ing a humble attention to the works and ways of God in the creation and government of the world, and above all in the discoveries he has made in his word; or, in other terms, when he seeks truth more in the abstractions of his own mind than in the realities of nature and revelation; he is likely to terminate his career amidst all the perplexity of a dark and melancholy scepticism. Indeed, during that period, when curiosity is ardent, and the faculties lively and vigorous, such speculations, as we have before intimated, may be highly agreeable and flattering; but the case is otherwise. in the decline of life. The mind, wearied with endless discussions, seeks repose as well as the body; and this it can only find in plain and substantial truth. Let him, therefore, who would reap the calm satisfaction of a studious retirement, beware of that seducing spirit which would lure him away from the lightsome and fruitful parts . of learning into the dark and dreary regions of metaphysic subtlety. Quale per incertam lunam sub luce malignâ VIRGIL. It would be endless to distribute into their several distinct classes the learned and the speculative of the present times; or to enumerate the various ways in which they endeavour to amuse their solitude. We may notice, however, a kind of universal literati, now become very common amongst us, who lightly skim the surface of human learning, are enamoured with every delicacy of composition, or morsel of ingenious criticism, can feed deliciously on scraps of Greek and Latin, or upon any old ballad supposed to be written before the days of Chaucer, or can riot at large in some curious melange de litérature & de philosophie. A prudent change of studies is indeed no less grateful and salutary to the intellectual, than a change of air or exercise to the animal part of our nature. When the mind is exhausted with long application to scientific or abstruse subjects, she may often find relief in the lighter and more agreeable departments of learning, may expatiate in the interesting field of history, or wander in the flowery paths of poesy; or, if relaxed or scattered, for want of regular exertion, she may apply herself to mathematical, or even to metaphysical enquiries *; just as, in regard to the body, * The author thinks it not improper to express, on this occasion, that he is so far from intending to pass an indiscriminate censure on metaphysical learning, or on such general abstract reasoning as often is ranked under this title, that, in his opinion, there is no species of intellectual exertion, within certain bounds, and directed to just ends, which ought not to be both respected and encou raged and he looks upon it as not the least among the many mischievous effects, produced by the sophistry of Hume, Helvetius, Diderot, and others of the same school, that the most solid and important argumentation, if but a little abstruse and remote from our ordinary apprehen it may be proper to climb the hill or to repose in the valley, according to the laxity or tension of the animal system. But, however judicious may be his plan for an interchange of studies, there will be frequent intervals when a wise man will quit his books and his speculations, in order to discharge the duties, and to share the innocent pleasures, of ordinary life; when, instead of passing from Locke or Newton to Homer or Virgil, to Thucydides or Livy, he will retire alike from philosophers, poets, and historians, to visit a neighbour, to enjoy the cheerful conversation of his own fire-side, or with an infantine spirit to divert himself with his children. Non semper arcum tendit sions, is in danger to be set aside as scholastic and metaphysical, even by sensible and good men; and still more by those, who are either too indolent to examine, or too incapable to understand, whatever lies out of the common road; and who are willing to conceal these defects under the taking pretext of modesty and submission. |