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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Francis Hutcheson

  

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Francis Hutcheson : Inquiry into the Originals of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue, An

'Now I have mentioned this small but inimitable well wrote Book (Xenophon's 'Symposium'], which was recommended to me by Dr [italics] Swift [end italics], and which I in return commend to all such of my fair Readers as have a Taste for real Wit, in which the divine [italics] Socrates [end italics] as conspicuously shone, as he did in Purity of Life and Constancy in Martyrdom; that they peruse it with Care, as it will refine their Ideas and improve their Judgements, polish their Stile, shew them true Beauty, and lead them gently and agreeably to its prime Origin and Source. [LP then quotes from Milton's 'Comus' on beauty] I must here observe in my tracing Authors thro' each other, [italics] Zenophon [end italics] and [italics] Plato [end italics] borrowed from [italics] Socrates [end italics], whose disciples they were. [italics] Zenophon [end italics] acknowledges it as freely as I do the Instructions I received from Dr [italics] Swift [end italics]. Lord [italics] Shaftsbury's[end italics] Search after Beauty, is copied from [italics] Socrates [end italics]; Mr [italics] Pope's [end italics] Ethics stolen from both; and the leaned Mr [italics] Hutcheson[end italics]'s Beauty and Harmony, an Imitation of the great Philosophers and excellent Moralists first mentioned'.

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington      Print: Book

  

Francis Hutcheson : Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue

'Had Mr [italics] Hutcheson [end italics] stop'd at this Book [his 'Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue'], by which he had acquired some Degree of Reputation, both as a Writer, a Divine and a Mathematician, he had done wisely; but O! his Essay on the Passions overturned his scarce established Praise; if it has any Meaning, it is like dark veil'd [italics] Cotyto [end italics], in her Ebon Chair, close curtained round, impenetrably obscure, or from his Flames, [italics] No Light but rather darkness visible [end italics; allusions to 'Comus' and 'Paradise Lost']. I really thought it was the Defect of my Head that made me not comprehend this Piece, till I heard the present Lord Bishop of [italics] Elphin [end italics], whose Learning or Judgment was never yet doubted, declare he did not understand it. After all, whether the Defect lay in the Book or the Bishop let the Reader determine'.

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington      Print: Book

  

Francis Hutcheson : Essay on the Nature and Conduct of the Passions and Affections

'Had Mr [italics] Hutcheson [end italics] stop'd at this Book [his 'Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue'], by which he had acquired some Degree of Reputation, both as a Writer, a Divine and a Mathematician, he had done wisely; but O! his Essay on the Passions overturned his scarce established Praise; if it has any Meaning, it is like dark veil'd [italics] Cotyto [end italics], in her Ebon Chair, close curtained round, impenetrably obscure, or from his Flames, [italics] No Light but rather darkness visible [end italics; allusions to 'Comus' and 'Paradise Lost']. I really thought it was the Defect of my Head that made me not comprehend this Piece, till I heard the present Lord Bishop of [italics] Elphin [end italics], whose Learning or Judgment was never yet doubted, declare he did not understand it. After all, whether the Defect lay in the Book or the Bishop let the Reader determine'.

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington      Print: Book

  

Francis Hutcheson : Essay on the Nature and Conduct of the Passions and Affections

'Had Mr [italics] Hutcheson [end italics] stop'd at this Book [his 'Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue'], by which he had acquired some Degree of Reputation, both as a Writer, a Divine and a Mathematician, he had done wisely; but O! his Essay on the Passions overturned his scarce established Praise; if it has any Meaning, it is like dark veil'd [italics] Cotyto [end italics], in her Ebon Chair, close curtained round, impenetrably obscure, or from his Flames, [italics] No Light but rather darkness visible [end italics; allusions to 'Comus' and 'Paradise Lost']. I really thought it was the Defect of my Head that made me not comprehend this Piece, till I heard the present Lord Bishop of [italics] Elphin [end italics], whose Learning or Judgment was never yet doubted, declare he did not understand it. After all, whether the Defect lay in the Book or the Bishop let the Reader determine'.

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Synge      Print: Book

  

Francis Hutcheson : System of Moral Philosophy

' [Johnson said] "There is much talk of the misery which we cause to the brute creation; but they are recompensed by existence. If they were not useful to man, and therefore protected by him, they would not be nearly so numerous". This argument is to be found in the able and benignant Hutchinson's [sic] "Moral Philosophy".'

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: James Boswell      Print: Book

  

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