Genre - History. You are on the page - 36
narrative, which shallcomprehend this period of social disorganization, must beascribed entirely to the skill and luminous disposition of thehistorian. It is in this sublime Gothic architecture of hiswork, in which the boundless range, the infinite variety, the, atfirst sight, incongruous gorgeousness of the separate parts,nevertheless are all subordinate to one main and predominantidea, that Gibbon is unrivalled. We cannot but admire the mannerin which he masses his materials, and arranges his
"So much pettiness," he explained; "so much intrigue! And really, when one has an idea--a novel, fertilising idea--I don't want to be uncharitable, but--"I am a man who believes in impulses. I made what was perhaps a rash proposition. But you must remember, that I had been alone, play-writing in Lympne, for fourteen days, and my compunction for his ruined walk still hung about me. "Why not," said I, "make this your new habit? In the place of the one I spoilt?
even convey different significationsby the simplest inflections of the voice.Philologists have said that there are but two or threelanguages, properly speaking, among all the numerous tribeswhich formerly occupied the country that now composes theUnited States. They ascribe the known difficulty one peoplehave to understand another to corruptions and dialects. Thewriter remembers to have been present at an interviewbetween two chiefs of the Great Prairies west of theMississippi, and when an
had come into being firstof all men, contrived a device of the following kind:--Taking two new-born children belonging to persons of the common sort he gave them toa shepherd to bring up at the place where his flocks were, with amanner of bringing up such as I shall say, charging him namely that noman should utter any word in their presence, and that they should beplaced by themselves in a room where none might come, and at theproper time he should bring them she-goats, and when he had
t him think me--everything that is base!"For a moment Mr. Northey looked a little nonplussed. Then, "Well, you can--you can bow to him," he said, pluming himself on his discretion in leaving the rein a trifle slack to begin. "If he force himself upon you, you will rid yourself of him with as little delay as possible. The mode I leave to you, Sophia; but speech with him I absolutely forbid. You will obey in that on pain of my most serious displeasure." "On pain of
as you like. All you got to do is sit down and wait as quiet as you can. Then pretty soon you'll find out I was right."His comrade grunted stubbornly. For a moment he seemed to be searching for a formidable reply. Finally he said: "Well, you don't know everything in the world, do you?" "Didn't say I knew everything in the world," retorted the other sharply. He began to stow various articles snugly into his knapsack. The youth, pausing in his nervous walk, looked down at