Essay on national pride : to which are added memoirs of the author's life and writings / translated from the original German of the late celebrated Dr. J.G. Zimmermann ... by Samuel H. Wilcocke.

  • Zimmermann, Johann Georg, 1714-1795.
Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essay on national pride : to which are added memoirs of the author's life and writings / translated from the original German of the late celebrated Dr. J.G. Zimmermann ... by Samuel H. Wilcocke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    real defeats; and the union of thefe two fentiments in the mind, by the partial comparifon which a na- tion makes between the advantages it poffeffes, or believes itfelf to polTefs, and the deficiencies of other countries in the fame refpeiSls, begets national pride. The nature of my fubjefl requires uncommon liberality of fentiment, and the ftriftefl regard to equity, to avoid giving any reafonable caufe of com- plaint againfl me. It is an arduous and difficult undertaking to attack men in their tenderefl point, to delineate with forcible ftrokes the foibles and ridiculous charafteriftics of the moft confiderable nations, and, penetrating through the exterior ap- pearances and prejudices of mankind, to lay before the reader a true picture of their actions and mo- tives, fo as not to offend any one, and to fleer at an equal diffance between the oppofite extremes of fawning flattery and wanton fatire. Mifmterpretations,! am aware, can hardly be avoid- ed. I may often appear to exemplify a national foible by that which may have been remarkable in one of its individuals ; yet to allege, on that account, that I draw general inferences from few and partial ob- fervations, or that I caff on a whole nation the odium refill ting from the defefls of a few perfons, would be doing me injuflice. I believe I have not B 2 offended
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