The Writer's clerk; or, The humours of the Scottish metropolis

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1825

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Page 388 - See, what a grace was seated on this brow; Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself; An eye like Mars, to threaten and command; A station like the herald Mercury, New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill; A combination, and a form, indeed, Where every god did seem to set his seal, To give the world assurance of a man : This was your husband.
Page 64 - I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1 have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Page 74 - And rarely av'rice taints the tuneful mind. Allow him but his plaything of a Pen, He ne'er rebels, or plots, like other men...
Page 264 - And Juvenal, who wrote in times of the grosset impurity, maintains that no prudent man will take any young lady to wife, who has ever been even within the walls of a theatre...
Page 58 - It is ... a duty to attend to the books a young lady reads, as to the company she keeps; for if it is allowed, that the frequent hearing of loose conversation naturally prepares the mind for the admittance of vicious ideas, it cannot be denied but books, in which love is the only theme, and intrigues the sole business of the actors, are more dangerous than even bad company; since the recital of lascivious scenes might shock an ear not yet hardened in vice, when the warm representation painted in...
Page 262 - Tragedy, like other arts, was, in its beginnings, rude and imperfect. Among the Greeks, from whom our dramatic entertainments are derived, the origin of tragedy was no other than the song which. was wont to be sung at the festival of Bacchus. A goat was the sacrifice offered to that God ; after the sacrifice, the priests, with the company that joined them, sung hymns in honour of Bacchus; and, from the name of the victim, Tjayor a goat, joined with iSii a song, undoubtedly arose the word tragedy.
Page 269 - which are two sentiments so different in themselves, differ not so much in their cause. From the instance of tickling it appears, that the movement of pleasure, pushed a little too far, becomes pain, and that the movement of pain, a little moderate, becomes pleasure. Hence it proceeds, that there is such a thing as a sorrow, soft and agreeable: it is a pain weakened and diminished. The heart likes naturally to be moved and affected. Melancholy objects suit it, and even disastrous and sorrowful, provided...
Page 71 - Thou hast redeemed. 0 Thou great Master and Lord, whose are all things in heaven and earth, and who givest to every one as it seemeth good in Thy sight ; grant us grace so to use the talents which Thou hast committed to us for a season, that when the Lord shall return to reckon with His servants, we may be enabled to give in our account with joy, and not with grief.
Page 264 - The account which Aristotle gives of the design of tragedy is, that it is intended to purge our passions by means of pity and terror. This is somewhat obscure. Various senses have been put upon his words, and much altercation has followed among his commentators. Without entering into any controversy upon this head, the intention of tragedy may, I think, be more shortly and clearly defined, to improve our virtuous sensibility. If...
Page 128 - O'Connell glowed the flame of the love of liberty and of mankind, his principles as a Christian impelled him to do to others, as he would wish others to do to him...

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