Contents ( 59)
- THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
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- JONATHAN SWIFT
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- Contents
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- Introduction
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- The Bookseller to the Reader
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- The Preface of the Author
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- The Battle of the Books
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- The Episode of Bentley and Wotton
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- A Meditation Upon a Broomstick
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- Predictions for the Year 1708
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- The Accomplishment of the First of Mr. Bickerstaff's Predictions
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- Baucis and Philemon
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- The Logicians Refuted
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- The Puppet Show
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- Cadenus and Vanessa
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- Stella's Birthday, 1718
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- Stella's Birthday, 1720
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- Stella's Birthday
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- Stella's Birthday, 1724
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- Stella's Birthday, March 13, 1726
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- To Stella
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- The First He Wrote Oct 17, 1727
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- The Second Prayer was Written Nov 6, 1727
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- The Beasts' Confession
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- An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity
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- Hints Towards an Essay on Conversation
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- Thoughts on Various Subjects
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- A Modest Proposal
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- * * *
- Endnotes
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Then Pindar slew —, and — and Oldham, and —, and Afra the Amazon, light of foot; never advancing in a direct line, but wheeling with incredible agility and force, he made a terrible slaughter among the enemy's light-horse. Him when Cowley observed, his generous heart burnt within him, and he advanced against the fierce Ancient, imitating his address, his pace, and career, as well as the vigour of his horse and his own skill would allow. When the two cavaliers had approached within the length of three javelins, first Cowley threw a lance, which missed Pindar, and, passing into the enemy's ranks, fell ineffectual to the ground. Then Pindar darted a javelin so large and weighty, that scarce a dozen Cavaliers, as cavaliers are in our degenerate days, could raise it from the ground; yet he threw it with ease, and it went, by an unerring hand, singing through the air; nor could the Modern have avoided present death if he had not luckily opposed the shield that had been given him by Venus. And now both heroes drew their swords; but the Modern was so aghast and disordered that he knew not where he was; his shield dropped from his hands; thrice he fled, and thrice he could not escape. At last he turned, and lifting up his hand in the posture of a suppliant, "Godlike Pindar," said he, "spare my life, and possess my horse, with these arms, beside the ransom which my friends will give when they hear I am alive and your prisoner." "Dog!" said Pindar, "let your ransom stay with your friends; but your carcase shall be left for the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field." With that he raised his sword, and, with a mighty stroke, cleft the wretched Modern in twain, the sword pursuing the blow; and one half lay panting on the ground, to be trod in pieces by the horses' feet; the other half was borne by the frighted steed through the field. This Venus took, washed it seven times in ambrosia, then struck it thrice with a sprig of amaranth; upon which the leather grow round and soft, and the leaves turned into feathers, and, being gilded before, continued gilded still; so it became a dove, and she harnessed it to her chariot. . . . . . . . Hiatus valde de- . . . . flendus in MS.