good natural Capacity may be impar'd by Slothfulness and Difufe; thus dull and heavy natural Parts may be improved by Instruc tions and Industry. If Nature be not improved by Learning, it is blind; if Learning be not affifted by Nature, it is maim'd: And if Exercise fail of the Affiftance of both, it is imperfect, as to the Attainment of its End.

On my Perufal of PLATO's Immortali ty of the Soul, I could not help being affected with one peculiar Notion of Socrates, where he advances, "That the Learning we "acquire by Pains and hard Study, is but "a Remembrance and Recollection of our "Ideas; that the Knowledge of them all "was implanted in us before we were born;

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and if we were not continually forgetting "the Knowledge of thefe Impreffions, there would be the fame Neceffity for us always "to know them, as to be born with them: For that the Definition of Knowing, is "to retain, and not lofe what we have learn

ed; and the Definition of Forgetting, is "the lofing that Knowledge we before were "poffeffed of." It could not certainly be amifs, as to our Improvement, if we could believe those Principles true; if we could perfwade our felves that Nature had furnifh'd us with Univerfal Knowledge, which thro' the Weakness and Infolence of Childbood

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bood we have forfeited and fuffered to flide gradually from our Memories: How carefully fhould we labour to retrieve the Knowledge of those loft Idea's, and refurnish our Souls by Diligence and Study, with those Treafures we firft ow'd to the Beneficence of Nature?

However, without wandering after fuch eccentric Sentiments, we need no ftronger Incentives to Learning, than to know what Figures we fhall make in the World with this great Accomplishment. Let us but caft our Eyes abroad, and fee how the Gentleman is improv'd by the Scholar: How by the Labour of a few Years of Erudition, he ftands poffefs'd of Advantages that will stick by him to his latest Hour: What exalted Notions he entertains from it of his Creator's Omnipotence, and Indulgence to Man! What a wide Scene of Nature, and her Operations, is open'd to his View! What Grounds it gives him of Admiration and Delight! How is his Tafte of Enjoyments refin'd! And how is he made capable of being charm'd, and of charming in his Turn, with communicated Knowledge! Nobility, Riches, State and Supremacy can procure us a customary Respect, and make us the Idols of an unthinking Croud; but Knowledge and Learning alone recommend us to the Love of thofe in a fupe

à fuperior Clafs, who admire more the Merits of our Understanding, than the Advantages of our Birth and Fortune. Learning alone, of all Things in our Poffeffion, is immortal and divine: And two Things there are that are moft peculiar to Human Nature, Understanding and Reafen; of which two, the Underftanding is the Mafter of Reafon, and Reafon the Servant of the Underftanding. Thefe are against all Affaults of Fortune impregnable; not to be taken away by falfe Accufation, or impair'd by Sickness or enfeebled by Old Age. For the Understanding only grows youthful by Age; and Time which decays all other . Things increaseth Knowledge in us in our decaying Years. We may be plunder'd of our Wealth, defrauded of our Lands, and our Books may become the Prey of fome malicious Accident; but that Chance which robs us of our Library, cannot take from us the Advantages we have reap'd by our prior Refort to it: Every Man of Reason and Solidity, must be touch'd with the agreeable Anfwer of Socrates, who, when Gorgias afk'd him, What his Opinion was of the King of Perfia, and whether be judg'd him happy, reply'd, That he could not tell what to think of him, because he knew not how well be was furnished with Virtue and Learning. As judging human Felicity

to confit in thofe Endowments, and not those which are fubject to Fortune. In a Word Learning is your Companion and Affiftant in every Age, Place, and Circumftance; Hæc ftudia adolefcentiam alunt, fenectutem oblectant, fecundas res ornant, adverfis perfugium ac folatium præbent: delectant domi, non impediunt foris: pernoc tant nobifcum, peregrinantur, rufticantur, lays Cicero. Thefe Studies cheirifh our Youth, and delight our Age; are the Ornaments of our Prosperity, and Refuge and Comfort in Adverfity; they please us when at home, and never impede our Occafions when abroad; they will watch the Night with us, be our Fellow-Travellers in the Road, and our Amufements in the Country.

But to dwell no longer on the bare Praise and Recommendation of Learning, I will endeavour to make my Sentiments of Ufe, and explain how I would be understood when I advife this Attainment: I fhould ever heartily with my Son to be a Scholar, never defire to fee him a Pedant; be fatisfied that he was thoroughly acquainted with his Authors, but be difguft ed to find him eternally fmell of them: Garlic and Onions are not half fo naufeous at second Hand, as to be rudely breathed upon by a Retailer of Fragments:

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The Man looks monftrous that ftalks about like a walking Library, and is for fpouting his Pagan Quotations on every Company: This is a Vice and Crudity of Learning: 'Tis plain there must be an Indigeftion of Knowledge, when the Party is so oppreffed with its Vapours. I love to fee a Man that has Modefty equal to his Capacity; that does not covet to appear like an Inquifition on his Neighbour's Parts; that makes Learning an Embellifhment, not an Affectation; and can be content to commnicate his Ideas of Things, without affuming an Air of Superiority over the Perfon to whom he communicates.

The Choice of the Tutor or Schoolmaster is of great Moment to the Child's Improvement: He ought to be a Man that can read Tempers, as well as Books, and fee as far into the Bent of his Pupil's Inclinations, as his Author's Meaning: He fhould know how to adapt the Claffics to the Genius; and not impofe Homer and Horace, where Demofthenes or Cafar's Commentaries would be more acceptable. We have from our Infancy a particular Tafte for a particular Subject and Argument: If our Defires are turned to Poetry, Virgil and Ovid will still have frefh Charms; if our Talents lie to Eloquence and Oratory, Cicero will make C 5

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