The Book of Snobs; And, Sketches and Travels in London [Character Sketches] (Paperback)

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. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ...clergyman always proposes the Glorious, Pious, and Immortal Memory of Confucius. Grace is said backwards, and the Catechism treated with the most irreverent ribaldry by the comic authors and the general company.--Are these men to be allowed to meet, and their horrid orgies to continue? Have you had enough?--let us go into the other rooms. What a calm and pleasant seclusion the library presents after the bawl and bustle of the newspaper-room There is never anybody here. English gentlemen get up such a prodigious quantity of knowledge in their early life, that they leave off reading snon after they begin to shave, or never look at anything but a newspaper. How pleasant this room is, --isn't it? with its sober draperies, and long calm lines of peaceful volumes--nothing to interrupt the quiet--only the melody of Horner's nose as he lies asleep upon one of the sofas. What is he reading? Hah " Pendennis," No. VII.--hum, let us pass on. Have you read "David Copperfield," by the way? How beautiful it is--how charmingly fresh and simple In those admirable touches of tender humour--and I should call humour, Bob, a mixture of love and wit--who can equal this great genius? There are little words and phrases in his books which are like personal benefits to the reader. What a place it is to hold in the affections of men What an awful responsibility hanging over a writer What man holding such a place, and knowing that his words go forth to vast congregations of mankind, --to grown folks--to their children, and perhaps to their children's children, --but must think of his calling with a solemn and humble heart May love and truth guide such a man always It is an awful prayer; may heaven further its fulfilment And then, Bob, let the Record revile him--See, ...