Letters and Journals of Jonathan Swift |
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance Addison Andrew Fountaine answer Arbuthnot archbishop believe bishop bishop of Clogher Cadenus church coach coffeehouse court dean deanery dear death desire dined to-day Dingley dinner drink Dublin duchess duchess of Shrewsbury duke of Ormond England esteem faith favour fortune friendship give glad grace half happy Harley hear honour hope humour Ireland JONATHAN SWIFT Journal Journal to Stella Kilroot Laracor late letter ling live lodgings London lord Bolingbroke lord treasurer lordship madam Masham MD's mind ministers ministry Moor Park morning never night Nite Patrick person politics poor Pope Pray Presto pretend queen ride secretary sent servants Sheridan Sir William Temple sirrahs Stella Swift talk tell thing thought to-morrow told town Vanessa walk Whigs wine wish word writ write young
Popular passages
Page 195 - I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is towards individuals; for instance, I hate the tribe of lawyers, but I love Counsellor Such-a-one and Judge Such-a-one; so with physicians — I will not speak of my own trade — soldiers, English, Scotch, French, and the rest. But principally I hate and detest that animal called man, although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth.
Page 95 - I think Mr. St. John the greatest young man I ever knew ; wit, capacity, beauty, quickness of apprehension, good learning, and an excellent taste ; the best orator in the house of commons, admirable conversation, good nature, and good manners ; generous, and a despiser of money.
Page 200 - A bishop here said the book was full of improbable lies, and for his part he hardly believed a word of it ; and so much for Gulliver.
Page 263 - I am so stupid and confounded, that I cannot express the mortification I am under both in body and mind. All I caB say is, that I am not in torture; but I daily and hourly expect it. Pray let me know how your health is, and your family. I hardly understand one word I write. I am sure my days will be very few; few and miserable they must be.
Page 208 - I remember when I was a little boy I felt a great fish at the end of my line which I drew up almost on the ground, but it dropped in, and the disappointment vexes me to this very day, and I believe it was the type of all my future disappointments.
Page 170 - ... women in London — only a little too fat. Her hair was blacker than a raven, and every feature of her face in perfection. .... "Properly speaking" — he goes on with a calmness which, under the circumstances, is terrible — "she has been dying six months!
Page 29 - ... among all persons on earth, make your choice ; because I never saw that person whose conversation I entirely valued but hers ; this was the utmost I ever gave way to.
Page 178 - Although her knowledge, from books and company, was much more extensive than usually falls to the share of her sex ; yet she was so far from making a parade of it, that her female visitants, on their first acquaintance, who expected to discover it by what they call hard words and deep discourse, would be sometimes disappointed, and say, "They found she was like other women.
Page 9 - And this is it which a person of great honour in Ireland (who was pleased to stoop so low as to look into my mind) used to tell me, that my mind was like a conjured spirit, that would do mischief if I would not give it employment.
Page 168 - This day, being Sunday, January 28th, 1727-8, about eight o'clock at night, a servant brought me a note, with an account of the death of the truest, most virtuous, and valuable friend, that I, or perhaps any other person ever was blessed with.