the earth; it was the queftion of a fimple gardener concerning a pump, that led Galileo to ftudy and difcover the weight of the air. To the tones of a welch harp, are we indebted for the bard of Gray; and Gibbon formed the defign of that truly great work, his History of the Decline of the Roman Empire, while viewing the ruins of the Capitol. Lull'd in the countless chambers of the brain, "Our thoughts are link'd by many a hidden chain; "Each stamps its image as the other flies.” I am, Pleafures of Memory. Dear Friend, Yours. LETTER 66 LETTER XXXIX. -Honeft Englishmen, who never were abroad, Man of Tafic, "In my Delia all endowments meet; "Her thoughts are manly, and fenfe refin'd. POMFRET, DEAR FRIEND, IT T has been long fince remarked, that a perfon may be well acquainted with books, or in other words, may be a very learned man, and yet remain almost totally ignorant of men and manners, as Mallet remarks of a famous divine: "While Bentley, long to wrangling schools confin'd, -Tho' no judge decide." Verbal Criticism. Hence Hence many fine chimerical fystems of law, government, &c. have been spun out of the prolific brains of the learned, which have only ferved to amufe others as learned and as unacquainted with mankind as the authors, and have frequently produced a number of remarks, replies, obfervations, fevere (not to fay fcurrilous) criticisms, and new fyftems and hypothefes; these again gave birth to fresh remarks, rejoinders, &c. ad—(infinitum). These learned men, after tiring themselves and the public, have generally left them just as wife on the subject as when they began, nay often "From the fame hand how various is the page; The reading and studying of History, Voyages, Travels, &c. will no doubt contribute much to that kind of knowledge, but will not alone be fufficient; in order to become a proficient in that useful branch of knowledge. MAN KNOW THYSELF!" was a precept of the ancient philofophers. But I can scarce think it poffible for any man to 66 be years be well acquainted with himself, without his poffeffing a tolerable degree of knowledge of the rest of mankind. In the former part of my life I faw a deal of what is called low life, and became acquainted with the cuf toms, manners, difpofitions, prejudices,. &c. of the labouring part of the community, in various cities, towns, and villages; for paft, I have spent some of my leisure hours among that clafs of people who are called opulent or genteel tradefmen; nor have I been totally excluded from higher circles. The middle station of life (fays Hume) is the most favourable to the acquiring of wif dom and ability, as well as of virtue, and a man fo fortunate has a better chance of attaining a knowledge both of men and things, than those of a more elevated ftation. He enters with more familiarity into human. life; every thing appears in its natural colours before him; he has more leifure to form obfervations, and has befides the motive of ambition to push him on in his attainments, being certain that he can never rife to any diftinction, Cc distinction, or eminence to the world, with out his own industry. But among all the fchools where the knowledge of mankind is to be acquired, I know of none equal to that of a bookfeller's Shop. A bookfeller who has any taste in literature, may in fome measure be faid to , feed his mind as cooks and butchers wives get fat by the fmell of meat. If the mafter is of an inquifitive and communicative turn, and is in a confiderable line of bufinefs, his fhop will then be a place of refort for men, women, and children, of various nations, and of more various capacities, difpofitions, &c. Who there but wishes to prolong his stay, And fenfe and nature Grandifon defire. To adduce a few inftances by way of illuftration-Here you may find an old bawd inquiring |