A Supplement to Dr. Swift's Works: Containing Miscellanies in Prose and Verse,

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J. Nichols: sold, 1765 - 428 páginas

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Página 248 - My lord, I do here, in the name of all the learned and polite persons of the nation, complain to your lordship, as first minister, that our language is extremely imperfect; that its daily improvements are by no means in proportion to its daily corruptions; that the pretenders to polish and refine it, have chiefly multiplied abuses and absurdities; and that in many instances it offends against every part of grammar.
Página 243 - ... now handled by every dirty wench, condemned to do her drudgery, and, by a capricious kind of fate, destined to make other things clean, and be nasty itself; at length, worn to the stumps in the...
Página 255 - ... beside the obvious inconvenience of utterly destroying our etymology, would be a thing we should never see an end of. Not only the several towns and counties of England have a different way of pronouncing, but even here in London they clip their words after one manner about the court, another in the city, and a third -in the suburbs : and in a few years, it is probable, will all differ from themselves, as fancy or fashion shall direct : all which reduced to writing would entirely confound orthography.
Página 117 - It is likewise urged that there are, by computation, in this kingdom above ten thousand parsons, whose revenues added to those of my lords the bishops would suffice to maintain at least two hundred young gentlemen of wit and pleasure and free-thinking, enemies to priestcraft, narrow principles, pedantry, and prejudices; who might be an ornament to the Court and Town. And then again, so great a number of able [bodied] divines might be a recruit to our fleet and armies.
Página 247 - ... of which is to be your own work, as much as that of paying the nation's debts...
Página 118 - But still there is in this project a greater mischief behind; and we ought to beware of the woman's folly, who killed the hen, that every morning laid her a golden egg. For, pray what would become of the race of men in the next age, if we had nothing to trust to beside the scrofulous consumptive productions, furnished by our men of wit and pleasure...
Página 258 - Now, though I would by no means give ladies the trouble of advising us in the reformation of our language, yet I cannot help thinking that, since they have been left out of all meetings, except parties at play, or where worse designs are carried on, our conversation has very much degenerated.
Página 153 - Besides, hypocrisy is much more eligible than open infidelity and vice; it wears the livery of religion; it acknowledges her authority, and is cautious of giving scandal.
Página 312 - Law in a free country is, or ought to be, the determination of the majority of those who have property in land.
Página 157 - I have confined myself (as it is before observed) to those methods for the advancement of piety which are in the power of a prince, limited like ours, by a strict execution of the laws already in force.

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