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Even if we cast our eyes on the more civilized and cultivated nations of Europe, how rarely do we find the people in that condition which reason teaches to be productive of rational enjoyment? How generally are they oppressed by arbitrary laws, and absurd institutions either of government or of religion, which tend to repress every generous sentiment, and to foster grovelling and vicious propensities. Do we not see the fruits of these lamentable perversions of human nature in the unheard of crimes which revolutions produce, the treachery, the cruelty, the malevolence which break forth, when the iron chains of oppression are shaken off, and a free scope is given to the mind which before had been taught only to obey and tremble? Nor are those happier countries where equal laws, a mild government, and a rational religion prevail, entirely exempt from the same reproach; for there also, by far the greater number of citizens are sunk in ignorance and prone to depravity: placing much more of their happiness in vicious indulgence, than in rational and virtuous conduct.

Such is the impression which a cursory survey of the condition of mankind throughout the various regions of the earth, is calculated to excite. The general aspect of the picture, doubtless, is gloomy; and it is not what an analysis of the principles of human nature would lead us to expect. A nearer survey may perhaps tend to dispel somewhat of the gloom of the first impression; and to discover gleams of enjoyment, which are not obvious on a cursory view. At any rate, it cannot but be interesting to investigate the causes which tend to pervert and counteract the benevolent principles of human nature, and to make man appear so different a creature, from what apparently he might have been. This will lead us to ascertain the circumstances which materially affect human character, and cause it to assume so great a diversity among the various tribes and individuals of the species, and this is the object which I have proposed to myself in undertaking the present work, however diflident I may be of my ability to execute it with success.

The causes which materially affect human character, may most naturally be divided into two classes, the physical, and the moral. Under the first class I comprehend the diversified effects of climate, whatever they may be: and this shall form the first object of our inquiry. Under the second class I include the influence of education, government, religion, manners, and a variety of similar causes, which will next demand our serious investigation; and it will then remain to be shown, how much of the diversity of human character is to be ascribed to original constitution, and peculiar natural conformation.

LATIN POEM.

Insuetis propiùs adeundi metus erat.

CALLIS in anfractu sinuosi, plurima texit
Ulmus obumbratam quà spatiosa viam,
Paganus vafer, agrestem ludibria turbam

Ut faceret, cautos instruit arte dolos :
Excavat immanem rapum; dein cortice fingit
In tenero simulans ora secata viri.

Stat frutici affixus; fauces huic complet hiantes
Quæ tremulum mittat viva lucerna jubar.
Et quia secessus dulcis, quia janua vici,

Assiduum hìc noctu vulgus agebat iter.
Hic, simul ac vesper processerat udus Olympo,
Venit in amplexus fida puella proci;

Sistit oberrantes monstrum; modò, fervidus alget
Nunc amor, et juveni corda soluta tremunt;
Nec semel urgenti fugiens terrore Creüsam

Respicit; at tardum linquere malit onus;
Callis ad extremum, nec enim dementia cepit
Orphea huic animos, impiger usque volat.
Mox adeunt pueri; puer illinc quisque recurrens
In gremio matris vult operire metum.
Mox adeunt vetulæ ; queis nil mortale videri

Hæc sua prodigium verba sonora docent-
"Collectumque premens volvit sub naribus ignem,
Igniferosque oculos rubra Chimæra rotat."
Altera pars equidem sic nugas garrit aniles,
Altera solicitas mussat in ore preces.
His super accedit, quem omnis vicinia vatem,
Quem rudis agresti laude caterva colit;
Ille, novum docto monstrum scrutatus ocello,
Terrigenis summum cernit adesse diem.

H. H. JOY.

Etona, 1804.

REMARKS ON THE GREEK FATHERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CLASSICAL JOURNAL.

AMONG

MONG those writers of Ecclesiastical Antiquity, who, from fashion, or prejudice, or ignorance, are now universally neglected, and almost universally unknown, may be ranked Methodius. He

The following scarce and valuable Tract, consisting of 7 Letters, of which we insert 3 in our present and reserve the other 4 for a future No., is reprinted by the recommendation of a very distinguished Scholar, who has obligingly favored us with the loan of the Pamphlet.

REMARKS

ON THE

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS

UPON

AUTHORS, ANCIENT AND MODERN.

IN SEVERAL LETTERS TO A FRIEND.

O! miseros Scriptores, vel potiùs, O! misera scripta tot excellentium Poetarum, Oratorum, Historicorum, et aliorum, nisi frænis, nisi catenis furiosa ista audacia compescatur. Quid enim in illis salvum et incolume tandem manebit? Quid integrum, quid impollutum, Posteris nostris relinquetur, si cuilibet quæcunque assequi non potest, ea formare transformareque pro arbitrio conceditur? H. Steph. Ep. p. 333. Hist. Steph.

1731.

TO THE READER.

THESE Letters, at first written for private satisfaction, are now made public, in order to stop the career, and to curb the insolence, of those Goths and Vandals the minor critics of the age, the Marklands, the Wades, and the Observators. If haply he can gain this point, the Author thinks he shall do no small service to the republic of learning.

B. Ep. 177 31.

LETTER I.

My dear Friend,

You

ou ask if I have scen the Miscellaneous Observations upon Axthors ancient and modern; 1 have: And yet I cannot think that by this Answer I have given full satisfaction to your question; for the intimacy of that friendship which is cultivated betwixt us, the freedom of our Correspondence, and the usual interpretation which we are both wont to put upon the like interrogateries, make me deem myself obliged

to lay before you that private judgment, which I have formed within myself upon the Work,

But tho' I own myself sufficiently bound for these reasons to do it, yet I hope this obligation will suffer no detriment or diminution, should I say, that I have likewise a further view in it, and that I purpose hereby to purchase your opinion also; for the gaining of which I shall always gladly expose my own, and think I come by it at an easy expence. The undertaking, according to my slender acquaintance with the Historia Literaria, is the first in its kind; this is the first time that ever Criticism was ever retailed at Sixpence an ounce, and that in a monthly sale; where all comers and goers, school-boys, apprentices, and chamber-maids are welcome to buy, may all read in their mother's tongue, a Critique upon ancient authors both Latin and Greek. Boys, down with your satchels! away with the needle, Girls! A fair trader from Parnassus sells the Belles Lettres a lumping pen'worth. "Ovos Teos λύραν.

As to the Author, who he is, that by the help of the Goddess, first struck out the thought, is not so easy to say. The footsteps by which we are to investigate him are very perplexed and uncertain; the Advertisement speaks of the Editors, but the whole tenor of the book is singular. The work is a piece of Criticism; the preface is intended to be a defence of that sort of learning, and in the first page of it he ranks himself amongst the critics, and yet, if you'll take his own word for it, he is no critic; I have said enough in favor of Criticism; too much perhaps, considering how little it concerns me to stand up for it. And af terwards, But I pretend not to the title of a Critic. So that all the idea I can at present form of him is very confused; all that I can be certain of, is that

None but himself can be his parallel.

Time, which discovers all things, may perhaps clear up this matter more fully; should an embryo Claudian, after that the Papinian bottoms are wound up, fall a sacrifice to this more favorite offspring, we shall then be able to unravel the mystery, and to know this Author, who, it seems, so little knows himself, as to be ignorant that he's a pretender to the title of a Critic, even tho' he publishes a critical work. Having mentioned the Preface as an essay upon Criticism, I beg leave to enter a remark or two upon it. His design here is to pave the way, and to bespeak a favorable reception, for the work that follows, and consequently, to justify critical learning against all sorts of adversaries, humorous, or grave; and yet with the first he plainly takes part, and, as I conceive, no less with the second. "Tis objected, that the Critics treat those uncivilly from whom they differ; now in answer to this, instead of shewing that the objection lies not against the study itself, but some of its Professors, he says not one word about it; he shows indeed, that this, and that, and t'other is not uncivil; but how does this remove the charge? This, and that, and t'other, may not be uncivil, and yet Criticism may be an unmannerly study; and that it is so, two of his instances out of three unluckily prove. "Tis objected again, That it is trifling and useless; he replies, That it pleases and instructs; alluding, I suppose, to the Utile dulci. Now how does it

profit? Why, first, it does not make a man more virtuous; Secondly, it is not beneficial to the commonwealth: Thirdly, it brings home but little profit to those who spend their time in it. This is a most wonderful way of proving that Critical learning is profitable and instructive; but however, he boldly concludes upon it, that he has said enough in favor of Criticism; too much, perhaps.

P. 2. he says, It is not uncivil to take Notice of an author••••especially if the author be dead; if he be living, 'tis another case: I should not then care to find fault with one whom I could not also justly commend.

Now in my notion of things, 'tis much more generous to attack a living, than a dead adversary, whilst the man is able to plead his own cause, to right and defend himself. But excuse his pusilanimity;

-Nulli gravis est percussus Achilles.

and so for fear of losing a correspondent in Lincolniensis, tho' he thinks fit to reject four of his observations out of five, he pays him a most absurd compliment, and says, He hopes he has a design of obliging the World with an edition of Virgil. I can assure the lovers of humanity, that this Author is already in much better hands, and I heartily wish the learned professor at Leyden may enjoy a better state of health, than he has lately done, whilst he goes through with his undertaking; But are we then to grant an act of toleration to consummate ignorance? Shall pure and genuine nonsense go unpunished, whilst we assail the man of character?

Dat veniam Corvis, vexat censura Columbas. Unless the Observator says this to screen himself, he must allow, that they, who are in other respects justly commendable, have the most right to favor.

P. 3. Critical learning, he says, may be placed beneath those Studies which tend to increase the Wealth and Strength of a Nation; that is, your mercantile studies; and so the observation of the ingenious reflecter upon learning is at last verify'd: The bounds of Learning of late are wonderfully enlarged, and, for ought I know, Mr. II's Trade Papers may pass in time for a Volume of Learning.

In short, my Friend, the only excellence of this Rhapsody of a Preface is, that it's consistent with what follows, a proper doorcase to such a structure; for the work is

rudis indigestaque Moles,

quite crude and unconcocted: and for the truth of this, I appeal in general to the many Retractations pro and con: They may call them instances of Modesty and Candor, if they please, but surely they are the tokens of Greenness and Immaturity. But as this is a very foul charge, I shall endeavour more particularly to support it in some future epistles, and to prove it experimentally in two sets of their observations, those upon Virgil and Minucius Felix. In the doing of this, as I intend to deviate as little as possible, I shall likewise almost wholly confine myself to Emendations, many of which, so far as relates to Virgil, have gained, it seems, the approbation of Lincolniensis.

In the mean time, I tenderly beg of you to take care of your health,

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