magna eft corporis pars operta, et laventur in flu minibus. Commentaria, 1.4. prin. Burnet, in the history of his own times, giving Lord Sunderland's character, fays, His own notions were always good; but he was a man of great expence. I have feen a woman's face break out in heats, as she has been talking against a great lord, whom fhe had never seen in her life; and indeed never knew a party-woman that kept her beauty for a twelvemonth. Spectator, N° 57. Lord Bolingbroke, fpeaking of Strada: I fingle him out among the moderns, because he had the foolish prefumption to cenfure Tacitus, and to write history himself and your Lordship will forgive this fhort excurfion in honour of a favourite author. : Letters on biftory, vol. 1. let. 5. - It feems to me, that in order to maintain the moral fyftem of the world at a certain point, far below that of ideal perfection, (for we are made capable of conceiving what we are incapable of at taining), taining), but however fufficient upon the whole to constitute a state easy and happy, or at the worst tolerable: I fay, it feems to me, that the author of nature has thought fit to mingle from time to time, among the focieties of men, a few, and but a few, of those on whom he is graciously pleased to bestow a larger proportion of the ethereal spirit than is given in the ordinary course of his providence to the fons of men. Bolingbroke, on the spirit of patriotism, let. 1. To crowd into a single member of a period, different fubjects, is ftill worse than to crowd them into one period. Trojam, genitore Adamasto Paupere (manfiffetque utinam fortuna) profectus. Eneid. iii. 614. Where two things are fo connected as to require but a copulative, it is pleasant to find a refemblance in the members of the period, were it even fo flight as where both begin with the fame letter: The peacock, in all his pride, does not display half the colour that appears in the garments of a VOL. II. British British lady, when she is either dreffed for a ball or a birth-day. Spectator, No 265. Had not my dog of a steward run away as he did, without making up his accounts, I had ftill been immersed in fin and fea coal. Ibid. No. 530. My life's companion, and my bosom-friend, There is obviously a fenfible defect in neatnefs when uniformity is in this cafe totally neglected*; witness, the following example, where the construction of two members connected by a copulative is unneceffarily varied. For it is confidently reported, that two young gentlemen of real hopes, bright wit, and profound judgment, who upon a thorough examination of caufes and effects, and by the mere force of natural abilities, without the least tincture of learning, have made a difcovery that there was no God, and *See Gerard's French grammar, discourse 12. generously generously communicating their thoughts for the good of the public, were fome time ago, by an unparallelled severity, and upon I know not what obfolete law, broke for blafphemy *. [Better thus]: Having made a discovery that there was no God, and having generously communicated their thoughts for the good of the public, were fome time ago, &c, He had been guilty of a fault, for which his master would have put him to death, had he not found an opportunity to escape out of his hands, and fled into the deferts of Numidia. Guardian, No 139. If all the ends of the revolution are already ob tained, it is not only impertinent to argue for obtaining any of them, but factious defigns might be imputed, and the name of incendiary be applied with fome colour, perhaps, to any one who should perfift in preffing this point. Differtation upon parties, Dedication. It is even unpleasant to find a negative and affirmative propofition connected by a copulative. An argument against abolishing Christianity, Swift. Nec excitatur claffico miles truci, Nec horret iratum mare; Forumque vitat, et fuperba civium Potentiorum limina. Horace, Epod. 2. l. 5à If it appear not plain, and prove untrue, Shakespear. An artificial connection among the words, is undoubtedly a beauty when it represents any peculiar connection among the conftituent parts of the thought; but where there is no fuch connection, it is a positive deformity, because it makes a difcordance betwixt the thought and expreffion. For the fame reason, we ought alfo to avoid every artificial oppofition of words where there is none in the thought. This laft, termed verbal antithefis, is ftudied by writers of no taste; and is relished by readers of the same ftamp, becaufe of a certain degree of livelinefs in it. They do not confider how incongruous it is, in a grave compofition, to cheat the reader, and to make him expect |