Eighteenth Century Collection Online Demo

The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ...

change, from imitating the peculia|rities of some eminent masters in each of those arts. Seneca is accused by Quintilian of having corrupted the taste of the Romans, and of having introduced a frivolous pretti|ness in the room of majestic reason and mas|culine eloquence. Sallust and Tacitus have by others been charged with the same accu|sation, tho' in a different manner. They gave reputation it is pretended to a stile, which tho' in the highest degree concise, ele|gant, expressive, and even poetical, wanted, however, ease, simplicity, and nature, and was evidently the production of the most la|boured and studied affectation. How many great qualities must that writer possess who can thus render his very faults agreeable? After the praise of refining the taste of a na|tion, the highest eulogy, perhaps, which can be bestowed upon any author is to say, that he corrupted it. In our own language, Mr. Pope and Dr. Swift have each of them introduced a manner different from what was practised before, into all works that are written in Rhyme, the one in long verses, the other in short. The quaintness of Butler has given place to the plainness of Swift. The rambling freedom of Dryden,
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Title
The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ...
Author
Smith, Adam, 1723-1790.
Canvas
Page 379
Publication
London :: printed for A. Millar; and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh,
1759.

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"The theory of moral sentiments: By Adam Smith, ..." In the digital collection Eighteenth Century Collection Online Demo. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eccodemo/k111361.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 14, 2025.
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