as they really did, with good effeft, and great advantage lo his Iijtereft. Witnefs what even that flattering Court-Hiftorian, Dion, relates ot the frank Treatment which that Prince receiv'd from his Friend Maecenas* who was fore'd to draw him from his bloody Tribunal, and murderous Delight, with the Reproach of Surge vero tandem, Carnifex! ButHoRACE, according to his Character and Circumftances, was obligd to take a finer and more conceal'd Manner, both with the Prince and Favourite.
Omne vafer vitium ridendi Flaccus amico Tangil, el admijjus circum pr<rcordia ludit.
Perf. Sat. I.
See below, VOL. III. p. 249. in. the Notes.
f We may add to this Note what Ta c i t us 6r Qv mrttt AH remarks on the Subject of the Roman Tafte: Jam vero propria -et peculiaria hujus Urbis T'itiaptxne in utero matris concipi miki videntur. hijlrionalis favor, et gladiatorura cquorumque fludia: quibus occupatus et obfejfus animus qtwmtulum loci bonis artibus relinquit? Dial, de Oratoribu.i, cap. 29.
But ADVICE to an Author. 271 But fure I am, that our * dramatick Poets Rand violently affecled this way; and delight to make Havock and Dejlruflion of every kind.
'Tis alledg'd indeed by our Stage-Poets, in excufe for vile Ribaldrv and other srrofs Irre- gularitys, both in the Fable and Language of their Pieces; that their Succefs, which depends chiefly on the Ladys, is never fo fortunate, as when this Havock is made on Virtue and good Senfe, and their Pieces are exhibited publickly in this monitrous Form. I know not how they can anfvver it to the Fair Sex, to fpeak (as they pretend) experimentally, and with fuch nice diftinclion of their Audience. How far this Excufe may ferve 'era in relation to com- mon Amours and Love- Adventures, I will not take upon me to pronounce. But I muft own, I have often wonder'd to fee our * fighting Plays become fo much the Entertainment of that tender Sex.
They who have no help from Learning to obferve the wider Periods or Revolutions of human Kind, the Alterations which happen in IVJanners, and the Flux and Reflux of Po- litenefs, Wit, and Art ■ are apt at every turn to make the prefent Age their Standard, and Vol. I. S ima- 272 ADVICE to an Author.
imagine nothing barbarous or favage, but what is contrary to the Manners of their own Time. The fame pretended Judges, had they flourifli'd in our Britain at the time when Caesar made his firft Defcent, wou'd haVe condemn'd, as a whinificalCritick, the Man who fhou'd have made bold to cenfure our defici- ency of Clothing, and laugh at the blue Cheeks and party-colour'd Skins which were then in fafhion with our Anceftors. Such mud of ne- ceflity be the Judgment of thofe who are only Criticks by fafhion. But to a juft Naturalifi or Iiumarujl, who knows the Creature Man, and judges of the Growth and Improvement in Society,' it appears evidently that we Britifli Men were as barbarous and uncivilizd in re- fpect of the Romans under a Caesar, as the Romans themfelves were in refpect of the Gre- cians, when they -invaded that Nation under a Mu MMIUS.
Mu MMIUS.
The noble Wits of a Court-Education, who can go no further back into Antiquity than their Pedegree will carry 'em, are able how- ever to call to mind the different State of Mat- ters in fome few Reigns pari, when Chivalry was in fuch repute. The Ladys were then Spectators not only of feign'd Combats and martial Exercifes, but of real Duels and bloody Feats of Arms. They fat as Umpires and Judges of ADVICE to an Author. 273 of the doughty Frays. Thefe were the Saint- Proteclrices, to whom the Champions chiefly paid their Vows, and to whom they recom- mended themfelves by thefe galante Quarrels, and elegant Decifions of Right and Juftice. Nor is this Spirit fo entirely loft amongft us, but that even at this hour the Fair Sex infpire us ftill with the Fancy of like Gallantrys. They are the chief Subject of many fuch civil Turmoils, and remain Mill the fecret influenc- ing Conftellation by which we are engag'd to give and afk that SatisfcSion, which is peculiar to the fine Gentlemen of the Age. For thus a certain Galante of our Court exprefs'd the Cafe very naturally, when being afk'd by his Friends, why one of his eftablifh'd Character for Courage and good Senfe, wou'd anfvver the Challenge of a Coxcomb; he confefsd, 41 That for his own Sex, he cou'd fafely truft tl their Judgment: But how Ihou'd he appear 41 at night before the Maids of Honour?"
Such is the different Genius of Nations; and of the fame Nation in different Times and Seafons. For fo among the Antients, fome have been known tender of the * Sex to fuch * Contra, ea pleraque nqftris moribus ora, quit apud illos turpia pufantur. Quern enim Romanorum pudel uxorem ducere in convivium? Aui S 2 mjtn 274 ADVICE to an Author.
a degree, as not to fuffer 'em to expofe theiu Modefty, by the View of Mafculine Games, or Theatrical Reprefentations of any kind what- ever. Others, on the contrary, have intro- duc'd them into their Amphitheaters, andmade 'em Sharers in the cruelleft Spe&acles.
But let our Authors or Poets complain ever &* much of the Genius of our People, 'tis evident, we are not altogether fo Barbarous or Gothick as they pretend. We are naturally no ill Soil; and have mufical Parts which misjht be cultivated with great advantage, if fhefe Gentlemen wou'd ufe the Art of Matters in their Compofition. They have power to work cujus mater jamill as non pi imam locum lout tedium, atque in celebritate verjatu;? quodmullo fd aliter in Graecia. Nam ne que in conviiium adhibetur, nifi propinquonim, neque fddet, nifi in interiore parte tedium, qua gpiaconitis appe'la- lur: quo nemo acccdii, nifi propinqua cognations conjuniius. Corn. Nep. in Pisfat. See alfo JLlian, Cap. i. Lib. 10. and the Lav/ in Pau- sanias, Lib. 5 Cap. 6'.' and the Story of.El i a n better related, ns to the Circumflances. Hinc defaxo Famines dejicere Lexjubet, q ue ad Olym- picos Ludoi penetrate deprekenfa Juerint, vtl qua omnino Alpha u intranfmiferinly quibus e/i eis interdiclum diebus: Non tamen deprehenfam ejje ultam perhibent prater imam Callipatiram, quota alii Pherenicem nominant. Hac viro morlvo turn virili ornalu exercilationumfc mag'tjlrum Jimulant, Pijidorum Filium in cer- tamen deduxit; jamque eo vincenle fej.,.id quo Magifirosfedufas habentv tranfiluit vefie amijja. Inde Fceminam agnilam omni crimine iiberarunt. Da- tum hoc ex Judicium aquitate, Patris, Fiatrmn, te Fiiii gloria; qui omnes ex Olympicis Ludis vitlores alierant. Ex eolegefantilum, id nudali adejfenl ludis ipji etiam Magijiri.
upon ADVICE to an Author. 275 •upon our better Inclinations, and may know by certain Tokens, that their Audience is dif- pos'd to receive nobler Subjects, and tafte a bet- ter Manner, than that which, thro' indulgence to ihemfelves more than to the World, they are generally pleas'd to make their choice.
Besides fome laudable Attempts which have been made with tolerable Succefs, of late years, towards a'juft manner of Writing, both in the heroick and familiar Style; we have older Proofs of a right Difpofition in our People towards the moral and inflrucliveWay. Our * old dramatick Poet may witnefs for our good Ear and manly Relifli. Notwithstanding his natural Rudenefs, his unpolifh'd Style, his antiquated Phrafe and Wit, his want of Me- thod and Coherence, and his Deficiency in al- moft all the Graces and Ornaments of this kind of Writings; yet by the Juftnefs of his Moral, the Aptnefs of many of his Descrip- tions, and the plain and natural Turn of feve- ral of his Characters, he pleafes his Audience, and often gains their Ear, without a fmgle Bribe from Luxury or Vice. That + Piece of his, which appears to have mod affected Eng- * Shakespear r The Tragedy of Hamlet.
up.
576 ADVICE to an Author.
Ufa Hearts, and has perhaps been oftneft acled of any which have come upon our Stage, is almoft one continu'd Moral; a Series of deep Reflections, drawn from one Mouth, upon the Subject of one fmgle Accident and Calamity, na- turally fitted to move Horror and Companion. It may be properly faid of this Play, if I mif- take not, that it has only On e Char after ox prin- cipal Part. It contains no Adoration or Flat- tery of the Sex: no ranting at the Gods: no bluftring Heroifm: nor any thing of that curi- ous mixture of the Fierce and Tender, which make the hinge of modern Tragedy, and nice- ly varies it between the Points of Love and Honour.
Upon the whole: fmce in the two great poetick Stations, the Epick and Dramatick, we may obferve the moral Genius fo naturally prevalent: fince our * mofl approv'd heroick Poem has neither the foftnefs of Language, nor the fafhionable Tilrn of Wit; but merely folid Thought, ftrong Reafoning, noble Paffion, and a continu'd Thred of moral Doclrine, Pity, and Virtue to recommend it; we may juftly infer, that it is not fo much the publick Ear!> as the ill Hand and vitious Manner of our Poets, which needs redrefs.
Mij-ion'j Paradifc Loft.
AND ADVICE to an Author. 277 AND thus, at laft, we are return'd to our old Article of Advice; that main Prelimina- ry of Self-Jludy and inward, Converfe, which we have found fo much wanting in the Authors of our Time. They fhou'd add the Wifdom of the Heart to the Tafk and Exercife of the Brain, in order to bring Proportion and Beauty into their Works. That their Compofition and Vein of Writing may be natural and free, they fhou'd fettle matters, in the firft place, with them/elves. And having gain'd a Maftery here; they may eafily, with the help of their Genius, and a right ufe of Art, command their Audi- ence, and eftablifh a good lajle.
'Tis on Them/elves, that all depends. We have confider'd their other Subjects of Excufe. We have acquitted the Great Men, their prefumptive Patrons; whom we have left to their own Difcretion. Wre have prov'd the Critic ks not only an inoffenfive, but highly ufefulRace. And for the Audience, we have found it not fo bad as might perhaps at firft be apprehended.
It remains that we pafs Sentence on our Authors; after having precluded 'em their lafl Refuge. Nor do we condemn 'em on their S4 want want of Wit or Fancy; but of Judgment and Correclnefs; which can only be attain'd by thorow Diligence, Study, and impartial Cenjure cj themf elves. 'Tis * Manners which is want- ing. 'Tis a due Sentiment of Morals which alone can make us knowing in Order and Pro- portion, and give us the juft Tone and Mea- fure of human Pailion.
So much the Poet mult necelTarily borrow of the Philojoplier, as to be Matter of the common Topic ks of Morality. He mull at lead be fpecioiifly honeft, and in all appearance a Friend to Virtue, thro'out his Poem. The Good and Wife will abate him nothing in this kind. And the People, tho corrupt, are, in the main, belt fatisfy'd with this Conducl, Speciofa Log is, moFata^ rifle Fabula, nullius veneris, Jine ponder e et arte, Valdius obleclat populum, meliujque moralur, Quam verjus inopes rerum, nugaque canorce.
Hor. de Arte Poet.
PART ADVICE to an Author. 279 PART III.
SECT. I.
' r I s I S efteem'd the higheft Compliment which A can be paid a Writer, on the occafion of fome new Work he has made publick, to tell him, ' ' That he has undoubtedly/wr^/i'd Hi m- 41 self." And indeed when one obferves how well this Compliment is receiv'd, one wrou'd imagine it to contain fome wonderful Hyperbole of Praife. For according to the Strain of mo- dern Politenefs; 'tis not an ordinary Violation of Truth, which can afford a Tribute fuffici- ent to anfwer any common degree of Merit. Now 'tis well known that the Gentlemen whofe Me- rit lies towards Authorjhip, are unwilling to make the leaf! abatement on the foot of this Ceremo- nial. One wou'd wonder therefore to find era fo entirely fatisfy'd with a Form of Praife, which in plain fenfe amounts to no more than a bare Affirmative, lt That they have in fome man- fri ner differ d from themlelves, and are become ;i fome what *8o A DVI C E to an Author.
tc fomewhat worfe or better, than their common " rate." For if the vileft Writer grows viler than ordinary, or exceeds his natural pitch on either fide, he is juftly faid to exceed, or go be- yond himfelf.
We find in the fame manner, that there is no expreflion more generally usd in a way of Compliment to great Men and Princes, than that plain one, which is fo often verify d, and may be fafely pronounc'd for Truth, on mofl occafions; '<* That they have acled like themjelves, 41 and futably to their own Genius and Cha- '■' racier." The Compliment, it muft beown'd, founds well. No one fufpecls it. For what Perfon is there who in his Xm agination joins not fomething worthy and deferving with his true and native Self, as oft as he is refer'd to it, and made to confider, Who he is? Such is the natural Affeclion of all Mankind towards moral Beauty and Perfection, that they never fail in making this Prefumption in behalf of them- felves: ct That by Xature they have fomething " eftimable and worthy in refpecl of others of ct their Kind; and that their genuine, true, and 4t natural Self, is, as it ought to be, of real va- *l lue in Society, and juflly honourable for the " fake of its Merit, and good Qualitys." They conclude therefore they have the height of Praife Praife ADVICE to an Author. 281 Praife allotted 'em, when they are affurd by any-one, that they have done nothing below themfelves, or that in fome particular Aclion, they have exceeded the ordinary Tenor of their Character.
Thus is every:one convinc'd of the Reality of a better Self, and of the Cult or Homage which is due to It. The misfortune is, we are feldom taught to comprehend this Self, by pla- cing it in a dininct View from its Representa- tive or Counterfeit. In our holy Religion, which for the greater! part is adapted to the very meaner! Capacitys, 'tis not to be expecled that a Speculation of this kind fliou'd be open- ly advancd. 'Tis enough that we have Hints given us of a nobler Self, than that which is commonly fuppos'd the Bafis and Foundation of our Aelions. S 'elf- Inter eft is there taken, as it is vulgarly conceiv'd. Tho on the other fide there are, in the moil * facred Characlers, Ex- amples given us of the highefl Contempt- of all fuch interefted Views, of a Willingnefs to fuf- fer without recompence for the fake of others, and of a defire to part even with Life and Be- ing it-felf, on account of what is generous and worthy. But in the fame manner as the ce- * Exod. Ch. xxxii. ver. 31, 32, be. and Rom. Cli. ix. ver. 1, 2, leflial leftial Phenomena are in the Sacred Volumes generally treated according to common Ima- gination, and the then current Syftem of Auro- nomy and natural Science; fo the moral Appear- ances are in many places preferv'd without Al- teration, according to vulgar Prejudice, and the general Conception of Inter eft and' Self-g&od. Our real and genuine S e l f is fometimes fupposd that ambitions one which is fond of Power and Glory, fometimes that childifti one which is ta- ken with vain Shew, and is to be invited to Obe- dience by promife of finer Habitations, preci- ous Stones and Metals, fhining Garments, Crowns, and other fuch dazling Beautys, by which another Earth, or material City, is repre- fented.
It mult be own'd, that even at that time, when a greater and purer Light difclos'd it-felf in the chofen Nation; their natural * Gloomi- nefs appear'd flill, by the great difficulty they had to know themfelves, or learn their real Inter eft, after fuch long Tutorage and Inftruction from above. The Simplicity of that People muff certainly have been very great; when the bed Doctrine cou'd not go down without a Treat, and the bed Difciples had their Heads fo runnmg ADVICE to an Author. 283 ning upon their Loaves, that they were apt to conflrue every divine Saying in a * Belly-Senk, and thought nothing more felf-conftituent than that inferior Receptacle. Their Tafte in Mo- rals cou'd not fail of being futable to this ex- traordinary Eftimation of them/elves. No won- der if the better and nobler Self was left as a My fiery to a People, who of all human Kind were the moft. grofly feljjjli, crooked and perverfe. So that it mud neceflarily be confefs'd, in ho- nour of their divine Legiflators, Patriots, and Inftructors; that they exceeded all others in Goodnefs and Generofity; fince they cou'd fo truly love their Nation and Brethren, fuch as they were; and cou'd have fo generous and difinterefted Regards for thofe who were in them- felves fo fordidly interefted and undeferving.
But whatever may be the proper EffecT: or Operation of Religion, 'tis the known Province of Philofophy to teach us our -f elves, keep us the Jelj-Jame Perfons, and fo regulate our governing Fancy's, Paffions, and Humours, as to make us comprehenfible to our-felves, and knowable by other Features than thofe of a bare Counte- nance. For 'tis not certainly by virtue of our Face merely, that we are our-felves. 'Tis not WE WE who change, when our Complexion or Shape changes. But there is that, which be- ing wholly metamorphos'd and converted, WE are thereby in reality transform'd and loft.
Shou'd an intimate Friend of ours, who had endur'd many Sicknefles, and run many ill Adventures while he traveld thro' the re- moteft parts of the Eaft, and hotted Countrys of the South, return to us fo alter'd in his whole outward Figure, that till we had for a time convers'd with him, we cou'd not know him again to be the fame Perfon; the matter wou'd not feem fo very flrange, nor wou'd our concern on this account be very great. But fhou'd a like Face and Figure of a Friend re- turn to us with Thoughts and Humours of a ftrange and foreign Turn, with Paflions, Af- fections, and Opinions wholly different from any thing we had formerly known; we fhou'd fay in earneft, and with the greater! Amaze- ment and Concern, that this was another Crea- ture, and not the Friend whom we once knew familiarly. Nor fhou'd we in reality attempt any renewal of Acquaintance or Correfpon- dence with fuch a Perfon, tho perhaps he might preferve in his Memory the faint Marks or Tokens of former Tranfaclions which had pafsd between us.
When ADVICE to an Author. 285 When a Revolution of this kind, tho not fo total, happens at any time in a Character; when the Paffion or Humour of a known Perfon changes remarkably from what it once was; 'tis to Philofophy wre then appeal. 'Tis either the Want or Weaknefs of this Principle, which is charg'd on the Delinquent. And on this bottom it is, that we often challenge our- felves, when we find fuch variation in our Manners; and obferve that it is not always the fame Self, nor the fame Inter eft we have in view; but often a direct contrary-one, which we ferve ftill with the fame Pailion and Ar- dour. When from a noted Liberality we change perhaps to as remarkable a Parfimony; when from Indolence and Love of Reft we plunge into Bufinefs; or from a bufy and fe- vere Character, abhorrent from the tender Converfe of the fair Sex, we turn on a fudden to a contrary Paffion, and become amorous or uxorious: we acknowledge the Weaknefs; and charging our Defect on the general want of Philo/ophy, we fay (fighing) ct That, indeed, " we none of us truly know our-Jelves." And thus we recognize the Authority and proper Object of Philofophy; fo far at lead, that tho we pretend not to be compleat Philojophers, we confefs, tl That as we have more or!efs of M this Intelligence or Comprehenfion of curfelves, felves, 286 AD VIC E to an Author.
ct felves, we are accordingly more or lefs truly '■'• Men, and either more or lefs to be depended tc on, in Friendfhip, Society, and the Gorn- (t merce of Life."
. The Fruits of this Science are indeed the faireft imaginable; and, upon due trial, are found to be as well relifh'd, and of as good favour with Mankind. But when invited to the Speculation, we turn our Eyes on that which we fuppoie the Tree,' 'tis no wonder if we flight the Gardener/hip, and think the man- ner of Culture a very contemptible Myftery. -•' Grapes, 'tis faid, are not gather d from Thorns; "■ nor Figs from Thtftles." Now if in the lite- rate World there be any choking Weed, any thing purely Thorn or Tjiifde, 'tis in all likely- hood that very kind of Plant which Hands for * Philojophy in fome famous Schools. There can be nothing more ridiculous than to expect that Manners or Underfianding fhou'd fprout from fuch a Stock. It pretends indeed fome relation to Manners, as being definitive of the Natures, EfTences, and Property's of Spirits; and fome relation to Reafon, as defcribing the Shapes and Forms of certain Inftruments im- ploy d in the reafoning Art. But had the craftieft of Men, for many Ages together, been imployd in finding out a method to confound ADVICE to an Author. 287 confound Re of on, and degrade the Under/land- ing of Mankind; they coud not perhaps have fucceeded better, than by the Eftablifhment of fuch a Mock-Science.
I knew once a notable Enthufuijloi the ite- nerant kind, who being upon a high Spiritual Adventure in a Country where prophetick Millions are treated as no Jell, was, as he told me, committed a clofe Prifoner, and kept for feveral months where he faw no manner of Light. In this Banifhment from Letters and Difcourfe, the Man very wittily invented an Amufement much to his purpofe, and highly prefervative both of Health and Honour. It may be thought perhaps, that of all Seafons orCircumflances here was one the molt futable to our oft-mention'd practice of Soliloquy; efpecially fince the Prifoner was one of thole whom in this Age we ufually call P/iilofophers, a Succeffor of Paracelsus, and a Mailer in the occult Sciences. But as to Moral Science, or any thing relating to Selfcprtverfe, he was a mere Novice. To work therefore he went, after a different method. He tun'd his na- tural Pipes not after the manner of a Mufi- cian, to praclife what was melodious and agreeable in Sounds, but to fafhion and form all forts of articulate Voices the moll diftin&ly that was poffible. This he perform 'd by llre- Vol. I. T nuoufly Vol. I. T nuoufly nuoufly exalting his Voice, and efTaying it in all the feveral Difpofitions and Configurations of his Throat and Mouth. And thus bellow- ing, roaring, marling, and otherwife vari- oufly exerting his Organs of Sound, he en- deavour'd to difcover what Letters of the Al- phabet cou'd beft defign each Species, or what new Letters were to be invented, to mark the undifcover d Modifications. He found, for in- ftance, the Letter A to be a mo ft genuine Cha- racter, an original and pure Vowel, and juftly plac'd as principal in the front of the alphabe- tick Order. For having duly extended his under Jaw to its utmoft diftance from the up? per; and by a proper Infertion of his Fingers provided againft the Contraction of either Cor- ner of his Mouth; he experimentally difcover'd it impoffible for human Tongue under thefe Circumftances to emit any other Modification of Sound than that which was defcrib'd by this primitive Character. The Vowel 0 was form'd by an orbicular Difpofition of the Mouth; as was aptly delineated in the Cha- racter it-felf. The Vowel U by a parallel Pro- trufion of the Lips. The other Vowels and Confonants by other various Collifions of the Mouth, and Operations of the active Tongue upon the paflive Gum or Palat. The Refult of this profound Speculation and long Exer- cife of our Prifoner, was a Philojophical Irealife, ADVICE to an Author. 289 life, which he compos'd when he was fet at liberty. He efteem'd himfelf the only Matter of Voice and Language on the account of this his radical Science, and fundamental Knowledge of Sounds. But whoever had taken him to improve their Voice, to teach 'em an agreeable or jufl manner of Accent or Delivery, wou'd, I believe, have found themfelves considerably deluded.
Tis not that I wou'd condemn as ufelefs this fpeculative Science of Articulation. It has its place, no doubt, among the other Sciences, and may ferve to Grammar, as Grammar ferves to Rhetorick, and to other Arts of fpeech and Writing. The Solidity of Mathematicks, and its Advantage to Mankind, is prov'd by ma- ny effects in thofe beneficial Arts and Sciences which depend on it: tho Aflrologers, Hor of co- pers, and other fuch, are pleas'd to honour themfelves with the Title of Mathematicians. As for Metaphyficks, and that which in the Schools is taught for Logick or for Ethicks; I (hall wil- lingly allow it to pafs for Philofophy, when by any real effecls it is prov'd capable to refine our Spirits, improve our Understandings, or mend our Manners. But if the defining ma- terial and immaterial Sub/lances, and diftinguifh- ing their Propertys and Modes, is recommended to us, as the right manner of proceeding in T 2 the ago ADVICE to an Author.
the Difcovery of our own Natures, I fliall be apt to fufpecl fuch a Study as the more delu- five and infatuating, on account of its magni- ficent Pretention, The Study of Triangles and Circles inter- feres not with the Study of Minds. Nor does the Student in the meanwhile fuppofe himfelf advancing in Wifdom, or the Knowledge of Himfelf or Mankind. All he defircs, is to keep his Head found, as it was before. And well, he thinks indeed, he has comeoff, if by good fortune there be no Crack made in it. As for other Ability or Improvement in the Knowledge of human Nature or the World; he refers himfelf to other Studys and Practice. Such is the Mathematicians Modefty and good Senfe. But for the Philofopher, who pretends to be wholly taken up in confidering his higher Facultys, and examining the Powers and Prin- ciples of his Underftanding; if in reality his Philofophy be foreign to the Matter pro- fefs'd; if it goes befide the mark, and reaches nothing we can truly call our Intereft or Con- cern; it mult be fomewhat worfe than mere Ignorance or Idiotifm. The moil ingenious way of becoming foolifli, is by a Syjiem. And the furelt Method to prevent good Senfe, is to fet up fomething in the room of it. The liker any thing is to Wifdom, if it be not plainly the.
the.
the thing il-Jdf, the more direclly it becomes its oppofite.
One wou'd expecl it of thefe Phyfwlogijls and fearchers of Modes and Sub/lances, that being fo exalted in their Underftandings, and inrich'd with Science above other Men, they fhou'd be as much above 'em in their PafTions and Sentiments. The Confcioufnefs of beingr ad- mitted into the fecret Receffes of Nature and the inward Refources of a human Heart, fhou'd, one wou'd think, create in thefe Gen- tlemen a fort of Magnanimity, which might diftinguifh 'em from the ordinary Race of Mor- tals. But if their pretended Knowledge of the Machine of this World, and of their own Frame, is able to produce nothing beneficial either to the one or to the other; I know not to what purpofe fuch a Philofophy can ferve, except only to fliut the door againfl better Knowledge, and introduce Impertinence and Conceit with the beit Countenance of Autho- rity.
'Tis hardly poffible for a Student, but more efpecially an Author, who has dealt in Ideas, and treated formally of the PaJJions, in a way of natural Philofophy, not to imagine himfelf more wife on this account, and more know- ing in his own Character, and the Genius of T3 Mankind.