The moft pertinacious and vehement de monftrator, may be wearied, in time, by continual negation, and incredulity, which an old poet, in his addrefs to Raleigh, calls "the wit of fools," obtunds the arguments which it cannot anfwer, as woolfacks deaden arrows, though they cannot repel them.

Ditto, ditto, p. 196.

INDULGENCE.

THE man who commits common faults, fhould not be precluded from common indulgence.

Preliminary Difcourfe to the London Chronicle, p. 155.

INCLINATIO N..

IT may reafonably be afferted, that he who finds himself ftrongly attracted to any particular ftudy, though it may happen to be out of his propofed scheme, if it is not trifling or vicious, had better continue his application to it, fince it is likely that he will, with much more eafe and expedition, attain that which a warm inclination ftimulates him to pursue, than that at which a prefcribed law compels him to toil.

Idler, v. 2. p. 85.
R U-

RURAL IMPROVEMENT S.

WHETHER to plant a walk in undulating curves, and to place a bench at every turn where there is an object to catch the view; to make water run where it will be heard, and to flagnate, where it will be feen; to leave intervals where the eye will be pleafed, and to thicken the plantation where there is fomething to be hidden, demands any great powers of mind, we will not enquire. Perhaps a furly and fullen fpeculator may think fuch performances rather the fport, than the bufinefs of human reafon. But it must be at least confeffed, that to embellish the form of nature is an innocent amufement, and fome praife muft be allowed, by the moft fupercilious obferver, to him who does beft, what fuch multitudes are contending to do well.

1.

Life of Shenstone.

K.

KNOWLEDG E.

MAN is not weak; knowledge is more

than equivalent to force.

Prince of Abyffinia, p. 90.

As

As knowledge advances, pleasure paffes from the eye to the ear; but returns, as it declines, from the ear to the eye.

Pref. to Shakespeare, p. 34.

Other things may be seized by might, or purchafed with money; but knowledge is to be gained only by ftudy, and study to be profecuted only in retirement.

Rambler, v. 1, p. 37.

No degree of knowledge, attainable by man, is able to fet him above the want of hourly affiftance, or to extinguish the defire of fond endearments, and tender officioufnefs; and therefore no one fhould think it unneceffary to learn thofe arts by which friendship may be gained. Kindness is preferved by a conftant reciprocation of benefits, or interchange of pleasures; but fuch benefits only can be bestowed, as others are capable to receive, and fuch pleafures only imparted, as others are qualified to enjoy. By this defcent from the pinnacles of art, no honour will be loft; for the condefcenfions of learning are always overpaid by gratitude. An elevated genius employed in little things, appears, to ufe the fimile of Longinus, "like the fun in.

its

its evening declination; he remits his fplendor, but retains his magnitude; and pleafes more, though he dazzles lefs."

Ditto, v. 3, P. 190.

The feeds of knowledge may be planted in folitude, but must be cultivated in public.

Ditto, v. 4. p. 48.

In all parts of human knowledge, whether terminating in fcience merely fpeculative, or operating upon life, private, or civil, are admitted fome fundamental principles, or common axioms, which, being generally received, are little doubted," and being little doubted, have been rarely proved."

Taxation no Tyranny, p. T.

One man may be often ignorant, but never ridiculous, another may be full of knowledge, whilft his variety often diftracts his judgment, and his learning frequently is difgraced by his

abfurdities.

Preface to Dict. fol. p. 3. It is to be lamented, that those who are moft capable of improving mankind, very frequently neglect to communicate their knowledge, either because it is more pleafing to gather ideas than to impart them, or because, to minds naturally great, few things appear of fo much importance as to deferve the notice of the public.

Life of Cir Tho, Browne, p. 256.

Acquifitions of knowledge, like blazes of genius, are often fortuitous. Thofe who had propofed to themselves a methodical courfe of reading, light by accident on a new book, which feizes their thoughts, and kindles their curiofity, and opens an unexpected prospect, to which, the way which they had prescribed to themselves, would never have conducted them. Idler, v. 2, p. 79.

All foreigners remark, that the knowledge of the common people of England is greater than that of any other vulgar. Ditto, v. 1, p. 35.

KING S.

THE ftudies of princes feldom produce great effects; for princes draw, with meaner mortals, the lot of understanding; and fince of many ftudents not more than one can be hoped to advance to perfection, it is fcarce to be expected to find that one a prince.

Memoirs of the K. of Pruffia, p. 99.

Kings, without fome time paffing their time without pomp, and without acquaintance with. the various forms of life, and with the genuine paffions, interests, defires, and distresses of mankind, fee the world in a mift, and bound their views to a narrow compafs. It was,

perhaps,