ying of his, that he was more obliged to Aristotle who had in'ucted him, than to Philip who had given him life and empire ere is a letter of his recorded by Plutarch and Aulus Gellius ich he wrote to Aristotle, upon hearing that he had published se lectures he had given him in private. This letter was itten in the following words, at a time when he was in the ght of his Persian conquests.

Alexander to Aristotle, greeting.

"You have not done well to publish your books of Select owledge; for what is there now in which I can surpass others, hose things which I have been instructed in are communicated every body? For my own part, I declare to you, I would her excel others in knowledge than in power.

"Farewel."

We see, by this letter, that the love of conquest was but the ond ambition in Alexander's soul. Knowledge is, indeed, t which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man ve another. It finishes one half of the human soul. It makes ag pleasant to us, fills the mind with entertaining views, and sinisters to it a perpetual series of gratifications. It gives e to solitude, and gracefulness to retirement. It fills a public ion with suitable abilities, and adds a lustre to those who are. Dossession of them.

Learning, by which I mean all useful knowledge, whether culative or practical, is, in popular and mixed governments, natural source of wealth and honour. If we look into most he reigns from the conquest, we shall find that the favourites ach reign have been those who have raised themselves. The atest men are generally the growth of that particular age in ch they flourish. A superior capacity for business, and a

more extensive knowledge, are the steps by which a new man often mounts to favour, and outshines the rest of his contemporaries. But when men are actually born to titles, it is almost impossible that they should fail of receiving an additional great ness, if they take care to accomplish themselves for it.

The story of Solomon's choice does not only instruct us in that point of history, but furnishes out a very fine moral to us namely, that he who applies his heart to wisdom, does, at the same time, take the most proper method for gaining long life riches, and reputation, which are very often not only the rewards but the effects of wisdom.

As it is very suitable to my present subject, I shall first of all quote this passage in the words of sacred writ; and after wards mention an allegory, in which this whole passage is repre sented by a famous French poet; not questioning but it will b very pleasing to such of my readers as have a taste of fin writing.

'In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream b night and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomo said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David, my father, grea mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righ eousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou ha kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a so to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord m God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David m father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go ou or come in. Give, therefore, thy servant an understanding hea to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and ba for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And t speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thin, And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, ar hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches f

thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream.'

The French poet has shadowed this story in an allegory, of which he seems to have taken the hint from the fable of the three goddesses appearing to Paris, or rather from the vision of Hercules, recorded by Xenophon, where Pleasure and Virtue are represented as real persons making their court to the hero with all their several charms and allurements. Health, wealth, victory, and honour, are introduced successively in their proper em blems and characters, each of them spreading her temptations, and recommending herself to the young monarch's choice. Wisdom enters the last, and so captivates him with her appearance, that he gives himself up to her. Upon which she informs him, that those who appeared before her were nothing else but her equipage, and that since he had placed his heart upon wisdom; health, wealth, victory, and honour, should always wait on her as her handmaids.

No. 112: MONDAY, JULY 20.

-Udam

Spernit humum fugiente pennâ.--HOR.

THE philosophers of King Charles's reign were busy in finding out the art of flying. The famous Bishop Wilkins was so confident of success in it, that he says he does not question but in the next age it will be as usual to hear a man call for his wings when he is going a journey, as it is now to call for his boots. The humour so prevailed among the virtuosos of this reign, that they were actually making parties to go up to the moon together, and were more put to it in their thoughts how to meet with accommodations by the way, than how to get thither. Every one knows the story of the great lady, who at the same time was building castles in the air for their reception. I always leave such trite quotations to my reader's private recollec tion. For which reason also I shall forbear extracting out of authors several instances of particular persons who have arrived at some perfection in this art, and exhibited specimens of it be fore multitudes of beholders. Instead of this, I shall present my reader with the following letter from an artist, who is now taken up with this invention, and conceals his true name under that of Dedalus.

"MR. IRONSIDE,

"KNOWING that you are a great encourager of ingenuity I think fit to acquaint you, that I have made a considerable progress in the art of flying. I flutter about my room two or three hours in a morning, and when my wings are on, can go above an

a Margaret, Duchess of Newcastle, objected to Bishop Wilkins the want of waiting places in the way to his new world. The Bishop expressed his surprise that the objection should be made by a lady who had all her life been employed in building castles in the air.-*

hundred yards at a hop, step, and jump. I can fly already as well as a Turkey-cock, and improve every day. If I proceed as I have begun, I intend to give the world a proof of my proficiency in this art. Upon the next public thanksgiving-day, it is my design to sit astride the dragon upon Bow steeple, from whence after the first discharge of the Tower guns, I intend to mount into the air, fly over Fleet-street, and pitch upon the Maypole in the Strand. From thence, by a gradual descent, I shall make the best of my way for St. James's Park, and light upon the ground near Rosamond's pond. This, I doubt not, will convince the world, that I am no pretender: but before I set out, I shall desire to have a patent for making of wings, and that none shall presume to fly, under pain of death, with wings of any other man's making. I intend to work for the court myself, and will have journeymen under me to furnish the rest of the nation. I likewise desire, that I may have the sole teaching of persons of quality, in which I shall spare neither time nor pains till I have made them as expert as myself. I will fly with the women upon my back for the first fortnight. I shall appear at the next masquerade, dressed up in my feathers and plumage like an Indian prince, that the quality may see how pretty they will look in their travelling habits. You know, sir, there is an unaccountable prejudice to projectors of all kinds, for which reason, when I talk of practising to fly, silly people think me an owl for my pains; but, sir, you know better things. I need not enumerate to you the benefits which will accrue to the public from this invention, as how the roads of England will be saved when we travel through these new high-ways, and how all family-accounts will be lessened in the article of coaches and horses. I need not mention posts and packet-boats, with many other conveniencies of life, which will be supplied this way. In short, sir, when mankind are in possession of this art, they will be able to