In the fifth place, thofe who are ambitious of attaining a beautiful tyle, ought to study with attention the works of the most eminent poets. From this fource is often derived a more delicate and elevated mode of expreffion, as well as of thinking. We find that the moft excellent profe writers both of ancient and modern times are thofe who, during fome part of their life, have applied themfelves to the ftudy of poetry. It will be fufficient to mention the names of Plato, Cicero, Temple, Dryden, Pope, Addifon, Melmoth, Johnton, Goldfmith, Hamilton, Fenelon, and Voltaire.

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In the sixth place, it is an obvious but material rule, that we always ftudy to adapt our ftyle to the fubject, and alfo to the capacity of our hearers, if we are to fpeak in public. Nothing merits the name of eminent or beautiful, which is not fuited to the occafion, and to the perfons to whom it is 'addreffed. It is to the laft degree awkward and abfurd, to adopt a florid poetical ftyle on occafions when it fhould be our fole bulinefs to argue and reafon; or to fpeak with elaborate pomp of expreffion before perfons who comprehend nothing of it, and who can only ftare at our unfeafonable magnificence. Thefe are defects not fo much in point of ftyle, as, what is much worfe, in point of common fenfe. When we begin to write or fpeak, we ought previously to have fixed in our minds a clear conception of the end to be aimed at. This end we ought to keep fteadily in view; and to it we ought to adapt our ftyle. If we do not facrifice to this great object every ill-timed ornament that may occur to our fancy, we betray a want of judgment.

In the last place, I cannot conclude the fubject without this obfervation, that, in any cafe, and on any occafion, attention to ftyle must not engrofs us fo much, as to detract from a higher degree of attention to the thoughts. To your expreffion be attentive; but about your matter be folicitous.

EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT OF ENGLISH COMPO. SITION.

L

SIDNEY.

(Flourished between 1554 and 1586.)

FT learned Greece, in any of her manifest sciences, be able to fhew me one book before Mufæus, Homer, and Hefiod: all three nothing elfe but poets. Nay, let any history be brought, that can fay any writers were there before them, if they were not men of the same skill, as Orpheus, Linus, and fome others are named, who having been the first of that country that made pens deliverers of their knowledge to pofterity, may juftly challenge to be called their fathers in learning. For not only in time they had this priority (although in itself antiquity be venerable) but` went before them, as caufes to draw, with their charming fweetnefs, the wild untamed wits to an admiration of know. ledge, So as Amphion was faid to move ftones with his poetry to build Thebes, and Orpheus to be liftened to by beafts, indeed ftony and beastly people: So among the Romans were Livius Andronicus, and Ennius: So in the Italian language, the first that made it to afpire to be a treafure-houfe of fcience, were the poets Dante, Boccace and Petrarch: So in our English, were Gower, and Chaucer; after whom, encouraged and delighted with their excellent foregoing, others have followed to beautify our mothertongue, as well in the fame kind, as other arts.

This did fo notably fhew itfelf, that the philofophers of Greece durft not a long time appear to the world, but under the mask of poets: So Thales, Empedocles, and Parme nides, fang their natural philofophy in verfes: So did Pythagoras and Phocylides their moral counfels: So did Tyrtæus in war matters, and Solon in matters of policy; or ra ther, they being poets, did exercise their delightful vein in thofe points of higheft knowledge, which before them lay hidden to the world: For that Solon was directly a poet, it is manifeft, having written in verse the noble fable of the

Atlantick Island, which was continued by Plato. And truly even Plato whofoever well confidereth, fhall find, that in the body of his work, though the infide and strength were philofophy, the fkin, as it were, and beauty, depended moft of poetry. For all ftands upon dialogues; wherein he feigns many honeft burgeffes of Athens fpeaking of fuch matters, that if they had been fet on the rack, they would never have confeffed them: befides, his poetical defcribing the circumftances of their meetings, as the well-ordering of a banquet, the delicacy of a walk, and interlacing mere tales, as Gyges's Ring, and others; which, who knows not to be flowers of poetry, did never walk in Apollo's garden. Defence of Poesy.

RALEIGH.

Between 1552 and 1618.)

God, whom the wifeft men ackowledge to be a power ineffable, and virtue infinite, a light by abundant clarity invifible, an understanding which itself can only comprehend, an effence eternal and fpiritual, of abfolute pureness and fimplicity, was, and is pleafed to make himself known by the work of the world: in the wonderful magnitude whereof, (all which he imbraceth, filleth, and fuftaineth) we behold the image of that glory, which cannot be measured, and withall that one, and yet univerfal nature, which cannot be defined. In the glorious lights of heaven, we perceive a fhadow of his divine countenance; in his merciful provifion for all that live, his manifold goodnefs; and lastly, in creating and making exiftent the world univerfak, by the abfolute art of his own word, his power and almightinefs; which power, light, virtue, wifdom, and goodness, being all but attributes of one fimple effence, and one God, we in all admire, and in part difcern per speculum creaturarum, that is, in the difpofition, order, and variety of celeftial and terreftrial bodies; terreftrial, in their ftrange and manifold diverfities; celeftial, in their beauty and magnitude; which in their continual and contrary motions, are neither repugnant, intermixt, nor confounded. By thefe potent effects, we approach to the knowledge of the omnipotent caufe, and by thefe motions, their almighty mover. History of the World.

BACON.

(Between 1561 and 1626.)

Revenge is a kind of wild juftice; which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as to the firft wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong putteth the law out of office. Certainly in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in paffing it over he is fuperior: for it is a prince's part to parden. And Solomon, I am fure, faith, “It is the glory of a man to pafs by an offence." That which is paft, is gone, and irrecoverable: and wife men have enough to do with thing's prefent, and to come: therefore they do but trifle with themfelves, that labour in paft matters. There is no man doth a wrong for the wrong's fake, but thereby to purchafe himfelf profit or pleafure, or honour, or the like. Therefore why fhould I be angry with a a man for lov. ing himself better than me? and if any man fhould do wrong, merely out of ill nature, why? yet it is but like the thorn or bryar, which prick and fcratch, becaufe they can do no. other. The moft tolerable fort of revenge, is for thofe wrongs which there is no law to reineuy: But then let a an take heed, that the revenge be fuch as there is no law to punith; elfe a man's enemy is ftill before-hand, and it is two for one. Some when they take revenge, are defirous the party fhould know whence it cometh. This is the more generous for the delight feemeth to be not fo much in doing the hurt, as in making the party repent. But base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark. Cofmus Duke of Florence had a defperate faying againft perfidious or neglecting friends, as if their wrongs were un pardonable: "You shall read (faith he) that we are commanded to forgive our enemies; but you never read, that we are commanded to forgive our friends." But yet the fpirit of Job was in a better tune: "Shall we (faith he) take good at God's hand, and not be content to take evil alfo?" And fo of friends in a proportion. This is certain,i that a man that ftudieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwife would heal and do well. Public revenges are for the moft part fortunate, as that for the death, of Cæfar, for the death of Pertinax, for the death of Henry

the third of France, and many more.

But in Private revenges it is not fo. Nay, rather vindicative perfons live the life of witches who as they are mifchievous, fo end they unfortunate. Essays, or Counsels Civil and Moral.

JONSON.

((Between 1574 and 1637)

For a man to write well, there are required three necef. faries; to read the best authors; obferve the best speakers; and much exercife of his own ftile. In ftile to confider what ought to be written; and after what manner: he muft first think, and excogitate his matter; then choose his words, and examine the weight of either. Then take care in placing, and ranking both matter and words, that the compofition be comely; and to do this 'with diligence and often. -No matter how flow the ftile be at firft, fo it be laboured and accurate; feek the best, and be not glad of the forward conceits, or first words, that offer themfelves to us; but judge of what we invent, and order what we approve. Repeat often what we have formerly written; which, befide that it helps the confequence, and makes the juncture better, it quickens the heat of imagination, that often cools in the time of fetting down, and gives it new ftrength, as if it grew luftier, by the going back. As we fee in the contention of leaping, they jump fartheft, that fetch their race largeftor, as in throwing a dart or javelin, we force back our arms, to make our locfe the stronger. Yet, if we have -a fair gale of wind, I forbid not the fleering out of our fail, fo the favour of the gale deceive us not. For all that we invent, doth pleafe us in the conception or birth; elfe we -fhould never fet it down. But the safeft is to return to our #judgment, and handle over again thofe things, the eafinefs "of which might make them juftly fufpected. So did the - beft writers in their beginnings; they impofed upon them-felves care and induftry. They did nothing rafhly. They -obtained first to write well, and then cufton made it eafy and a habit. By little and little, their matter thewed itfelf to them more plentifully, their words anfwered, their com pofition followed; and all, as in a well-ordered family, prefented itfelf in the place. So that the fum of all is; ready