Vulgar words in The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol II. (Page 1)

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I avoid all Booksellers; see them rarely, the blockheads; study never to think of them at all.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 684   ~   ~   ~

For example, I knew old --- myself; and can testify, if you will believe me, that few greater blockheads (if "blockhead" may mean "exasperated imbecile" and the ninth part of a thinker) broke the world's bread in his day.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 1,775   ~   ~   ~

I heard an ignorant blockhead (or mainly so) called --- bow-wowing here, some months ago, to an audience of several thousands, in the City, one evening,--upon Universal Peace, or some other field of balderdash; which the poor people seemed very patient of.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 1,828   ~   ~   ~

May the Lord deliver us all from _Cant;_ may the Lord, whatever else he do or forbear, teach us to look Facts honestly in the face, and to beware (with a kind of shudder) of smearing _them_ over with our despicable and damnable palaver, into irrecognizability, and so _falsifying_ the Lord's own Gospels to his unhappy blockheads of children, all staggering down to Gehenna and the everlasting Swine's-trough for _want_ of Gospels.--O Heaven, it is the most accursed sin of man; and done everywhere, at present, on the streets and high places, at noonday!

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,029   ~   ~   ~

I am busy with William Conqueror's _Domesday Book_ and with the commentaries of various blockheads on it:--Ah me!

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,221   ~   ~   ~

Oh, if we were not a set of Cant-ridden blockheads, there is no _Myth_ of Athene or Herakles equal to this _fact;_--which I suppose _will_ find its real "Poets" some day or other; when once the Greek, Semitic, and multifarious other Cobwebs are swept away a little!

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,230   ~   ~   ~

The _stupor_ of my fellow blockheads, for Centuries back, presses too heavy upon that,--as upon many things, O Heavens!

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,498   ~   ~   ~

A blockhead (by mistake) has been let in, and has consumed all my time.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,816   ~   ~   ~

Such a pack of blockheads, and disloyal and bewildered unfortunates who know not their right hand from their left, as fill me with astonishment, and are more and more forfeiting all respect from me.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,885   ~   ~   ~

A "retreat" _without cilices,_ thistle-mattresses; and with _silent_ devotions (if any) instead of blockhead spoken ones to the Virgin and others!

~   ~   ~   Sentence 3,630   ~   ~   ~

He is clearly a sufficient ruler, and perhaps civilizer of his kingdom of blockheads ad interim; but I found that the San Franciscans believe that this exceptional power cannot survive Brigham.

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