13.07.2015 Views

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

OF THE DRUIDS. 67cate; yet if she be careless <strong>of</strong> her person, tawdryillher dress, or aukward in her gate and behavior,a man <strong>of</strong> true taste is so far from being touchedwith <strong>the</strong> charms <strong>of</strong> her body, that he is immediatelyprepossest against <strong>the</strong> beauties <strong>of</strong> her mind;and apt to believe <strong>the</strong>re can be no order within,w here <strong>the</strong>re is so much disorder without. In myopinion, <strong>the</strong>refore, <strong>the</strong> Muses <strong>the</strong>mselves are neveragreeable company without <strong>the</strong> Graces. Or if, asyour lordship's stile is remarkably strong, youwou'd, with Cicero *, take this simile from a man,you 11 own 'tis not enough to make him be lik'd,that he has well-knit bones, nerves and si<strong>new</strong>s:<strong>the</strong>re must be likewise proportion, muscling, andcoloring, much blood, and some s<strong>of</strong>tness. To relatefacts without <strong>the</strong>ir circumstances, whereondepends all instruction; is to exhibit a skeletonwithout <strong>the</strong> flesh, wherein consists all comeliness.Tliis I say to your lordship, not pretending to teach<strong>the</strong> art <strong>of</strong> writing to one, who's so fit to be my master;but to obviate <strong>the</strong> censures <strong>of</strong> those, and tocensure 'em in <strong>the</strong>irturns, who not only do nottreat <strong>of</strong> such subjects as I have now undertaken ina flowing and continu'd stile, but peremtorily deny<strong>the</strong> holds <strong>of</strong> antiquity and criticism to be capable<strong>of</strong> this culture:and indeed as suffering under <strong>the</strong>drudgery <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir hands, <strong>the</strong>y generally becomebarren heaths or unpassable thickets; where you* De Oraiore^ lib, 1.Ii2

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!