Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 27, 2025
A worthy friend of mine in London was lately consulted by a lady of quality, of most distinguished merit, what was the best History of England for her son to read. My friend recommended Hume's. But, upon recollecting that its usher was a superlative panegyrick on one, who endeavoured to sap the credit of our holy religion, he revoked his recommendation.
I have sometimes adopted his restoration of a comma, without inserting the panegyrick in which he celebrated himself for his atchievement.
Having therefore resolved to be a doing, and deeming that time improper for any serious concerns, I thought good to divert myself with drawing up a panegyrick upon Folly. Why, the first hint, Sir, was your own surname of More, which comes as near the literal sound of the word,* as you yourself are distant from the signification of it, and that in all men's judgments is vastly wide. * Mwpia.
The fashion for hoops was revived in 1711, in which year was published in England "A Panegyrick upon the Late, but most Admirable Invention of the Hoop-Pettycoat." In 1728 we find hoop-skirts and negro girls and other "chattels" advertised for sale in the same shop!
But in a short time they forgot the distress from which they had been rescued, and began to consider their deliverer as a wretch of narrow capacity, who was growing great by works which he could not perform, and whom they overpaid by condescending to accept his bounties. Abouzaid heard their murmurs and dismissed them, and from that hour continued blind to colours, and deaf to panegyrick.
Prepare therefore to be entertained with a panegyrick, yet not upon Hercules, Solon, or any other grandee, but on myself, that is, upon Folly.
This led Dr Johnson and me to talk of our amiable and elegant friend, whose panegyrick he concluded by saying, 'Sir Joshua Reynolds, sir, is the most invulnerable man I know; the man with whom if you should quarrel, you would find the most difficulty how to abuse.
And surely, my lords, that necessity which deprives them of all claim to panegyrick, will be, likewise, a sufficient security from censure.
As he dreaded his own constancy in the first he very chearfully betook himself to the second; and though he could very well have explained it, as I said, to his honour, yet, for that very reason, he had a spirit above it; choosing rather to bear the contempt of his enemies, and the laughter of his friends, than undergo the pain of telling a story, which might seem a panegyrick upon himself.
I objected also to what appears an anticlimax of praise, when contrasted with the preceding panegyrick, 'and diminished the public stock of harmless pleasure! 'Is not HARMLESS PLEASURE very tame? JOHNSON. 'Nay, Sir, harmless pleasure is the highest praise.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking