Careful Words

stock (n.)

stock (v.)

stock (adj.)

  His death eclipsed the gayety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784): Life of Edmund Smith (alluding to the death of Garrick).

Those old credulities, to Nature dear,

Shall they no longer bloom upon the stock

Of history?

William Wordsworth (1770-1850): Memorials of a Tour in Italy. iv.