Life of Johnson, Volume 4 - 1780-1784 by James Boswell
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page 4 of 741 (00%)
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require to have inflection given to them. His book of the Dialects[5] is
a sad heap of confusion; the only way to write on them is to tabulate them with Notes, added at the bottom of the page, and references.' 'It may be questioned, whether there is not some mistake as to the methods of employing the poor, seemingly on a supposition that there is a certain portion of work left undone for want of persons to do it; but if that is otherwise, and all the materials we have are actually worked up, or all the manufactures we can use or dispose of are already executed, then what is given to the poor, who are to be set at work, must be taken from some who now have it; as time must be taken for learning, according to Sir William Petty's observation, a certain part of those very materials that, as it is, are properly worked up, must be spoiled by the unskilfulness of novices. We may apply to well-meaning, but misjudging persons in particulars of this nature, what Giannone[6] said to a monk, who wanted what he called to _convert_ him: _"Tu sei santo, ma tu non sei filosofo"_--It is an unhappy circumstance that one might give away five hundred pounds in a year to those that importune in the streets, and not do any good[7].' 'There is nothing more likely to betray a man into absurdity than _condescension_; when he seems to suppose his understanding too powerful for his company[8].' 'Having asked Mr. Langton if his father and mother had sat for their pictures, which he thought it right for each generation of a family to do, and being told they had opposed it, he said, "Sir, among the anfractuosities[9] of the human mind, I know not if it may not be one, that there is a superstitious reluctance to sit for a picture."' |
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