The English Reader: Or, Pieces in Prose and Poetry, Selected from the Best Writers ...

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W.B. Allen & Company, 1813 - Readers - 322 pages

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Contents

DIDACTIC PIECES Sect 1 The importance of a good education
52
On gratitude
54
Motives to the practice of gentleness
55
A suspicious temper the source of misery to its possessor
56
Comforts of religion
57
Diffidence of our abilities a mark of wisdom
58
On the importance of order in the distribution of our time
59
The dignity of virtue amidst corrupt examples
61
The mortifications of vice greater than those of virtue
62
On contentment
63
Rank and riches afford no ground for envy
66
Patience under provocations our interest as well as duty
67
Moderation in our wishes recommended
68
Omniscience and omnipresence of the Deity the source of consolation to good men
70
CHAP IV
73
Virtue and piety mans highest interest
74
The injustice of an uncharitable spirit
75
The misfortunes of men mostly chargeable on themselves
76
On disinterested friendship
79
On the immortality of the soul
81
DESCRIPTIVE PIECES Sect 1 The seasons
84
The cataract of Niagara in Canada North America
85
The grotto of Antiparos
86
The grotto of Antiparos continued
87
The earthquake at Catanea
88
Creation
89
Prosperity is redoubled to a good man 90
90
On the beauties of the Psalms
91
Character of Alfred king of England
92
Character of queen Elizabeth
93
On the slavery of vice
95
The man of integrity
96
On gentleness
97
CHAP VI
99
An eminent instance of true fortitude of mind
100
The good mans comfort in affliction 10
101
The close of life
102
Exalted society and the renewal of virtuous connexions two sources4
104
The clemency and amiable character of the patriarch Joseph neettu
107
DIALOGUES
109
CHAP VIII
119
venting the delays of justice by claiming the privilege of Parliament
126
A paraphrase on the latter part of the sixth chapter of St Matthew
203
The death of a good man a strong incentive to virtue
204
Reflections on a future state from a review of winter
205
Adams advice to Eve to avoid temptation
206
On procrastination
207
That philosophy which stops at secondary causes reproved
208
Indignant sentiments on national prejudices and hatred and on slavery
209
CHAP IV
210
Rural sounds as well as rural sights delightful
211
The rose
212
Liberty and slavery contrasted
213
Charity A paraphrase on the 13th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians
214
Picture of a good man
215
The pleasures of retirement
217
The pleasure and benefit of an improved and well directed imagina tion
218
CHAP V
219
The Beggars petition
221
Unhappy close of life
222
Verses supposed to be written by Alex Selkirk during his solitary abode in the island of Juan Fernandez
223
Gratitude
225
A man perishing in the snow from whence reflections are raised on the miseries of life
226
A morning bymn
228
CHAP VI
230
The shepherd and the philosopher
231
The road to happiness open to all men
233
The goodness of Providence
234
The Creators works attest his greatness
235
The pursuit of happiness often ill directed
237
The ftreside
238
Providence vindicated in the present state of man
240
Selfishness reproved
241
Human frailty
243
Ode to adversity
244
The creation required to praise its Author
245
The universal prayer
247
Conscience
249
The cuckoo
250
Day A pastoral in three parts
251
The order of nature
254
Hymn composed during sickness
255
Hymn on a review of the seasons
256
On solitude
258

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Page 221 - And nightly to the list'ning earth Repeats the story of her birth : Whilst all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn, Confirm the tidings as they roll, And spread the truth from pole to pole.
Page 226 - Who sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall, Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd, And now a bubble burst, and now a world.
Page 227 - Pride, our error lies; All quit their sphere, and rush into the skies. Pride still is aiming at the blest abodes, Men would be Angels, Angels would be Gods. Aspiring to be Gods, if Angels fell, Aspiring to be Angels, Men rebel: And who but wishes to invert the laws Of Order, sins against th
Page 175 - The sound must seem an echo to the sense : Soft is the strain when Zephyr gently blows, And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows ; But when loud surges lash the sounding shore, The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar : When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, The line too labours, and the words move slow ; Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er th' unbending corn, and skims along the main.
Page 214 - These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty, thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then ! Unspeakable, who sitt'st above these heavens, To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Page 184 - Had in her sober livery all things clad; Silence accompanied, for beast and bird, They to their grassy couch, these to their nests, Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale; She all night long her amorous descant* sung; Silence was...
Page 239 - Lives through all life, extends through all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent ; Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part, As full, as perfect in a hair as heart ; As full, as perfect in vile man that mourns, As the rapt seraph that adores and burns. To Him no high, no low, no great, no small ; He fills, He bounds, connects and equals all.
Page 215 - His praise, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe soft or loud ; and, wave your tops, ye Pines, With every plant, in sign of worship wave. Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Page 170 - Tis Providence alone secures In every change both mine and yours : Safety consists not in escape From dangers of a frightful shape ; An earthquake may be bid to spare The man that's strangled by a hair. Fate steals along with silent tread, Found oftenest in what least we dread, Frowns in the storm with angry brow, But in the sunshine strikes the blow.
Page 234 - And that myself am blind; Yet gave me, in this dark estate, To see the good from ill ; And binding nature fast in fate. Left free the human will.

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