The Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties: Illustrated by Anecdotes, Volume 2

Front Cover
C. Knight, 1831 - 3 pages

From inside the book

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 80 - New Experiments Physico-mechanical, touching the spring of the air, and its effects ; (made for the most part in a new pneumatical engine) written .... by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esq* experiment xxxvi.
Page 297 - An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire, not by drawing or sucking it upwards, for that must be as the philosopher calleth it, infra spheeram activitatis, which is but at such a distance. But this way hath no bounder, if the vessels be strong enough ; for I have taken a piece of a whole cannon, whereof the end was burst, and filled it three...
Page 384 - Before I had learnt from the note the name and business of my visitor, I was struck with the manliness of his person, the breadth of his chest, the openness of his countenance, and the inquietude of his eye.
Page 346 - Now you will not assert, gentlemen, said I, that it is more difficult to construct a machine that shall weave than one which shall make all the variety of moves which are required in that complicated game.
Page 323 - That he should have been minutely and extensively skilled in chemistry and the arts, and in most of the branches of physical science, might perhaps have been conjectured ; but it could not have been inferred from his usual occupations, and probably is not generally known, that he was curiously learned in many branches of antiquity, metaphysics, medicine, and etymology, and perfectly at home in all the details of architecture, music, and law.
Page 157 - I mention it only, as it shows the solicitude and extreme activity which he had about every thing that related to his art; that he wished to have his objects embodied as it were, and distinctly before him; that he neglected nothing which could keep his faculties in exercise, and derived hints from every sort of combination.
Page 320 - By his admirable contrivance, it has become a thing stupendous alike for its force and its flexibility — for the prodigious power which it can exert, and the ease, and precision, and ductility, with which that power can be varied, distributed, and applied. The trunk of an elephant, that can pick up a pin or rend an oak, is as nothing to it.
Page 157 - If, in his walks, he found a character that he liked, and whose attendance was to be obtained, he ordered him to his house : and from the fields he brought into his painting-room, stumps of trees, weeds, and animals of various kinds ; and designed them, not from memory, but immediately from the objects. He even framed a kind of model of landscapes on his table ; composed of broken stones, dried herbs, and pieces of looking-glass, which he magnified and improved into rocks, trees, and water. How far...
Page 28 - There is a house full of people, and right nasty. The Czar lies next your library, and dines in the parlour next your study. He dines at ten o'clock and six at night ; is very seldom at home a whole day. Very often in the King's yard, or by water, dressed in several dresses. The King is expected there this day ; the best parlour is pretty clean for him to be entertained in ; the King pays for all he has.

Bibliographic information