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He was so weak, that he could proceed no further; and being suddenly the ground before any one could hasten

seized with a dizziness, fell

to his relief.

The boy placed his toys companions could reach them.

the top of a high wall, where none of his

the hill

"As I did stand my watch
I looked towards Birnam, and anon methought
The wood began to move."

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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SYNONYMES.

THE synonymes ranged under this division are distinguished from each other by the active and passive qualities which they respectively contain. It must be understood that the terms active and passive are not here taken in a grammatical sense. There are many verbs, nouns, and adjectives, which, wholly independently of their grammatical nature, contain in the very ideas they represent either an active or a passive quality. The difference between the two adjectives contented and satisfied may be referred to this principle. The former qualifies one who has restrained his mind or desires within a certain limit. Here, there is evidently an action from within. On the other hand, the word satisfied refers to some one who is in a recipient or passive state. The contented man has acted upon his own mind. The satisfied man has been acted upon by others. In some cases, we even find the active and passive principle existing, under different circumstances, in the same word. Of this, the word fearful will furnish a curious example. When it signifies "inspiring fear," it is used in its active-when it means 66 filled with fear," it is used in its passive sense. A fearful man may mean, either one who makes others afraid, or one who is himself afraid. The difference in many hundred pairs of words may be determined by the application of this principle; the same idea being found in both words; but the one possessing it in an active, and the other in a passive or recipient state.

Ability-Capacity.

Capacity is the power of receiving and retaining knowledge with facility; ability is the power of applying knowledge to practical purposes. Both these faculties are requisite to form a great character; capacity to conceive, and ability to execute designs. Capacity is shewn in quickness of apprehension. Ability supposes something done; something by which the mental power is exercised in executing or performing what has been perceived by the capacity.

[Iago. And though it be fit that Cassio have his place (For, sure, he fills it up with great ability.

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act upon that conviction, and do something worthy of themselves. It is never necessary to explain a difficulty twice to a pupil of good Few persons exert their to the utmost, or do all the good that lies

in their power.

"Whatever man has done, man may do," is a saying expressive of the confidence a man should place in his own

The rules and exercises in the book which I lent you are so clearly and accurately explained, that they are intelligible to the lowest

The courage of the soldier and the

and prudence of the general

are required to extricate an army from a dangerous position. The object is too big for our

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when we would comprehend the cir

shining parts of a great character, he has certainly the

to distinguish himself in the most of being

statesman out of business like a huge whale,

just, faithful, modest, and temperate."

"I look upon an

that will endeavour to overturn the ship, unless he has an empty cask to play with."

Aversion-Antipathy.

Aversion is a turning-from; antipathy is a feeling-against. An antipathy is not so strong as an aversion.

a state of feeling; the latter is a mental act.

The former is
There is more

of reason in aversion, and more of impulse in antipathy. It is something in our own nature which causes our aversion. It is something in the nature of others which produces our antipathy. Antipathy is opposed to sympathy; aversion is opposed to inclination. Many persons feel antipathies to worms, mice, insects, &c. The idle have an aversion from work. We should endeavour to overcome antipathies, and resist aversions.

[Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy.

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same way as we may imagine the same to exist between any two directly

contrary qualities.

They took great pleasure in compounding lawsuits among their neighbours, for which they were the of the gentlemen of the long robe.

without being

There are some persons for whom we entertain an able to give any reason for our dislike; we may suppose, as some bodies have naturally a greater affinity for each other, and others a repelling principle within them which prevents their coming together, that the same principle operates on the minds and affections of men.

When a man indulges in solitude to such a degree as to feel a positive from mixing in society, he may depend upon it that his mind is not in a very healthy state.

"To this perhaps might be justly attributed most of the sympathies and observable in men."

"I cannot forbear mentioning a tribe of egotists, for whom I have always had a mortal -; I mean the authors of memoirs who are never mentioned in any works but their own."

"There is one species of terror which those who are unwilling to suffer the reproach of cowardice have wisely dignified with the name of

A man has indeed no dread of harm from an insect or a worm, but his turns him pale whenever they approach him."

Approval-Approbation.

Approbation is the state or feeling of approving. Approval is the act of approving. Our approval is expressed positively; our approbation is not necessarily made known. Approbation is taken in a passive sense; approval in an active signification. A virtuous conduct will insure the approbation of all good men. Tradesmen often send articles to their customers on approval. We may be anxious for the approbation of our friends; but we should be still more anxious for the approval of our own conscience.

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of reason, and compels an assent

which judgment frequently yields with reluctance even when delay is impossible."

"There is a censor of justice and manners, without whose capital sentences are to be executed."

"The bare

no

of the worth and goodness of a thing is not properly

the willing of that thing; yet men do very commonly account it so."

It is certain that at the first you were all of my opinion, and that I did nothing without your

"He who is anxious to obtain universal

from the fable of the old man and his ass."

will learn a good lesson

The work has been examined by several excellent judges, who have expressed their unqualified of its plan and execution: it will, therefore,

be published without delay.

"There is no positive law of men, whether received by formal consent, as in councils, or by secret as in customs, but may be taken away." "There is as much difference between the of the judgment, and the actual volitions of the will, with regard to the same object, as there is between a man's viewing a desirable thing with his eye and reaching after it with his hand."

Burden-Load.

Whatever we bear is a burden; that which is laid upon us is a load. A load may be more than we can bear: a burden is troublesome to bear. In the case of the burden, we act, for a burden does not prevent, but impedes action. In the case of the load, we are acted upon, for a load may take away our power of acting. We sink under a load. We are uncomfortable under a burden. Both the load and the burden oppress us, but not in an equal degree. An evil conscience is a burden; a load of guilt overwhelms the wicked.

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while in your pride ye contemplate
Your talents, power or wisdom, deem him not
A burthen of the earth.

WORDSWORTH. "The Cumberland Beggar.

See, where his difficult way that old man wins,
Bent by a load of mulberry leaves!

Exercise.

'Memorials of Tour in Italy."]

I am sure, you that know my laziness and extreme indifference on this subject will pity me, entangled in all these ceremonies, which are a wonderful

to me.

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The poor horse appeared to move forward with extreme difficulty, and after having performed about half the journey, sank to the ground utterly overwhelmed with the weight of the he had to drag.

He had too much spirit, however, to become a

to his friends, and

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