but to be qualified for domeftick usefulness, and fir down content with fubordinate reputation, we have authors fufficient to fill up all the vacancies of his time, and gratify moft of his wishes for informa

tion.

Of our poets I need fay little, becaufe they are perhaps the only authors to whom their country has done justice. We confider the whole fucceffion from Spenfer to Pope, as fuperior to any names which the continent can boaft; and therefore the poets of other nations, however familiarly they may be fometimes mentioned, are very little read, except by thofe who defign to borrow their beauties.

There is, I think, not one of the liberal arts which may not be competently learned in the English language. He that fearches after mathematical knowledge may bufy himself among his own countrymen, and will find one or other able to instruct him in every part of thofe abftrufe fciences. He that is delighted with experiments, and wifhes to know the nature of bodies from certain and visible effects, is happily placed where the mechanical-philofophy was firft eftablished by a publick inftitution, and from which it was fpread to all other countries.

The more airy and elegant ftudies of philology and criticism have little need of any foreign help. Though our language, not being very analogical, gives few opportunities for grammatical researches, yet we have not wanted authors who have confidered the principles of speech; and with critical writings we abound fufficiently to enable pedantry to impofe rules which can feldom be obferved,

and vanity to talk of books which are feldom read.

But our own language has, from the reformation to the present time, been chiefly dignified and adorned by the works of our divines, who, confidered as commentators, controvertifts, or preachers, have undoubtedly left all other nations far behind them. No vulgar language can boaft fuch treafures of theological knowledge, or fuch multitudes of authors at once learned, elegant, and pious. Other countries and other communions have authors perhaps equal in abilities and diligence to ours; but if we unite number with excellence there is certainly no nation which must not allow us to be superior. Of morality little is neceffary to be faid because it is comprehended in practical divinity, and is perhaps better taught in English fermons than in any other books ancient or modern. Nor fhall I dwell on our excellence in metaphyfical fpeculations, because he that reads the works of our divines will easily discover how far human fubtilty has been able to penetrate.

Political knowledge is forced upon us by the form of our conftitution, and all the mysteries of government are difcovered in the attack or defence of every minifter. The original law of fociety, the rights of fubjects, and the prerogatives of kings, have been confidered with the utmost nicety, fometimes profoundly inveftigated, and fometimes familiarly explained.

Thus copiously inftructive is the English language, and thus needlefs is all recourfe to foreign

5

writers.

writers. Let us not therefore make our neighbours proud by foliciting help which we do not want, nor difcourage our own induftry by difficulties which we need not fuffer.

NUMB. 92. SATURDAY, January 19, 1760.

W

HATEVER is ufeful or honourable will be defired by many who never can obtain it, and that which cannot be obtained when it is defired, artifice or folly will be diligent to counterfeit. Those to whom fortune has denied gold and diamonds decorate themfelves with ftones and metals, which have fomething of the fhow but little of the value; and every moral excellence or intellectual faculty has fome vice or folly which imitates its appearance.

Every man wishes to be wife, and they who cannot be wife are almost always cunning. The lefs is the real difcernment of those whom business or converfation brings together, the more illufions are practifed, nor is caution ever fo neceffary as with asfociates or opponents of feeble minds.

Cunning differs from wifdom as twilight from open day. He that walks in the funfhine goes boldly forward by the neareft way; he fees that where the path is ftreight and even he may proceed in fecurity, and where it is rough and crooked he eafily complies with the turns and avoids the obftructions.

ftructions. But the traveller in the dusk fears more as he fees lefs; he knows there may be danger, and therefore fufpects that he is never fafe, tries every step before he fixes his foot, and fhrinks at every noise left violence should approach him. Wifdom comprehends at once the end and the means, eftimates eafinefs or difficulty, and is cautious or con. fident in due proportion, Cunning difcovers little at a time, and has no other means of certainty than multiplication of ftratagems and fuperfluity of fufpicion. The man of cunning always confiders. that he can never be too fafe, and therefore always keeps himself enveloped in a mift, impenetrable, as he hopes, to the eye of rivalry or curiofity.

Upon this principle, Tom Double has formed a habit of eluding the most harmless queftion. What he has no inclination to anfwer, he pretends fometimes not to hear, and endeavours to divert the enquirer's attention by fome other fubject; but if he be preffed hard by repeated interrogation, he always evades a direct reply. Afk him whom he likes beft on the ftage? he is ready to tell that there are several excellent performers. Enquire when he was laft at the coffee-houfe, he replies, that the weather has been bad lately. Defire him to tell the age of any of his acquaintance, he immediately mentions another who is older or younger.

Will Puzzle values himself upon a long reach. He foresees every thing before it will happen, though he never relates his prognoftications till the event is past. Nothing has come to pafs for these twenty years of which Mr. Puzzle had not given broad hints, and told at least that it was not proper VOL. VIII. Bb

to

to tell. Of thofe predictions, which every conclu fion will equally verify, he always claims the credit, and wonders that his friends did not understand them. He fuppofes very truly that much may be known which he knows not, and therefore pretends to know much of which he and all mankind are equally ignorant. I defired his opinion yesterday of the German war, and was told that if the Pri fians were well fupported, fomething great may be expected; but that they have very powerful enemies to encounter, that the Auftrian general has Long experience, and the Ruffians are hardy and refolute; but that no human power is invincible. I then drew the converfation to our own affairs, and invited him to balance the probabilities of war and peace; he told me that war requires courage, and negotiation judgment, and that the time will come when it will be feen whether our skill in treaty is equal to our bravery in battle. To this general prattle he will appeal hereafter, and will demand to have his forefight applauded, whoever shall at last be conquered or victorious.

With Ned Smuggle all is a fecret. He believes himfelf watched by obfervation and malignity on every fide, and rejoices in the dexterity by which he has efcaped fhares that never were laid. Ned holds that a man is never deceived if he never trufts, and therefore will not tell the name of his taylor or his hatter; he rides out every morning for the air, and pleases himself with thinking that nobody knows where he has been; when he dines with a friend he never goes to his houfe the nearest way, but walks up a bye-ftreet to perplex the fcent. When he has

a coach