"Thus they load their minds with superfluous attention, repress the vehemence of curiosity by useless deliberation, and by frequent interruption break the current of narration or the chain of reason, and at last close the volume, and forget the passages and the marks together."
— Johnson, Samuel (1709-1784)
Author
Work Title
Date
September 15, 1759
Metaphor
"Thus they load their minds with superfluous attention, repress the vehemence of curiosity by useless deliberation, and by frequent interruption break the current of narration or the chain of reason, and at last close the volume, and forget the passages and the marks together."
Metaphor in Context
It is the practice of many readers, to note in the margin of their books, the most important passages, the strongest arguments, or the brightest sentiments. Thus they load their minds with superfluous attention, repress the vehemence of curiosity by useless deliberation, and by frequent interruption break the current of narration or the chain of reason, and at last close the volume, and forget the passages and the marks together.
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Samuel Johnson, The Idler: In Two Volumes (London: J. Newbury, 1761), 119-123. <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
05/23/2011
