so managed, as to remember that the only end of it is truth. My friend was so ill that he could not set up at all, but was obliged to lay continually in bed. A certain prince, it is said, when he invaded the Egyptians, placed, in the front of his army, a number of cats and other animals, which were worshipped by those people. A reve rence for these phantoms, made the Egyptians lie down their arms, and become an easy conquest. The presence of the Deity, and the interest such an august cause is supposed to take in our concerns, is a source of consolation. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter set down among them. By the slavish disposition of the senate and people of Rome, under the emperors, the wit and eloquence of the age were wholly turned into panegyric. The refreshment came in seasonably, before they were laid down to rest. We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. They shall flee as the eagle that hasteth to eat. The wicked fly when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. A creature of a more exalted kind Was wanting yet, and then was man design'd. He died with violence; for he was killed by a sword. He had scarcely taken the medicine, than he began to feel himself relieved. No place and no object appear to him void of beauty. When we fall into a person's conversation, the first thing we should consider, is, the intention of it. Galileo discovered the telescope; Hervey invented the cir culation of the blood. Philip found an obstacle to the managing of the Athenians, from the nature of their dispositions; but the eloquence of Demosthenes was the greatest difficulty in his designs. A hermit is rigorous in his life; a judge, austere in his sen tences. A candid man avows his mistake, and is forgiven; a patriot acknowledges his opposition to a bad minister, and is applauded. We have enlarged our family and expenses; and increased our garden and fruit orchard. By a proper reflection, we may be taught to mend what is erroneous and defective. The good man is not overcome by disappointment, when that which is mortal passes away; when that which is mutable, dies; and when that which he knew to be transient, begins to change. CHAPTER III. Containing violations of the Rules of PRECISION. See Vol. 1. p. 301, and the Key, Part 5. Chap. 3. THIS great politician desisted from, and renounced his designs, when he found them impracticable. He was of so high and independent a spirit, that he abhorred and detested being in debt. Though raised to an exalted station, she was a pattern of piety, virtue, and religion. The human body may be divided into the head, trunk, limbs, and vitals. His end soon approached; and he died with great courage and fortitude. He was a man of so much pride and vanity, that he despised the sentiments of others. Poverty induces and cherishes dependence; and dependence strengthens and increases corruption. This man, on all occasions, treated his inferiors with great haughtiness and disdain. There can be no regularity or order in the life and conduct of that man, who does not give and allot a due share of his time, to retirement and reflection. Such equivocal and ambiguous expressions, mark a formed intention to deceive and abuse us. His cheerful, happy temper, remote from discontent, keeps up a kind of daylight in his mind, excludes every gloomy pros pect, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity. SECONDLY, Exercises to promote perspicuity and accuracy, with respect to the construction of Sentences. CHAPTER I. Containing sentences in which the Rules of CLEARNESS are violated. See Vol, 1. p. 305, and the Key, Part 5. Chap. 1. Clearness. Sect. 1. SECTION I. In the position of adverbs. HENCE the impossibility appears, that an undertaking managed so, should prove successful. May not we here say with the poet, that "virtue is its own reward!" Had he died before, would not then this art have been wholly unknown? Not to exasperate him, I only spoke a very few words. The works of art receive a great advantage, from the resemblance which they have to those of nature, because here the similitude is not only pleasant, but the pattern is perfect. It may be proper to give some account of those practices, anciently used on such occasions, and only discontinued through the neglect and degeneracy of later times. Sixtus the fourth was, if I mistake not, a great collector of books, at least. If Louis XIV. was not the greatest king, he was the best actor of majesty, at least, that ever filled a throne. These forms of conversation, by degrees multiplied and grew troublesome. Nor does this false modesty expose us only to such actions as are indiscreet, but very often to such as are highly criminal. By greatness, I do not only mean the bulk of any single object, but the largeness of a whole view. I was engaged formerly in that business, but I never shall be again concerned in it. We do those things frequently, which we repent of afterwards. By doing the same thing it often becomes habitual. Most nations, not even excepting the Jews, were prone to idolatry. Raised to greatness without merit, he employed his power for the gratification solely of his passions. SECTION II. In the position of circumstances, and of particular members. See Vol. 1. p. 307, and the Key, Part 5. Chap. 1. Clearness. Sec. 2. THE embarrassments of the artificers, rendered the progress very slow of the work. He found the place replete with wonders, of which he proposed to solace himself with the contemplation, if he should never be able to accomplish his flight. They are now engaged in a study, of which they have long wished to know the usefulness. This was an undertaking, which, in the execution, proved as impracticable, as had turned out every other of their pernicious, yet abortive schemes. He thought that the presbyters would soon become more dangerous to the magistrates, than had ever been the prelatical clergy. Frederick, seeing it was impossible to trust, with safety, his life in their hands, was obliged to take the Mahometans for his guard. The emperor refused to convert at once, the truce into a definitive treaty. However, the miserable remains were, in the night, taken down. I have settled the meaning of those pleasures of the imagination, which are the subject of my present undertaking, by way of introduction, in this paper; and endeavoured to recommend the pursuit of those pleasures to my readers, by several considerations: I shall examine the several sources from whence these pleasures are derived, in my next paper. Sir Francis Bacon, in his Essay upon Health, has not thought it improper to prescribe to his reader a poem, or a prospect, where he particularly dissuades him from knotty and subtle disquisitions; and advises him to pursue studies that fill the mind with splendid and illustrious objects, as history, poetry and contemplations of nature. |