Table Talk Essays on Men and Manners (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

Excerpt from Table Talk: Essays on Men and Manners

Death, old age, are words without a meaning, a dream, a fiction, with which we have nothing to do. Others may have undergone, or may still undergo them - we bear a charmed life, which laughs to scorn all such idle fancies. As, in setting out on a de lightful journey, we strain our eager sight forward.

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On the Pleasure of Painting. There is a pleasure in painting which none but painters know. In writing, you have to contend with the world; in painting, you have only to carry on a friendly strife with Nature. You sit down to your task, and are happy. From the moment that you take up the pencil, and look Nature in the face, you are at peace with your own heart. No angry passions rise to disturb the silent progress of the work, to shake the hand, or dim the brow: no irritable humours are set afloat: you have no absurd opinions to combat, no point to strain, no adversary to crush, no fool to annoy you are actuated by fear or favour to no man. There is no juggling here, no sophistry, no intrigue, no tampering with the evidence, no attempt to make black white, or white black :but you resign yourself into the hands of a greater power, that of Nature, with the simplicity of a child, and the devotion of an enthusiast study with joy her manner, and with rapture taste her style. The mind is calm, and full at the same time. The hand and eye are equally employed In tracing the commonest object, a plant or the stump of a tree, you learn something every moment. You perceive unexpected differences, and discover likenesses where you looked for no such thing. You try to set down what you see find out your error, and correct it.
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Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.

Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text.