Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties: Its Pleasures and Rewards : in Two Volumes, Volume 1Harper & brothers, 1858 - Self-culture |
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able acquaintance acquired afterward already appeared assistance attained attention became blind born brought called canal carried celebrated circumstances commenced complete considerable continued course died difficulties distinguished early employed employment engaged English example exertions father followed formed fortune French gave genius give given Greek hand instruct Italy knowledge known labours language Latin learned least letters literary literature lived manner master means ment mentioned merely mind natural never obliged observed obtained occupation original period person philosopher poor possession present principal probably published pursued pursuit received remained remarkable says scarcely scholar sent shillings short situation soon success teach thing thought tion told took turned University volume whole writing written young
Popular passages
Page 168 - This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask Content though blind, had I no better guide.
Page 166 - Thus with the year Seasons return ; but not to me returns Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn, Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine ; But cloud instead, and everduring dark Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair Presented with a universal blank Of nature's works, to me expunged and rased, And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out.
Page 169 - Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt. Dispraise or blame, nothing but well and fair. And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Page 218 - I was not quite thirteen when this happened; my little brother was hardly two; and we had not a relation nor a friend in the world.
Page 77 - take a long thin piece of whalebone, hold one end of it fast between your finger and thumb, and wind it round your finger; it will then endeavour to unwind itself ; and if you fix the other end of it to the inside of a small hoop, and leave it to itself, it will turn the hoop round and round, and wind up a thread tied to the outside of the hoop.
Page 194 - This kind of life — the cheerless gloom of a hermit, with the unceasing moil of a galley-slave, brought me to my sixteenth year ; a little before which period I first committed the sin of rhyme. You know our country custom of coupling a man and woman together as partners in the labours of harvest.
Page 195 - I had met with a collection of letters by the wits of Queen Anne's reign, and I pored over them most devoutly ; I kept copies of any of my oven letters that pleased me ; and a comparison between them and the composition of most of my correspondents flattered my vanity. I carried this whim so far, that though I had not three farthings...
Page 73 - ... length between my eye and the stars, sliding the beads upon it till they hid such and such stars from my eye, in order to take their apparent distances from one another ; and then, laying the thread down on a paper, I marked the stars thereon by the beads, according to their respective positions, having a candle by me.
Page 211 - Elegy on Aquila Rose, before mentioned, an ingenious young man, of excellent character, much respected in the town, clerk of the Assembly, and a pretty poet.
Page 195 - A Select Collection of English Songs, and Hervey's Meditations, had formed the whole of my reading. The collection of Songs was my vade mecum. I pored over them, driving my cart, or walking to labour, song by song, verse by verse ; carefully noting the true tender, or sublime, from affectation and fustian. I am convinced I owe to this practice much of my critic craft, such as it is.