weak efforts, funk into the grave with vexation to fee the rifing generation gain ground upon them. From these failures the higheft genius is not exempt; that judgment which appears fo penetrating, when it is employed upon the works of others, very often fails. where intereft or paffion can exert their power. We are blinded in examining our own labours by innumerable prejudices. Our juvenile compofitions please us, because they bring to our minds the remembrance of youth; our later performances we are ready to esteem, because we are unwilling to think that we have made no improvement; what flows eafily from the pen charms us, because we read with pleasure that which flatters our opinion of our own powers; what was compofed with great ftruggles of the mind we do not easily reject, because we cannot bear that fo much labour fhould be fruitless. But the reader has none of thefe prepoffeffions, and wonders that the author is fo unlike himself, without confidering that the fame foil will, with different culture, afford different products.

NUMB. 22. SATURDAY, June 2, 1750.

Ego nec ftudium fine divite venâ,

Nec rude quid profit video ingenium, alterius fic
Altera pofcit opem res, & conjurat amice.

Without a genius learning foars in vain ;
And without learning genius finks again;
Their force united crowns the fprightly reign.

HOR.

}

ELPHINSTON.

WIT and LEARNING were the children of

Apollo, Apollo, by different mothers; WIT was the offspring of EUPHROSYNE, and refembled her in cheerfulness and vivacity; LEARNING was born of SOPHIA, and retained her seriousness and caution. As their mothers were rivals, they were bred up by them from their birth in habitual oppofition, and all means were fo inceffantly employed to imprefs upon them a hatred and contempt of each other, that though Apollo, who forefaw the ill effects of their difcord, endeavoured to foften them, by dividing his regard equally between them, yet his impartiality and kindness were without effect; the maternal animofity was deeply rooted, having been intermingled with their firft ideas, and was confirmed every hour, as fresh opportunities occurred of exerting it. No fooner were they of age to be received into the apartments of the other celeftials, than WIT began to entertain Venus at her toilet, by aping the folemnity of LEARNING, and LEARNING to divert Mi

nerva at her loom by expofing the blunders and ignorance of WIT.

Thus they grew up, with malice perpetually increafing, by the encouragement which each received from those whom their mothers had perfuaded to patronife and fupport them; and longed to be admitted to the table of Jupiter, not fo much for the hope of gaining honour, as of excluding a rival from all pretenfions to regard, and of putting an everlasting ftop to the progrefs of that influence which either believed the other to have obtained by mean arts and falfe appearances.

At laft the day came, when they were both, with the ufual folemnities, received into the class of superior deities, and allowed to take nectar from the hand of Hebe. But from that hour CONCORD loft her authority at the table of Jupiter. The rivals, animated by their new dignity, and incited by the alternate applaufes of the affociate powers, haraffed each other by inceffant contefts, with fuch a regular viciffitude of victory, that neither was depreffed.

It was obfervable, that, at the beginning of every debate, the advantage was on the fide of WIT; and that, at the first fallies, the whole affembly sparkled, according to Homer's expreffion, with unextinguishable merriment. But LEARNING would referve her ftrength till the burft of applaufe was over, and the languor, with which the violence of joy is always fucceeded, began to promife more calm and patient attention. She then attempted her defence, and, by comparing one part of her antagonist's objections with another, commonly made him confute himself; or, by fhewing how fmall a part of the queftion he VOL. IV. L

had

had taken into his view, proved that his opinion could have no weight. The audience began gradually to lay afide their prepoffeffions, and rofe, at last, with great veneration for LEARNING, but with greater kindness for WIT.

Their conduct was, whenever they defired to recommend themselves to diftinction, entirely oppofite. WIT was daring and adventurous; LEARNING cautious and deliberate. WIT thought nothing reproachful but dulnefs; LEARNING was afraid of no imputation but that of error. WIT answered before he understood, left his quickness of apprehenfion fhould be questioned; LEARNING paused, where there was no difficulty, left any infidious fophifm fhould lie undiscovered. WIT perplexed every debate by rapidity and confufion; LEARNING tired the hearers with endless diftinctions, and prolonged the difpute without advantage, by proving that which never was denied. WIT, in hopes of fhining, would venture to produce what he had not confidered, and often fucceeded beyond his own expectation, by following the train of a lucky thought; LEARNING Would reject every new notion, for fear of being entangled in confequences which fhe could not forefee, and was often hindered, by her caution, from preffing her advantages, and fubduing her opponent.

Both had prejudices, which in fome degree hindered their progrefs towards perfection, and left them open to attacks. Novelty was the darling of WIT, and antiquity of LEARNING. TO WIT, all that was new was fpecious; to LEARNING, whatever was ancient was venerable. WIT however

feldom

feldom failed to divert thofe whom he could not convince, and to convince was not often his ambition; LEARNING always fupported her opinion with fo many collateral truths, that, when the caufe was decided against her, her arguments were remembered with admiration.

Nothing was more common, on either fide, than to quit their proper characters, and to hope for a complete conquest by the use of the weapons which had been employed against them. WIT would fometimes labour a fyllogifm, and LEARNING diftort her features with a jeft; but they always suffered by the experiment, and betrayed themselves to confutation or contempt. The feriousness of WIT was without dignity, and the merriment of LEARNING without vivacity.

Their contests, by long continuance, grew at last important, and the divinities broke into parties. WIT was taken into protection of the laughterloving Venus, had a retinue allowed him of SMILES and JESTS, and was often permitted to dance among the GRACES. LEARNING ftill continued the favourite of Minerva, and seldom went out of her palace, without a train of the feverer virtues, CHASTITY, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE, and LABOUR. WIT, cohabiting with MALICE, had a fon named SATYR, who followed him, carrying a quiver filled with poisoned arrows, which, where they once drew blood, could by no skill ever be extracted. These arrows he、 frequently fhot at LEARNING, when she was moft earneftly or usefully employed, engaged in abftrufe enquiries, or giving inftructions to her followers. Minerva therefore deputed CRITICISM to her aid, who