Thomas Blackwell, An Enquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer (1735)
“ No Safety to Life or Fortune without them; while every State, that is to say, almost every City was necessitated either to defend itself against its warlike Neighbour, or shamefully submit to Oppression and Slavery. And no wonder if the Man who learns these Virtues from Necessity, and the Things themselves, knows them better than Schools and Systems can instruct him ”
Thomas Blackwell, An Enquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer (1735)
“ Thus your Lordship sees, that the Fortunes, the Manners, and the Language of a People are all linked together, and necessarily influence one another. Men take their Sentiments from their Fortunes; if they are low, it is their constant Concern how to mend them; if they are easy, how to enjoy them: And according to this Bent they turn both their Conduct, and their Conversation; and assume the Language, Air, and Garb peculiar to the Manner of the different Characters. In most of the Greek Cities, Policy and Laws were but just a forming, when Homer came into the World [6] . ”
Thomas Blackwell, An Enquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer (1735)
“ While a Nation continues simple and sincere, whatever they say has a Weight from Truth: Their Sentiments are strong and honest; which always produce fit Words to express them [8] : Their Passions are sound and genuine, not adulterated or disguised, and break out in their own artless Phrase and unaffected Stile. They are not accustomed to the Prattle, and little pretty Forms that enervate a polished Speech; nor over-run with Quibble and Sheer-Wit, which makes its Appearance late, and in Greece came long after the Trojan Times. ”
