Asperity

I should say that I use Mr. Limbaugh with no little Asperity, not because I am an Enemy to his suppos'd Politicks; for he pretends to be a True-Blue Tory, and I, while having practiced a moderate Whiggery in my Day, would deny no Man his Opinions or his Vote.

"I'm jealous. I can't do it either. I can't cross my legs sitting in a chair like that." Ann Althouse 2008

A self-righteous Asperity will neither advance an Argument, nor improve the Publick's Opinion of an Author.

Should a 10-year-old be permitted to go hunting? Ann Althouse 2008

It is with no mean Asperity, Sir, that I have offer'd up my Critical Observations, slight as they may have been.

Did yesterday's hostage crisis teach us anything about Hillary Clinton? Ann Althouse 2007

In all his conversations and in all his Writings, when he could naturally and sometimes when he could not, he mentioned the King with great Asperity.

John Adams autobiography, part 2, "Travels, and Negotiations," 1777-1778 1961

Mr. Harrison had courted Mr. Hancock, Mr. Duane and Mr. Hancock had courted Mr. Duane, Mr. Dickenson and their Party, and leaned so partially in their favour, that Mr. Samuel Adams had become very bitter against Mr. Hancock and spoke of him with great Asperity, in private Circles, and this Alienation between them continued from this time till the Year 1789, thirteen Years, when they were again reconciled.

John Adams autobiography, part 1, "John Adams," through 1776 1961

Cranch is endeavoring to [illegible] amend this Defect, to correct this fault in his Character, he affects an Asperity, to the Children, to his old Friends.

John Adams diary 3, includes commonplace book entries, spring and summer 1759 1961

Asperity and bitterness must be buried in the graves with the dead.

The Complete Works of Brann the Iconoclast, Volume 12 1919

The unaccountable Frowardness, Asperity, Untreatableness, and Inconsistency of many Persons, every Day gives a visible Exposition of that passage, _An evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul; _ and

The Wonders of the Invisible World Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches Cotton Mather 1695

Domestick Cares, revives Men of Business and studious Professions, and softens the Asperity of morose Dispositions.

Essay upon Wit Sir Richard Blackmore 1695

Fresh from his appearance on the 'Asperity remixes' package this week, Gary Beck's name graces another killer from the Edit Select label with a very special one-sided plate for the minimal techno DJs.

"xchannel" via Mindfield in Google Reader 2010