precis_rambler.txt

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==   Precis of Samuel Johnson's Rambler
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==   Precis of Rambler #14
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para. #1:
There is usually a strong contrast between an author's writing and his life;
though Milton amazingly showed none.

para. #2:
Those who are looking for virtue in the real life of a writer are often
bitterly disappointed.

para. #3: 
It is necessary for authors to conceal their private life from the readers.
OR
Writers should hide their follies and weaknesses from their readers, just like
some oriental monarchs their subjects.

para. #4:
There are many reasons why a man writes much better than he lives, the most
obvious one being that he does not have to go through all the real difficulties
during writing.

para. #5:
In practice, people will face many obstacles and inconveniences not anticipated
in theory.

para. #6: 
Hence most people fail to acheive the goals they have set in comfort.

para. #7:
Knowing this, we still need to aim for perfection, and our failings would be
instructive to others.

para. #8:
We should not be too harsh to people who advocate virtues which they fail to 
practice.

para. #9:
The folly of those who attack virtues just because advocates themselves could
not maintain them is that one should counter argument by argument, rather than
by action.

para. #10:
Because of this prejudice (however unreasonable) writers advocating virtues
should strive to practice them.

para. #11:
It is acceptable for a man to target perfect virtues but in reality to setter on
lesser ones.

para. #12:
One should try to stay anonymous if he has no confidence about enforcing his own
rules.

para. #13:
Curiosity about a writer's private life may also arise from an admiration of
that writer's ability to delight (instead of to teach) in his writings.

para. #14:
Good writers may not behave well in society.

para. #15:
Good writers may not be very interesting in conversation.

para. #16:
The transition from an author's books to his conversation is similar to enter a
large city from afar.


Notes:

(1) Example of VERB + virtue: exercise virtue, practice virtue, maintain virtue


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==   Precis of Rambler #17
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para. #1:
Some eastern monarch had an officer to remind him of his mortality in the
morning, and Solon of Athens advised us to keep our eyes upon the end of life.

para. #2: 
A conscious and frequent attention to the end of one's life would keep one
honest and rational.

para. #3:
The consideration of our mortality would keep our desires, griefs, and fears
(which are three disturbers to our happiness) in check, as suggested by
Epictetus.


Johonson's original sentence:
That the maxim of Epictetus is founded on just observation will easily be
granted, when we reflect, how that vehemence of eagerness after the common
objects of pursuit is kindled in our minds.

Rewrite:
When we reflect, how that vehemence of eagerness after the common objects of
pursuit is kindled in our minds, it will easily be granted that the maxim of
Epictetus is founded on just observation.

It will easily be granted that the maxim of Epictetus is founded on just
observation, when we reflect, how that vehemence of eagerness after the common
objects of pursuit is kindled in our minds.

It will easily be granted, when we reflect, how that vehemence of eagerness
after the common objects of pursuit is kindled in our minds, that the maxim of
Epictetus is founded on just observation.

That the maxim of Epictetus is founded on just observation, when we reflect, how
that vehemence of eagerness after the common objects of pursuit is kindled in
our minds, will easily be granted.


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Rambler #21

bane(n.)

para. #1:
Every man is promoted by the love of himself to imagine,
  that he possesses some qualities, 
    superior,
      either in kind or degree,
    to those which he sees allotted to the rest of the world;
and, 
  whatever apparent disadvantages he may suffer in the comparison with others,
he has 
  some invisible distinctions,
  some latent reserve of excellence, 
    which he throws into the balance,
    and by which he generally fancies that it is turned in his favour.

para. #2:
The studious and speculative part of mankind always seem to consider 
  their fraternity as placed in a state of opposition to those 
    who are engaged in the tumult of public business;
and have pleased themselves,
  from age to age,
with celebrating the felicity of their own condition,
and with recounting 
  the perplexity of politics,
  the dangers of greatness,
  the anxieties of ambition,
  and the miseries of riches.

para. #3:
  Among the numerous topics of declamation,
    that their industry has discovered on this subject,
there is none which they press with greater efforts,
  or on which they have more copiously laid out their reason and their imagination.
than the instablility of high stations,
and the uncertainty 
  with which the profits and honours are possessed,
    that must be acquired with so much hazard, vigilance, and labour.

para. #4:
This they appear to consider as an irrefragable argument against the choice of
the statesmand and the warrior; 
and swell with confidence of victory, 
  thus furnished by the muses with the arms 
    which never can be blunted,
    and which no art or strength of their adversaries can elude or resist.

And that those 
  who have gained the esteem and veneration of the world,
    by their knowledge or their genius,
are by no means exempt from the solicitude 
  which any other kind of dignity produces,
may be conjectured from the innumerable artifices 
  which they make use of 
    to degrade a superior,
    to repress a rival,
    or obstruct a follower;
artifices so gross and mean, as to prove evidently 
  how much a man may excel in learning, 
    without being either more wise or more virtuous than those
      whose ignorance he pities or despises.

Nothing therefore remains,
  by which the student can gratify his desire 
    of appearing to have built his happiness on a more firm basis than his antagonist,
except the certainty 
  with which his honours are enjoyed.


we think too much of our own ability
           |
          \ /
writing not by choice but by patronage

para. #1:
Every man thinks he possesse some better qualities than others.

para. #2:
studious and speculative part of mankind