The Censor

by Lewis Theobald

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. 1717. ... N 71. Thursday, Aprils JJbi quaram? ubi investigem? quern perconter? insistam Viam? Ter. IN the Circulations that I so constantly renew about this populous Town, I meet with a Word almost in every Body's Mouth, and yet, I fear, butvery little understood, and that is Merit. The many Constructions to which this "little Terme is by Custom applied, has very near confounded my Notions of it, and made me at a Loss to determine With my self in what it can consist. I "have heard it a thoufand Times usurp t"he Place of Beauty, and as often used for Skill in any Sciencej I have known it supply the Ide of Learning in Converfation, and sometimes appropriated to the expressing of Modesty, or good Sense. I have somewhere read that in the 'Chinese Language a single Monosyllable, y the Difference of Accenting and Pronunciation, serves to explain Twenty several Things and so amongst Us this coraprecomprehensive Dissyllable, without any Alteration either in its Orthography or our Emphasis, takes in as many differing Significations. In the describing of Persons, or Confession of their Characters, it is become of general Use j and is reckon'd as Synonomous, in our Way of Talk, as any other Term which has the nearest Relation to the Thing we arc speaking of. If a Spark, in the Raptures of his Imagination, attempts to set out the Beauties of his Mistress, and confines himself to that Theme alone, he cannot conclude the summing up her Charms without protesting, that she is a Lady of infinite Merit. The Lawyer who ihould talk of Right and Wrong, tells the Judge that his Client has a deal of Merit in his Cause j and even the Mechanick's Art is generally extolPd by the Merit that he has in his way of Working. I could as easily demonstrate, were it to the Purpose, that it stands fo...

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2018

About the author

Lewis Theobald, British textual editor and author, was a landmark figure both in the history of Shakespearean editing and in literary satire. He was vital for the establishment of fair texts for Shakespeare, and he was the first avatar of Dulness in Alexander Pope's The Dunciad.