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

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James Burnett, Lord Monboddo : Antient Metaphysics; or, the Science of Universals

'S. reads Antient Metaphysics'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley      Print: Book

James Burnett, Lord Monboddo : Of the Origin and Progress of Language

'He [Johnson] attacked Lord Monboddo's strange speculation on the primitive state of human nature; observing, "Sir, it is all conjecture about a thing useless, even were it known to be true. Knowledge of all kinds is good. Conjecture, as to things useful, is good; but conjecture as to what it would be useless to know, such as whether men went upon all four [sic], is very idle." '

Century: 1700-1799     Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson      Print: Book

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