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 his evening declination; he remits his fplendor but retains his magnitude; and pleases more though he dazzles lefs.

RAMBLER.

CHA P. VII.

ON THE ADVANTAGES OF UNITING GENTLENESS OF MANNERS WITH FIRMNESS OF MIND.

I

Mentioned to you, fome time ago, a sentence, which I would moft earnesty wish you always to retain in your thought, and obferve in your conduct; it is fuavièr in modo, fortitèr in re. I do not know any one rule fo unexceptionably useful and necessary in every part of life.

THE fuavitèr in modo alone would degenerate and fink into a mean, timid complaifance, and paffiveness, if not supported and dignified by the fortitèr in re ; which would also run into impetuofity and brutality, if not tempered and foftened by the fuavitèr in modo: however, they are seldom united. The warm choleric man, with ftrong animal fpirits, defpifes the fuavitèr in modo, and thinks to carry all before him by the fortitèr in re. He may poffibly, by great accident, now and then fucceed, when he has only weak and timid people to deal with ; but his general fate will be, to shock, offend, be hated and fail. On the other hand, the cunning crafty man thinks to gain all his ends by the fuavitèr in modo only: he becomes all things to all men; he seems to have no opinion of his own,and fervilely adopts the present opinion of the prefent per

fon ;

fon; he infinuates himself only the into esteem of fools, but is foon detected, and furely defpifed, by every body else. The wife man (who differs as much from the cunning, as from the choleric man) alone joins the fuavitèr in modo withthe fortitèr in re.

If you are in authority, and have a right to command, your commands delivered fuavitèr in modo will be willingly, cheerfully, and confequently well obeyed; whereas if given only fortitèr, that is brutally, they will rather, as Tacitus. fays, be interpreted than executed. For my own part, if I bade my footman bring me a glass of wine, in a rough infulting manner, I fhould expect, that in obeying me, he would contrive to fpill some of it upon me; and I am fure I fhould deferve it. A cool fteady refolution fhould show, that where you have a right to command, you will be obeyed; but, at the fame time, a gentleness in the manner of enforcing that obedience, should make it a cheerful one, and foften, as much as poffible, the mortifying consciousness of inferiority. If you are to afk a favour, or even to folicit your due, you must do it fuavitèr in modo, or you will give thofe, who have a mind to refuse you either, a pretence to do it, by refenting the manner; but, on other hand, you muft, by a fteady perfeverance and decent tenacioufnefs, fhow the fortitèr in re. In fhort, this precept is the only way I know in the world, of being loved with being despised, and and feared without being hated. It conftitutes the dignity of character, which every wife man muft endeavour to establish.

Ir therefore you find that you have a hastiness in your temper, which unguardedly breaks out into indifcreet fallies, or rough expreffions, to either your fuperiors, your equals, or your inferiors, watch it narrowly, check it carefully, and call the fuavitèr in modo to your affistance: at the first im

pulfe

pulfe of paffion be filent, till you can be foft. Labour even to get the command of your countenance so well, that those cmotions may not be read in it: a most unspeakable advantage in bufinefs! On the other hand, let no complaifance, no gentleness of temper, no weak defire of pleafing on your part, no wheedling, coaxing, nor flattery, on other people's, make you recede one jot from any point that reason and prudence have bid you purfue; but return to the charge, perfift, perfevere, and you will find moft things attainable that are poffible. A yielding, timid meekness is always abufed and infulted by the unjuft and the unfeeling; but meekness, when sustained by the fortitèr in re, is always respected, commonly fuccefsful. In your friendships and connections, as well as in your enmities, this rule is particularly useful: let your firmnefs and vigour preferve and invite attachments to you; but, at the fame time, let your manner hinder the enemies of your friends and dependents from becoming your's : let your enemies be difarmed by the gentleness of your manner, but let them feel, at the fame time, the fteadiness of your just resentment; for there is a great difference between bearing malice, which is always ungenerous, and a refolute self-defence, which is always prudent and juftifiable.

I CONCLUDE with this observation. That gentleness of manners, with firmness of mind, is a short, but full description of human perfection, on this fide of religious and moral duties.

CHA P. VIII.

ON GOOD SENSE.

ERE I to explain what I understand by good fenfe,

Whould call it right reafon; but right reason that

arifes not from formal and logical deductions, but from a fort of intuitive faculty in the foul, which diftinguishes by imme diate perception: a kind of innate fagacity, that in many of its properties feems very much to resemble instinct. It would be improper, therefore, to fay, that Sir Ifaac Newton fhewed his good fenfe, by those amazing discoveries which he made in natural philofophy; the operations of this gift of Heaven are rather instantaneous, than the refult of any tedious procefs. Like Diomed, after Minerva had endued him with the power of difcerning gods from mortals, the man of good fenfe difcovers at once the truth of those objects he is most concerned to distinguish; and conducts himself with suitable caution and fecurity.

It is for this reason, poffibly, that this quality of the mind is not so often found united with learning as one could wish : for good fenfe being accustomed to receive her discoveries without labour or ftudy, fhe cannot so easily wait for those truths, which being placed at a distance, and lying concealed under numberlefs covers, require much pains and application to unfold.

BUT though good fenfe is nor in the number, not always, it must be owned, in the company of the fciences ; yet is it (as the most fenfible of poets has juftly obferved)

fairly worth the feven.'

Rectitude of understanding is indeed the most useful, as well as the most noble of human endowments, as it is the fove

reign guide and director in every branch of civil and focial intercourfe.

UPON whatever occafion this enlightening faculty is ex erted, it is always fure to act with diftinguished eminence ; but its chief and peculiar province feems to lie in the commerce of the world. Accordingly we may obferve, that those who have conversed more with men than with books; whofe wisdom is derived rather from experience than contemplation; generally poffefs this happy talent with superior perfectior, For good sense, though it cannot be acquired, may be improved; and the world, I believe, will ever be found to afford the most kindly foil for its cultivation,

S

CHA P. IX.

ON STUDY,

MELMOTH

TUDIES ferve for delight, for ornament, and for abi lity. The chief ufe for delight is in privatenefs and retiring; for ornament, is in difcourfe; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of bufinefs. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars one by one; but the general counfels, and the plots, and marshalling of affairs, come beft from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is floth; to use them too much for ornament is affectation ; to make judgment wholly by their rules is the humour of afcholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience; for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by duty, and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, fimple men admire them, and wife men use them •