British synonymy, or, An attempt at regulating the choice of words in familiar conversation Volume 1

by Hester Lynch Piozzi

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.1794 ... the Droll cook Comically, this is not never cried Hoo boo to the crane upon our dish, or who knows but he might have produced two legs as well as these? TO DROP, TG FALL, TO TUMBLE, TO SINK. SUDDENLY. THESE neuter verbs are not synonymous; because although whatever DROPS must in some measure Fall, yet every thing that Falls does not necessarily DROP. A man climbed a tree in my orchard yesterday, for example, where he was gathering apples; having missed his footing, I saw him, after many attempts to save himself by catching at boughs, &c. Fall at length to the ground--the apples DROPPEDoutofhishand on the first moment of his flipping. To Sink Suddenly, half implies that he Frll in water, unless we speak of such an earthquake as once destroyed the beautiful town of Port Royal in Jamaica, when the ground cleaving into many fissures, people SUNK IN on the sudden; some breast-high, others entirely out of sight. To Tumble is an act of odd precipitancy, and often means voluntary Falls endured, or eluded by fearlessness and adroit 'tis then a verb active, a trick played to get money, and shew the powers of humanity at an escape, as in feats of harlequinery; or the strange thing done many years ago by Grimaldi, a famous grotesque dancer, eminent for powers of this kind, at the Meuse Gate in London; where having made a mock quarrel, and stripped himself as if intending to fight, previously collecting a small circle to see the battle, he suddenly sprung over his antagonists and spectators' heads, and M4 TUM Tumbling round in the air, lighted on his legs and ran away--leaving the people to gape. When the well-known Buffo di Spagna, or Spanish buffoon, who delighted to frequent such exhibitions, was asked what person he thought to be the first TumBle...

58 pages, Paperback

Published February 9, 2012

About the author

Hester Lynch Piozzi, née Salusbury, also called (1763 - 84) Harriet Lynch Thrale, byname Mrs. Thrale, English writer and friend of Samuel Johnson.

In 1763 she married a wealthy brewer named Henry Thrale. In January 1765 Samuel Johnson was brought to dinner, and the next year, following a severe illness, Johnson spent most of the summer in the country with the Thrales. Gradually, he became part of the family circle, living about half the time in their homes. A succession of distinguished visitors came there to see Johnson and socialize with the Thrales.

In 1781 Thrale died, and his wife was left a wealthy widow. To everyone’s dismay, she fell in love with her daughter’s music master, Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian singer and composer, married him in 1784, and set off for Italy on a honeymoon. Dr. Johnson openly disapproved. The resulting estrangement saddened his last months of life.

When news reached her of Johnson’s death, she hastily compiled and sent back to England copy for Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson, LL.D., during the last Twenty Years of his Life (1786), which thrust her into open rivalry with James Boswell. The breach was further widened when, after her return to England in 1787, she brought out a two-volume edition of Letters to and from the late Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1788). Although less accurate in some details than Boswell’s, her accounts show other aspects of Johnson’s character, especially the more human and affectionate side of his nature.

When many old friends remained aloof, Mrs. Piozzi drew around her a new artistic circle, including the actress Sarah Siddons. Her pen remained active, and thousands of her entertaining, gossipy letters have survived. She retained to the end her unflagging vivacity and zest for life.