Elegant epistles: a copious selection of instructive, moral, and entertaining letters [selected by V. Knox].

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Side 51 - tis true — this truth you lovers know — In vain my structures rise, my gardens grow ; In vain fair Thames reflects the double scenes Of hanging mountains, and of sloping greens: Joy lives not here ; to happier seats it flies, And only dwells where Wortley casts her eyes.
Side 72 - The second caution to be given her (and which is most absolutely necessary) is to conceal whatever learning she attains, with as much solicitude as she would hide crookedness or lameness. The parade of it can only serve to draw on her the envy, and consequently the most inveterate hatred, of all he and she fools, which will certainly be at least three parts in four of all her acquaintance.
Side 70 - As you had much in your circumstances to attract the highest offers, it seemed your business to learn how to live in the world, as it is hers to know how to be easy out of it. It is the common error of builders and parents to follow some plan they think beautiful — and perhaps is so — without considering that nothing is beautiful which is displaced.
Side 24 - I beg pardon that my paper is not finer, but I am forced to write from a coffee-house where I am attending about business. There is a dirty crowd of busy faces all around me talking of money, while all my ambition, all my wealth, is love; love, which animates my heart, sweetens my humour, enlarges my soul, and affects every action of my life.
Side 23 - How art thou, oh my soul, stolen from thyself! how is all thy attention broken ! my books are blank paper, and my friends intruders. I have no hope of quiet but from your pity. To grant it, would make more for your triumph. To give pain is the tyranny, to make happy the true empire of beauty. If you would consider aright...
Side 56 - It is to be hoped that my letter will entertain you ; at least you will certainly have the freshest account of all passages on that glorious day. First you must know that I led up the ball, which you'll stare at ; but what is more, I believe in my conscience I made one of the best figures there : to say truth, people are grown so extravagantly ugly, that we old beauties are forced to come out on show-days, to keep the Court in countenance.
Side 74 - ... that practice will make her a ready writer; she may attain it by serving you for a secretary when your health or affairs make it troublesome to you to write yourself, and custom will make it an agreeable amusement to her. She cannot have too many for that station of life which will probably be her fate. The ultimate end of your education was to make you a good wife (and I have the comfort to hear that you are one) ; hers ought to be to make her happy in a virgin state.
Side 35 - Nothing of that kind ever was more magnificent ; and I can easily believe what I am told, that the decorations and habits cost the emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling. The stage was built over a very large canal, and, at the beginning of the second act, divided into two parts, discovering the water, on which there immediately came, from different parts, two fleets of little gilded vessels, that gave the representation of a naval fight, ft is not easy to imagine the beauty of this scene, which...
Side 69 - ... me a great deal of satisfaction by your account of your eldest daughter. I am particularly pleased to hear she is a good arithmetician...
Side 72 - ... expense, which are the certain effects of a studious life ; and it may be preferable even to that fame which men have engrossed to themselves, and will not suffer us to share. You will tell me I have not observed...

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