Drinking

In proportion as drinking makes a man different from what he is before he has drunk, is bad; because it has so far affected his reason.Journal. October 17.

J

Drinking

It is not necessary to be drunk one's self to relish the wit of drunkenness. Do we not judge of the drunken wit, and of the dialogue between Iago and Cassio, the most excellent in its kind, when we are quite sober? Wit is wit, by whatever means it is produced; and if good, will appear so at all times.Life. April 12, 1776.

Drinking with Drinking may be practised with great Prudence prudence; a man who exposes himself when he is intoxicated, has not the art of getting drunk; a sober man, who happens occasionally to get drunk, readily enough goes into a new company, which a man who has been drinking should never do. Such a man will undertake anything; he is without skill in inebriation. -Life. April 24, 1779.

Duelling

A man is sufficiently punished by being called out, and subjected to the risk that is in a duel.-Journal. September 19.

No man can explain the rationality of

Duelling duelling. Journal. September 19.

Married to

Being married to sleepy-souled women, is Dulness just like playing at cards for nothing; no passion is excited, and the time is filled up.-Piozzi's Anecdotes, p. 170.

Ease

Eating

A neutral state between pain and pleasure. -Rambler, No. 85.

It is best to eat just as one is hungry: but a man who is in business, or a man who has a family, must have stated meals.-Life. April 17, 1778.

Get as much force of mind as you can.

Economy Live within your income. Always have

something saved at the end of the year. Let your imports be more than your exports, and you'll never go far wrong.-Life. May 29, 1783.

Divine Economy

Economy in
London

God is now spoiling us, of what would otherwise have spoiled us.

There is no place where economy can be so well practised as in London; more can be had here for the money, even by ladies, than anywhere else. You cannot play tricks with your fortune in a small place; you must make an uniform appearance. Here a lady may have well-furnished apartments, an elegant dress, without any meat in her kitchen.-Life. April 1, 1779.

Duty of an The business of him that republishes an Editor ancient book, is, to correct what is corrupt, and to explain what is obscure.-Proposals for reprinting the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare.

Education

While learning to read and write is a distinction, the few who have that distinction. may be less inclined to work; but when every body learns to read and write, it is no longer a distinction.

Influence of I do not deny, but there is some original Education difference in minds; but it is nothing in comparison of what is formed by education.-Life.

Education by

I am always for getting a boy forward in Amusement his learning, for that is a sure good. I would let him at first read any English book which happens to engage his attention; because you have done a great deal when you have brought him to have entertainment from a book. He'll get better books afterwards.-Life. April 16, 1779.

Education

by

There is now less flogging in our great Flogging schools than formerly, but then less is learned there; so that what the boys get at one end they lose at the other.-Life. Sayings Collected by Dr. Burney, 1775.

Necessity

of

When the pale of ceremony is broken, Education rudeness and insult soon enter the breach.Rambler, No. 163.

by

Education I would rather have the rod to be the Punishment general terror to all, to make them learn, than tell a child if you do thus or thus you will be more esteemed than your brothers or sisters. The rod produces an effect which terminates in itself. A child is afraid of being whipped, and gets his task, and there's an end on't; whereas, by exciting emulation, and comparisons of superiority, you lay the foundation of lasting mischief; you make brothers and sisters hate each other. Journal. August 24.

Education in

Knowledge is divided among the Scots,

Scotland like bread in a besieged town,—to every man a mouthful, to no man a bellyful.-Piozzi's Anecdotes, p. 263.

Happiness of To strive with difficulties, and to conquer Effort them is the highest human felicity: the next, is to strive and deserve to conquer.-Adventurer, No. 3.

A man cannot with propriety speak of Egotism himself, except he relates simple facts, as, "I was at Richmond;" or what depends on mensuration, as, "I am six feet high." He is sure he has been at Richmond; he is sure he is six feet high; but he cannot be sure he is wise, or that he has any other excellence.-Life. April 25, 1778.

Popular

There is no more reason to suppose that Election the choice of a rabble will be right, than that chance will be right.-Life. April 25, 1778.

Eminence

Eminence of learning is not to be gained without labour, at least equal to that which any other kind of greatness can require.-Rambler, No. 21.

Employment

Energy

Employment is the great instrument of intellectual dominion.

Do not suffer life to stagnate; it will grow muddy for want of motion; commit yourself again to the current of the world.-Rasselas, ch. xxxiv.

History of If it were told as shortly, and with as little

England

Strange preparation for introducing the different events, as the history of the Jewish Kings, it would be equally liable to objections of improbability.-Journal. October 21.

Produce

of

Our commerce is in a very good state; England and suppose we had no commerce at all, we could live very well on the produce of our own country. -Life. April 14, 1775.

Present Such is the emptiness of human enjoyment, Enjoyment not Sufficient that we are always impatient of the present.— Rambler, No. 207.

Analyzing Very few carry their philosophy to places Enjoyments of diversion, or are very careful to analyze their enjoyments.—Idler, No. 18.

That I want nothing, or that I know not Ennui what I want, is the cause of my complaint.Rasselas, ch. iii.

Numerical Cultivate in yourself a disposition to Enquiries numerical enquiries: they will give you entertainment in solitude by the practise, and reputation in public by the effect.-Letter to Mrs. Thrale, No. 314.

Envy

Envy may always be produced by idleness and pride, and in what place will they not be found ?-Rambler, No. 183.

Let fictions at least cease with life, and let

Epitaphs us be serious over the grave.-Lives of the Poets. Pope.