The truth is, that to the studious man, the desultory is not desultory.
Still, they are presented in the form that we are accustomed to associate with our desultory work, and our times of relaxation; and so, they seldom produce in the minds of readers the effect that they are capable of producing.
They might not attend all through the inferior and desultory speaking, but they would be ready to pop in when an able debater was on his legs, and they would hear the leaders wind up at the close.
The desultory man will not be without a certain flow of language as well as a command of ideas; notwithstanding which, he will never be confounded with the studious man.
The desultory is not a bad way of increasing our resources of expression.
Although the batteries at Ras-el-Tin had, as above stated, practically ceased firing, some heavy guns in Fort Adda still kept up a desultory cannonade.
Up to this time no serious attempt had been made to push home the attack, and the fighting had been of a somewhat desultory character.
One sees what Hazlitt meant--the voluble and diffuse learning, the desultory thread of narration, the mixture of religion and animalism.
The sacred flame may be kindled in the breast by desultory and omnivorous reading, but the light emitted is as uncertain as that of a wandering marsh-fire--it wants focussing to be of any use to its possessor or his species.
Having forced his way through a desultoryopposition offered by the Thessalian cavalry, he crossed Mount Othrys, and marched unopposed the rest of the way through the straits of Thermopylae to the frontiers of Phocis and Boeotia.
Here, for the present, we draw to a close these desultory notes on the Christian Schools of Alexandria.
The commentaries of Budæus are written in a very rambling and desultory manner, passing from one subject to another as a casual word may suggest the transition.
Such books, truly adversaria or commonplaces, were not unusual; but can of course only be read in a desultory manner, or consulted upon occasion.
In the foregoing desultory account of Charles Lamb I have, without doubt, set forth many things that are frequently held as trivial.
His desultory thoughts were roaming idly over the subject, when one, more far reaching than the rest, made him start lip with a sudden shock of unwelcome surprise.
The Squire lifted his hat, there was a little desultory conversation, then the carriages went on their separate ways, and soon Evadne found herself at her destination.
Chief of these, I hoped, was Mohun Dampier, an old schoolmate with whom I had held a desultory correspondence which had long ceased, as is the way of correspondence between men.
There were shoutings and confusion, hoof-beats and desultory cheers.
The state or quality of being a dilettante; the desultory pursuit of art, science, or literature.
The quality of being desultory or without order or method; unconnectedness.
The Boers appear to be in force in front, moving backwards and forwards through Wessels Nek, so we have kept up a desultory fire all day.
I put some common shells, however, into the enemy's rifle pits, but we are all getting tired of this sort of desultory firing and existence.
A long and desultory contest followed without definite result, which was not concluded by the year A.
After much desultory warfare, a great battle was fought in the sixteenth year of Isdigerd (A.
We had just finished a discussion concerning some delicate point in Webster's Baltimore operations, and had lapsed into a desultory conversation.
Retreat and pursuit were once more commenced, and at the next ford, a quarter of a mile further on, during a desultory skirmish fire between small parties of sharpshooters, General Garnett was killed.
The city, for two or three nights afterwards, wore an unquiet aspect, and desultorymobs were collected, but no further harm was done.
Even this desultory emigration cannot but be beneficial.
I took a cigar out of my pocket, lit it and, opening the book haphazard, glanced over the pages in a desultory fashion.
I averaged, I suppose, outside of the lecture room, about a single hour's desultory work a day.
Indeed, there are none; and the only very modern records are those written in the desultory manner of hurried travellers.
After this there were only desultory operations on both sides and no naval engagement.
The French minister, D'Argenson, was not unwilling to discuss matters with them; and negotiations went on for some time in a more or less desultory way, but without in any way checking the alarming progress of hostilities.
During the earlier years therefore of William V's stadholderate he consulted Brunswick in every matter, and was thus encouraged to distrust his own judgment and to be fitful and desultory in his attention to affairs of State.
The diplomatic discussions, however, went on for many months in a desultory and somewhat futile manner; and meanwhile though hostilities did not actually cease, the campaign of 1633 was conducted in a half-hearted fashion.
Still a great deal of desultory and vague information concerning distant lands was floating about society.
Afterward I got together enough desultory information so that I could superintend the feed stone.
General La Fayette, since deceased, laid the corner-stone, and Daniel Webster made a few desultory remarks which I cannot now recall.
I conversed with him some more in a desultory way, for I had heard that he was a great orator in his tribe, and I wanted to get his views on national affairs.
A few desultory remarks passed about her ride, where she had been, etc.
He was eleven years my senior; but after the desultory acquaintance of a man and a boy we came together under circumstances which obliterated the disparity of age and established between us a lasting bond of affection.
An officer explained that troops are not permitted in the open trenches during the daytime, to save them needless loss from the shells, which each side all day long, in a desultory way, threw into the open trenches of the other.
The artillery, which had been booming in a desultory way all morning, had of course stopped during the lunch-hour.
Leaving them to secure the picket, the regiments went forward, just as a desultory firing from the front showed that the alarm had been given by Sullivan's attack.
Here the troops were ranged along the steep banks to renew the contest, the batteries being massed at the bridge and at the two fords, and some desultory firing occurred.
