A Tale of a Tub,: Written for the Universal Improvement of Mankind. To which is Added, An Account of a Battle Between the Ancient and Modern Books in St. James's Library

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Thomas Tegg, 1811 - 322 pages

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Page 71 - As to his body there can be no dispute; but examine even the acquirements of his mind, you will find them all contribute in their order towards furnishing out an exact dress : to instance no more ; is not religion a cloak, honesty a pair of shoes worn out in the dirt, selflove a surtout, vanity a shirt, and conscience a pair of breeches, which, though a cover for lewdness as well ag nastinesa, is easily slipt down for the service of both...
Page 159 - But when a man's fancy gets astride on his reason, when imagination is at cuffs with the senses, and common understanding as well as common sense is kickt out of doors...
Page 70 - Look on this globe of earth, you will find it to be a very complete and fashionable dress. What is that which some call land but a fine coat faced with green ? or the sea, but a waistcoat of water-tabby...
Page 228 - At this the spider, having swelled himself into the size and posture of a disputant, began his argument in the true spirit of controversy, with a resolution to be heartily scurrilous and angry, to urge on his own reasons, without the least regard to the answers or objections of his opposite ; and fully predetermined in his mind against all conviction. Not to disparage myself...
Page 229 - You boast indeed of being obliged to no other creature, but of drawing and spinning out all from yourself ; that is to say, if we may judge of the liquor in the vessel by what issues out, you possess a good plentiful store of dirt and poison in your breast...
Page 213 - SATIRE is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind reception it meets with in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.
Page 160 - And so the question is only this: whether things that have place in the imagination, may not as properly be said to exist, as those that are seated in the memory? Which may be justly held in the affirmative: and very much to the advantage of the former; since this is acknowledged to be the womb of things, and the other allowed to be no more than the grave.
Page 75 - This another of the brothers disliked, because of that epithet 'silver,' which could not, he humbly conceived, in propriety of speech be reasonably applied to a broomstick; but it was replied upon him that this epithet was understood in a mythological and allegorical sense. However, he objected again why their father should forbid them to wear a broom-stick on their coats, a caution that seemed unnatural and impertinent; upon which he was taken up short as one that spoke irreverently of a mystery,...
Page 226 - In this mansion he had for some time dwelt in peace and plenty, without danger to his person by swallows from above, or to his palace by brooms from below...
Page 162 - Then I laid open his brain, his heart, and his spleen, but I plainly perceived at every operation that the farther we proceeded, we found the defects increase upon us in number and bulk...

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