as proverbially contemptuous.* But I do not say, that this writer was "praised and ragged;" for, besides singular marks received of private respect, he met with friends in the ministry, insomuch that the great Earl of Chatham was the person, who promoted him to the see of Gloucester, and valued himself upon thus patronizing so' tried a friend of church and state. With regard, indeed, to others, with whom he sided, it is said, that "he was hurt at not receiving that return of good will from them, which his life and conscience told him he might expect, and had deserved." This consideration has sometimes rouzed the affectionate zeal of his bio. grapher, when he has, in different works, had occasion to defend, or to describe him; and whatever warmth of language he too has then thought necessary, he must be allowed to have shewn a heart capable of friendship. There is, I think (and it has perhaps increased by the issue of the contests I am referring to) a frequent want of plain-dealing, and an inclination to " dwell in decencies," among critics, which draws the attention of authors from the matter, to the manner of publication; and sub* Probitas laudatur et algit. Juv.

+ Life of Warburton, prefixed to his works

stitutes an insincere taste for popularity, in the room of a sincere love of the art, or science, they cultivate. But as it is impossible to enjoy perfect simplicity in government, it is better to secure it in morals, and so render a necessary evil always tolerable. The remarks made by the two prelates I have been speaking of, tended to this politic and benevolent end; but a herd of writers, in prose and poetry, then rendered one of them unpopular, and their partizans since, have prolonged the disrepute his opinions derived from his natural disposition; though, according to Bacon (not however to modern philosophers), where there are aspiring men, there may in some cases, be "less danger of them, if they be rather harsh of nature, than gracious and popular."*

Because another man's disposition and opinions do not square with ours, or please us, we ought not, therefore, to refuse the credit and currency due to them. Every man may consider himself as the representative of his own way of thinking in the world; he may properly present its petition there, and promote its interest, till it clash with the interests of truth and justice; but should not imi

* I would not be thought to refuse justice to the virtues of some of his opponent, especially one very distinguished prelate.

tate the member of parliament, who wrongly prefers his constituents to the nation. From the temperate suggestions of various people differing in opinion, the public derives advantage, as much as it suffers from the uncandid presumption of those who expect to convince without offering argument. That equal justice may be done to all, it may be of service to contemplate the different characters of men under distinct general heads, if there be any, under which they may naturally be distributed; and they, I think, are provided in the qualities shewn to characterize objects of sensation in Burke's treatise. Professor Kant, a fashionable writer, furnishes a precedent for this kind of survey of them, in a philosophical work; and will prevent any idea of singularity attaching to my arrangement of the objects of taste, including them as far as they can be considered such. I have already informed the reader of the general qualities he supposes to distinguish the two sexes; and he also enumerates various tempers and dispositions which he thinks discriminate the characters of the principal nations of Europe. His ideas are ingenious, but I cannot look upon his arrangement, as strongly suggested by nature, and still less as productive of utility.

An Englishman's lot is cast with Englishmen; a Frenchman's with Frenchman, and a Spaniard's with Spaniards; and therefore each is, comparatively, little interested in the character of the other. Nature and utility, on the contrary, have prompted people in conversation not only to refer the two sexes respectively, but individuals of either, and of all countries, to the heads both of the Sublime and Beautiful. This is what I intend to do in the

present work, only referring at the same time, other persons in whom they are observable, to the remaining qua lities noticed in Burke's admirable Treatise, and in the order in which the whole of them there stand. I shall first then name the quailty of

NOVELTY.

A disposition properly inclined to novelty may discover itself by an ardent thirst of knowledge, by originality of conception in works of true merit (which indeed is inseparable from them; for even the faithful minister who adheres ably to old institutions, and the faithful translator of a poem, who has not like him, a scope for the greatest exertions, may shew it); also by acquiescing in national improvements proposed by the wisest and most cau

tipus in a community, in spite of popular prejudice in favour of established customs, however contemptible and unimportant; by our mind being made up to any new measure, not transgressing the rules of prudence, to which our intérest prompts us; by our yielding to nature, where we have a stronger propensity than others to change our employments, way of life, or place of abode, provided we act only in strict consistence with justice and propriety; or by exerting a faculty of preventing any society where we are, from ever feeling disgust at a samenenss in our manner and conversation. Also, new discoveries in science; an original manner in the fine arts, which nevertheless satisfies the rigid critic and connoisseur; or new expressions, in some sorts of writing, thinly scattered, and keeping purity of style in view, from a like opinion with Horace's, of the deciduous nature of words; which may be renewed, like leaves, though only at a proper season. If we reverse the medal, and consider desire hurrying men on with undue rapidity to the gratifications of novelty, we shall remark all the unprofitable labours of extreme scepticism, as well as the evils of habitual discussion; which will not surely be enough noticed, while so many