Newmarket (Volume 2); Or, an Essay on the Turf. Containing, Amongst Other Grave and Weighty Matters, a Parallel Between Newmarket Races, and the Olymp

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1771. Excerpt: ... NEWMARKET: OR, AN ESSAY On The TURF. Chap. XXVII. Of NOTHING. Jamque hwniks, jamq-, elati, fublime videntur Aera per vacuum ferri atque aflurgere in Auras.-Virgil. cian wrote a wifer fentence than the following. Many books of profe and verfe, while they were yet Ifocrates ad Nicocl Vol. II B in in the writers thoughts, have highly raifed their hopes, but when they have beenfinimed, and fhewn to others, have gained them much lefs glory than they hoped for;--Whether the faid Ifocrates fpoke experimentally, and-the reviewers of Athens had fet the blackmark upon him, I pretend not to fay, but to me they appear very like the words of one that fpeaks feelingly.--Be that, however, as it may, they are moft certainly very true; I appeal to nine thoufand nine hundred and ninety authors, out of ten thoufand, who have publifhed within the lalb ten years, if they have not been feverely fenfible of their truth; Afk Mr. A if his fatire, Mr. B if his elegy, Mr. C if his odes, Mr. D if his epiftles, Mr. E if his hiftory, Mr. F if his novel, Mr. G if his fermons, Mr. H if his eflays, Mr. I if his verfions, Mr. K if his ftricuires, Mr. L if his fyftems, Mr. M if his thoughts, N thoughts, Mr. N if his adventures, Mr. O if his enquiries (--I think I have adclreffed myfelf to nearly the propofed number--) did not appear to them, at the times of writing, clever at leaft, if notfcxcellent;and yet when made public, were they not--did.they not (--how lhall I exprefs myfelf not to give offence?) did they not gain tl: em much left glory than they hoped for? Thy words, friend Ifocrates, are words of dire prognoftication;--how came I to ftumble upon them?--I have forfworn reading, while I am about this work, ever fmce the philofopher, that difcards humility with fo high a ha...