fashionable Prejudices biafs your Judg ment, Reafon will foon convince you of the Truth. I wou'd therefore have you believe neither ISOCRATES, nor PLATO: but judge of them both, by clearPrinciples. Now I fuppofe you will grant that the chief End of Eloquence is to persuade Men to embrace Truth and Virtue.

B. I'm not of your Mind: this is what I have already deny❜d.

A. I'll endeavour to prove it then. Eloquence, if I mistake not, may be confider'd in three refpects: As the Art of enforcing Truth on People's Minds, and of making them better: As an Art indifferent in itself, which wicked Men may ufe as well as Good; and which may be apply'd to recommend Injuftice and Error, as well as Probity, and Truth: and, As an Art which felfish Men may use to ingratiate themselves with others; to raise their Reputation, and make their Fortune, Which of thefe Ends do you admit of?

B. I allow of them all. What do you infer from this Conceffion?

A. The Inference will afterwards appear. Have patience a little; and be fatisfy'd, if I fay nothing but what is evidently true, till by gradual Advances I lead you to the right Conclufion. Of the three Ends of Eloquence, I now mention'd, you will undoubtedly prefer the firft.

B. Yes:

B. Yes it is the best.

A. What think you of the Second? B. I fee what you drive at : You are going into a Fallacy. The fecond fort is faulty, because of the ill Ufe the Orator makes of his Eloquence, to enforce Error and Vice. But ftill the Rhetorick of a wicked Man may be good in itself, tho' the Ufe he makes of it be pernicious. Now we are talking of the Nature and Rules of Eloquence; not of the Uses it fhou'd be apply'd to. Let us keep to the true State of the Question.

A. If you will do me the favour to hear me a little, you will find that I have the Point in difpute always in view. You feem then to condemn the fecond fort of Eloquence: or, to speak without Ambiguity, you condemn the † Abuse of Rhetorick.

B. Right. You now fpeak correctly. So far then we are agreed.

Το

When I confider the Means of happy living (fays an eloquent Writer) and the Causes of their Corruption, I can hardly forbear recanting what I faid before; and concluding, that Eloquence ought to be banish't out of all Civil Societies, as a thing fatal to Peace and good Manners. this Opinion I fhou'd wholly incline, if I did not find, that it is a Weapon which may be as eafily procur'd by bad Men, as by good: and that if these only fhould caft it away, and thofe retain it; the naked Innocence of Virtue would be be upon all Occafions expos'd to the armed Malice of the Wicked

Bishop SPRAT's Hift. of the Royal Society, p. 111,

A. What fay you of the third End of Eloquence; I mean the Orator's endeavouring to please others, by talking; that he may raise his Reputation, or his Fortune?

B. You know my Opinion already. I reckon fuch an Ufe of Eloquence very fair and allowable; feeing it excites a laudable Emulation, and helps to improve Men's Talents.

A. What kind of Talents wou'd you have chiefly improv'd? Suppofe you had fome new State, or Commonwealth, to model, in what kinds of Knowledge wou'd you have the Subjects train'd up, and instructed?

B. In every kind that cou'd make them better. I would endeavour to make them good Subjects, peaceable, obedient, and zealous for the publick Welfare. I would have them fit to defend their Country in Cafe of War; and in Peace to obferve and fupport the Laws; to govern their Families; cultivate their Lands; train up their Children to the Practice of Virtue, and inspire them with a strong and juft Sense of Religion: I would have them carry on fuch a Trade as the State and Neceffities of the Country might require: and apply themfelves to fuch Arts and Sciences as are use ful in common Life. These I think, ought to be the chief Aims of a Law-giver,

4. Your

A. Your Views are very just and folid. You wou'd then have Subjects averse to Laziness; and employ'd about fuch useful things as fhould tend fomeway or other to advance the publick Good.

B. Certainly.

A. And wou'd you exclude all useless Profeffions?

B. Yes.

A. You would allow only of fuch bodily Exercises as conduc'd to People's Health, and Strength? I do not mention the Beauty of the Body; for that is a natural Confequence of Health and Vigour, in Bodies that are duly form'd.

B. I wou'd fuffer no other Exercises. A. Wou'd you not therefore banish all those that serve only to amufe People, and cannot render them fitter to bear either the conftant Labours and Employments of Peace, or the Fatigues of War?

B. Yes, I fhould follow that Rule. A. I fuppofe you wou'd do it for the fame Reason that you wou'd likewise condemn (as you already granted,) all these Exercises of the Mind which do not conduce to render it more ftrong, found, and beautiful; by making it more virtuous.

B. It is fo. What do you infer from that? I do not yet fee your Drift: your Windings are very long.

A. Why; I wou'd argue from the plaineft Principles; and not advance the leaft Step, without carrying Light and Certainty along with us. Answer me then, if you please.

B. Seeing we lay down the Rule you laft mention'd, for the Management of the Body, there is certainly greater reason to follow it in the Conduct and Improvement of the Mind.

A. Wou'd you permit fuch Arts as are only fubfervient to Pleasure, Amusement, and vain Curiofity; and have no relation either to the Duties of domeftick Life, or the common Offices of Society?

B. I wou'd banish all fuch from my Commonwealth.

A. If you allow'd of Mathematicians then, it would be for the fake of Mechanicks, Navigation, Surveying of Land, the Fortification of Places; and fuch Calculations as are useful in Practice; &c. So that it is the Usefulness of the Mathematicks that would recommend them to your Patronage. And if tolerated Phyficians and Lawyers, it wou'd be for the Prefervation of Health; and the support of Juftice.

B. Right.

you

A. And with the fame View of Usefulnefs you wou'd admit all other ferviceable Profeflions.

B. Cer