Word: peculiare
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Dates: during 1873-1873
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...Chillingly very early in life discovers that everything is vanity or humbug, and falls into that cynicism of the nobler sort, - possible only in a generous disposition, - which despises not men, but only what is mean and false in men. His character is consistent throughout, and a great though peculiar one. While he is as noble a man as is to be met with once in an age, still it is perhaps more pleasant to have that meeting take place in a book than in real life. He is one of those persons who are always misjudged, and judged only...
...long letters in doggerel. In a word, all men write poetry at some time, and a great many while in college. Of these latter it may be allowable for me to speak with all reverence, remembering that the unanswerable argument "Try it yourself" comes from the poets with peculiar force...
...leader, and of which he himself says that its aim is the perfection of our human nature on all its sides, in all its capacities; that it presses ever onwards to an ampler growth, to a gradual harmonious expansion of those gifts of thought and feeling which make the peculiar dignity, wealth, and happiness of human nature. Surely a high purpose, but one not incapable of being but partly understood or not understood at all; and thus culture comes to seem to many people the ability to talk on any subject readily and fluently enough for five minutes or perhaps...
...known as Lent's Circus, on Tuesday night. From the private box politely furnished us by Mr. Lent we viewed with wonder the performances of dogs, horses, men, and women, and with melancholy mortification the proceedings of some of our younger fellow-students who greeted the athletes with very peculiar shouts and cheers. It was our intention to tell of the Museum and Menagerie, - how we winked at the Circassian Girl, shook hands with the Fat Man, and solved the mystery of the What Is It; but our space is too limited for these interesting details...
...objected that the English language is no more peculiar in its sounds than any other; and certainly a man is inclined to find any language surprising and ridiculous which is not his own. This point is well illustrated by Montesquieu, who makes nis countrymen ask their visitor from the East, "Comment peut-on etre Persan?" But Heine, whom we quoted above, was above the influence of this prejudice, as he knew Italian and French very thoroughly, and never found anything ludicrous in the sound of these languages. Since this is so, we must conclude that there was to him something...