O'Donnel: A National Tale, Volumen1

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Henry Colburn, 1815 - 339 páginas

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Página x - Irish history which were connected with my tale, to turn them to the purposes of conciliation, and to incorporate the leaven of favourable opinion with that heavy mass of bitter prejudice, which writers, both grave and trifling, have delighted to raise against my country. But when I fondly thought to send forth a dove bearing the olive of peace, I found I was on the point of flinging an arrow winged with discord.
Página viii - Ideal beauties, and ideal perfection, take the place of nature, and approbation is sought rather by a description of what is not, than a faithful portraiture of what is. He, however, who soars beyond the line of general knowledge, and common feelings, must be content to remain within the exclusive pale of particular approbation. It is the interest, therefore, of the novelist, who is, par etat,1 the servant of the many, not the minister of the FEW, to abandon pure abstractions, and "thick coming fancies...
Página xi - ... of bitter prejudice, which writers, both grave and trifling, have delighted to raise against my country. But when I fondly thought to send forth a dove bearing the olive of peace, I found I was on the point of flinging an arrow winged with discord. I had hoped, as far as my feeble efforts could go, to extenuate the errors attributed to Ireland, by an exposition of their causes, drawn from historic facts...
Página xi - I discovered, far beyond my expectation, that I had fallen upon "evil men and evil days;" and that in proceeding, I must raise a veil which ought never to be drawn, and should renew the memory of events, which the interests of humanity require to be for ever buried in oblivion. I abandoned therefore my original plan, took up a happier view of things, advanced my story to more modern and more liberal times, and exchanged the rude chief of the days of old, for his polished...
Página 20 - Latin, nonsense incantation. they all so far 'fair specimens', that there could be little difficulty in determining their respective places in the arrangement of notoriety. Mr. Glentworth alone was a variety; chance had included him in the general classification. He was a rich English commoner, and represented that best and most enlightened order in the population of the country, from which England drew her statesmen, her patriots, and her heroes in her Augustan days; and which still holds her up...
Página ix - I have for the first time ventured on that style of novel, which simply bears upon the "flat realities of life." Having determined upon taking Ireland as my theme, I sought in its records and chronicles for the groundwork of a story, and the character of a hero. The romantic adventures, and unsubdued valour of O'DONNEL the Red, Chief of Tirconnel,2 in the reign of Elizabeth, promised, at the first glance, all 1 par ital: by profession.
Página 50 - The driver's seat of a carriage. 38 Wooden dishes. 39 A type of lettuce. with Ireland, it is sufficient to say, that he lived by the country he reviled, like the noxious weed that preys on the stately ruin out of which it draws its existence. The gentlemen broke up early; the Commodore accompanied Mr. Dexter to the stable, he having told Mr. Glentworth that he would just take a peep at his favourite mare, before she was done up for the night. The rest of the...
Página 5 - O'Grady has an obstacle to oppose to everything I have suggested, because the old muddling system must go on for ever in the old muddling way. There is nothing so much wanted here as a canal from Ballynogue to Dublin: I have drawn out a plan upon the Newcastle system, and but we will talk all these...
Página x - I wished, and seemed happily adapted to my purpose. I had already advanced as far as the second volume of my MS. and had expended much time and labour in arduous research and dry study, when I found it necessary to forego my original plan.
Página 290 - Some people have given the invention of this pur=gatory to the great St. Patrick ; but others, with more probability, ascribe it to Patrick, who was prior here about the year 850.

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