The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, Volume 2J. Johnson, J. Nichols, R. Baldwin, Otridge and Son, J. Sewell, F. and C. Rivington, T. Payne, R. Faulder, G. and J. Robinson, R. Lea, J. Nunn, W. Cuthell, T. Egerton, ... [and 12 others], 1801 |
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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D. ...: The life of Dr. Swift Jonathan Swift No preview available - 1812 |
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Popular passages
Page 170 - 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 kicked out of doors, the first proselyte he makes is himself; and when that is once compassed, the difficulty is not so great in bringing over others, a strong delusion always operating from without as vigorously as from within.
Page 223 - I am glad, answered the bee, to hear you grant at least that I am come honestly by my wings and my voice ; for then, it seems, I am obliged to Heaven alone for my flights and my music ; and Providence would never have bestowed on me two such gifts, without designing them for the noblest ends. I visit indeed all the flowers and blossoms of the field and...
Page 98 - ... and, according to the laudable custom, gave rise to that fashion. Upon which the brothers, consulting their father's will, to their great astonishment found these words ; item, I charge and command my said three sons to wear no sort of silver fringe upon or about their said coats, etc., with a penalty, in case of disobedience, too long here to insert.
Page 173 - This is the sublime and refined point of felicity, called the possession of being well deceived; the serene peaceful state of being a fool among knaves.
Page 159 - Whether a tincture of malice in our natures, makes us fond of furnishing every bright idea, with its reverse; or, whether reason, reflecting upon the sum of things, can, like the sun, serve only to enlighten one half of the globe, leaving the other half by necessity under shade and darkness ; or, whether fancy, flying up to the imagination of what is highest and best, becomes overshot, and spent, and weary ; and suddenly falls, like a dead bird of paradise, to the ground ; or whether, after all these...
Page 87 - On their first appearance, our three adventurers met with a very bad reception ; and soon, with great sagacity, guessing out the reason, they quickly began to improve in the good qualities of the town : they writ, and rallied, and rhymed, and sung, and said, and said nothing : they drank, and fought, and whored, and slept, and swore, and took snuff...
Page 64 - ... it is with wits as with razors, which are never so apt to cut those they are employed on, as when they have lost their edge, Besides, those, whose teeth are too rotten to bite, * are best, of all others, qualified to revenge that defect with their breath.
Page 151 - ... and if you will bate him but the circumstances of method, and style, and grammar, and invention; allow him but the common privileges of transcribing from others, and digressing from himself, as often as he shall see occasion; he will desire no more ingredients towards fitting up a treatise, that shall make a very comely figure on a bookseller's shelf; there to be preserved neat and clean for a long eternity, adorned with the heraldry of its title fairly inscribed on a label; never to be thumbed...
Page 385 - ... health and estates, they are forced by some disagreeable marriage to piece up their broken fortunes and entail rottenness and politeness on their posterity? Now, here are ten thousand persons reduced by the wise regulations of Henry the Eighth 0 to the necessity of a low diet and moderate exercise, who are the only great restorers of our breed, without which the nation would in an age or two become one great hospital.
Page 380 - And yet the curious may please to observe how much the genius of a nation is liable to alter in half an age : I have heard it affirmed for certain by some very...