William Shenstone
William Shenstone
William Shenstonewas an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth18 November 1714
writing musical style
Harmony of period and melody of style have greater weight than is generally imagined in the judgment we pass upon writing and writers. As a proof of this, let us reflect what texts of scripture, what lines in poetry, or what periods we most remember and quote, either in verse or prose, and we shall find them to be only musical ones.
order accomplishment people
There would not be any absolute necessity for reserve if the world were honest; yet even then it would prove expedient. For, in order to attain any degree of deference, it seems necessary that people should imagine you have more accomplishments than you discover.
honesty book men
When self-interest inclines a man to print, he should consider that the purchaser expects a pennyworth for his penny, and has reason to asperse his honesty if he finds himself deceived.
heart contentment may
May I always have a heart superior, with economy suitable, to my fortune.
animal vines pruning
Critics must excuse me if I compare them to certain animals called asses, who, by gnawing vines, originally taught the great advantage of pruning them.
men quality dresses
Men of quality never appear more amiable than when their dress is plain. Their birth, rank, title and its appendages are at best indivious and as they do not need the assistance of dress, so, by their disclaiming the advantage of it, they make their superiority sit more easy.
hero eye prize
Whoe'er excels in what we prize, appears a hero in our eyes.
enemy may littles
A rich dress adds but little to the beauty of a person. It may possibly create a deference, but that is rather an enemy to love.
clothes shining dresses
Those who are incapable of shining out by dress would do well to consider that the contrast between them and their clothes turns out much to their disadvantage.
fashion fancy able
Fashion is a great restraint upon your persons of taste and fancy; who would otherwise in the most trifling instances be able to distinguish themselves from the vulgar.
silly character people
I have been formerly so silly as to hope that every servant I had might be made a friend; I am now convinced that the nature of servitude generally bears a contrary tendency. People's characters are to be chiefly collected from their education and place in life; birth itself does but little.
silence gains deference
A person that would secure to himself great deference will, perhaps, gain his point by silence as effectually as by anything he can say.
song certain seems
There is a certain flimsiness of poetry which seems expedient in a song.
wine understanding church
Reserve is no more essentially connected with understanding than a church organ with devotion, or wine with good-nature.