Essays, moral, political, and literaryBell and Bradfute, 1825 |
Contents
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Common terms and phrases
advantages affection ancient appears Appian arise arts Athenians Athens authority banished barbarous beauty beget Cæsar causes Cicero citizens civil Columella commerce common commonly constitution Demosthenes Diodorus Siculus eloquence employed equal ESSAY established esteemed factions favour foreign former Gaul genius give gold and silver greater Greece Greeks happiness human increase industry influence inhabitants interest Italy jealousy Julius Cæsar kind kingdom labour laws liberty Lysias magistrates mankind manners maxim ment mind modern monarchy nation nature neighbouring never object observe opinion Orat Ovid particular party passion perfect perhaps philosophers pleasure Pliny Plutarch political Polyb Polybius possessed present prince principles produce reason refinement regard render republic riches Roman Rome says scarcely sciences seems senate sentiments slavery slaves society sovereign Spain Sparta species Strabo supposed Tacitus taste taxes thing Thucydides tion trade violent virtue whole Xenophon
Popular passages
Page 511 - I am apt to suspect the negroes and in general all the other species of men (for there are four or five different kinds) to be naturally inferior to the whites. There never was a civilized nation of any other complexion than white, nor even any individual eminent either in action or speculation. No ingenious manufactures amongst them, no arts, no sciences.
Page 109 - ... To balance a large state or society (says he) whether monarchical or republican, on general laws, is a work of so great difficulty that no human genius, however comprehensive, is able by the mere dint of reason and reflection to effect it. The judgments of many must unite in the work: EXPERIENCE must guide their labour: TIME must bring it to perfection: And the FEELING of inconveniences must correct the mistakes which they inevitably fall into, in their first trials and experiments.
Page 19 - NOTHING appears more surprising, to those who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few, and the implicit submission with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers.
Page 24 - Man, born in a family, is compelled to maintain society from necessity, from natural inclination, and from habit. The same creature, in his further progress, is engaged to establish political society, in order to administer justice, without which there can be no peace among them, nor safety, nor mutual intercourse. We are therefore to look upon all the vast apparatus of our government, as having ultimately no other object or purpose but...
Page 258 - Thus industry, knowledge, and humanity are linked together by an indissoluble chain, and are found, from experience as well as reason, to be peculiar to the more polished, and, what are commonly denominated, the more luxurious ages.
Page 109 - To balance a large state or society (says he), whether monarchical or republican, on general laws, is a work of so great difficulty, that no human genius, however comprehensive, is able, by the mere dint of reason and reflection, to effect it. The judgments of many must unite in the work ; experience must guide their labor; time must bring it to perfection and the feeling of inconveniences must correct the mistakes which they inevitably fall into in their first trials and experiments.
Page 214 - Every voice is united in applauding elegance, propriety, simplicity, spirit in writing; and in blaming fustian, affectation, coldness, and a false brilliancy: but when critics come to particulars, this seeming unanimity vanishes; and it is found, that they had affixed a very different meaning to their expressions.
Page 220 - Though it be certain that beauty and deformity, more than sweet and bitter, are not qualities in objects, but belong entirely to the sentiment, internal or external, it must be allowed, that there are certain qualities in objects which are fitted by nature to produce those particular feelings.
Page 235 - What is this," says the sublime Joad to Josabet, finding her in discourse with Mathan, the priest of Baal, "does the daughter of David speak to this traitor? Are you not afraid, lest the earth should open and pour forth flames to devour you both? Or lest these holy walls should fall and crush you together? What is his purpose? Why comes that enemy of God hither to poison the air, which we breathe, with his horrid presence?
Page 326 - In short, the maxim of preserving the balance of power is founded so much on common sense and obvious reasoning, that it is impossible it could altogether have escaped antiquity, where we find, in other particulars, so many marks of deep penetration and discernment.