Genius. For there is as much Difference in apprehending a Thought cloathed in Cicero's Language, and that of a common Author, as in feeing an Object by the light of a Taper, or by the Light of the Sun. IT is very difficult to lay down Rules for the Acquirement of such a Taste as that I am here fpeaking of. The Faculty muft in fome degree be born with us, and it very often happens, that thofe who have other Qualities in Perfection are wholly void of this. One of the most eminent Mathematicians of the Age has affured me, that the greatest Pleasure he took in reading Virgil, was in examining Eneas his Voyage by the Map; as I queftion not but many a Modern Compiler of Hiftory would be delighted with little more in that Divine Author, than in the bare Matters of Fa&t. BUT notwithstanding this Faculty muft in fome measure be born with us, there are feveral Methods for Cultivating and Improving it, and without which it will be very uncertain, and of little ufe to the Perfon that poffeffes it. The most natural Method for this Purpose is to be conversant among the Writings of the most Polite Authors. A Man who has any Relish for fine Writing, either discovers new Beauties, or receives ftronger Impreffions from the Mafterly Stroaks of a great Author every time he perufes him: Befides that he naturally wears himself into the fame manner of Speaking and Thinking. CONVERSATION with Men of a Polite Genius is another Method for improving our Natural Tafte. It is impoffible for a Man of the greateft Parts to confider any thing in its whole Extent, and in all its Variety of Lights. Every Man, besides thofe general Obfervations which are to be be made upon an Author, forms feveral Reflections that are peculiar to his own manner of Thinking; fo that Converfation will naturally furnish us with Hints which we did not attend to, and make us enjoy other Mens Parts and Reflections as well as our own. This is the belt Reafon I can give for the Obfervation which feveral have made, that Men of great Genius in the fame way of Writing feldom rife up fingly, but at certain. Periods of Time appear together, and in a Body as they did at Rome in the Reign of Augustus, and in Greece about the Age of Socrates. I cannot think that Corneille, Racine, Moliere, Boileau, la Fontaine, Bruyere, Boff, or the Daciers, would have written fo well as they have done, had they not been Friends and Contemporaries. IT is likewife neceffary for a Man who would form to himself a finished Tafte of good Writing, to be well verfed in the Works of the best Cri ticks both Ancient and Modern. I must confefs that I could wish there were Authors of this kind, who, befides the Mechanical Rules which a Man of very little Tafte may difcourfe upon, would enter into the very Spirit and Soul of fine Writing, and fhew us the feveral Sources of that Pleafure which rifes in the Mind upon the Perufal of a noble Work. Thus although in Poetry it be abfolutely neceffary that the Unities of Time, Place and Action, with other Points of the fame Nature, fhould be thoroughly explained and understood; there is ftill fomething more effential to the Art, fomething that elevates and astonishes the Fancy, and gives a Greatnefs of Mind to the Reader, which few of the Criticks befides Longinus have confidered. OUR general Tafte in England is for Epigram, Turns of Wit, and forced Conceits, which have F 3 no no manner of Influence, either for the bettering or enlarging the Mind of him who reads them, and have been carefully avoided by the greatest Writers, both among the Ancients and Moderns. I have endeavoured in feveral of my Speculations to banish this Gothic Taste, which has taken Poffeffion among us. I entertained the Town for a Week together with an Effay upon Wit, in which I endeavoured to detect feveral of thofe falfe Kinds which have been admired in the different Ages of the World; and at the fame time to fhew wherein the Nature of true Wit confifts. I afterwards gave an Inftance of the great Force which lyes in a natural Simplicity of Thought to affe&t the Mind of the Reader, from fuch vulgar Pieces as have little elfe befides this fingle Qualification to recommend them. I have likewife examined the Works of the greatest Poet which our Nation or perhaps any other has produced, and particularized most of those rational and manly Beauties which give a value to that Divine Work. I fhall next Saturday enter upon an Effay on the Pleafures of the Imagination, which, though it shall confider that Subject at large, will perhaps fuggeft to the Reader what it is that gives a Beauty to many Paffages of the fineft Writers both in Profe and Verfe. As an Undertaking of this Nature is entirely new, I question not but it will will be received with Candour. Friday, N° 410. Friday, June 20. -Dum foris funt, nihil videtur Mundius, Nec magis compofitum quidquam,nec magis elegans: Que,cum amatore fuo cum cœnant, Liguriunt, Harum videre ingluviem, fordes, inopiam: Quam inhonefta fole fint domi, atque avidæ cibi, Quo pacto ex Fure Hefterno panem atrum vorent. Noffe omnia bac, falus eft adolefcentulis. WILL. HONEYCOMB, who disguises his pre Ter. fent Decay by vifiting the Wenches of the Town only by Way of Humour, told us, that the laft rainy Night he with Sir ROGER DE COVERLY was driven into the Temple Cloifter, whither had escaped alfo a Lady moft exactly dref fed from Head to Foot. WILL. made no Scruple to acquaint us, that the faluted him very familiarly by his Name, and turning immediately to the Knight, the faid, the fuppofed that was his good Friend, Sir ROGER DE COVERLY: Upon which nothing lefs could follow than Sir ROGER'S Approach to Salutation, with Madam the fame at your Service. She was dreffed in a black Tabby Mantua and Petticoat, without Ribbons; her Linnen striped Muflin, and in the whole in an agreeable Second-Mourning; decent Dreffes being often affected by the Creatures of the Town, at once confulting Cheapness, and the Pretenfion to Modefty. She went on with a familiar eafie Air, Your Friend, Mr. HONEYCOMB, is a little furprised to see a Woman here alone and unattended; but I difmiffed my Coach at the Gate, and tripped it down to my Council's Chambers, for Lawyer's Fees take up too much of a small dif puted Joynture to admit any other Expences but meer neceffaries. Mr. HONEYCOMB begged they might have the Honour of fetting her down, for for Sir ROGER'S Servant was gone to call a Coach. In the Interim the Footman returned, with no Coach to be had; and there appeared nothing to be done but trufting her felf with Mr. HONEYCOMB and his Friend to wait at the Tavern at the Gate for a Coach, or be fubjected to all the Impertinence the muft meet with in that publick Place. Mr. HONEYCOMB being a Man of Honour determined the Choice of the firft, and Sir ROGER, as the better Man, took the Lady by the Hand, leading through all the Shower covering her with his Hat, and Gallanting a familiar Acquaintance through Rows of young Fellows, who winked at Sukey in the State the marched off, WILL. HONEYCOMB bringing up the Rear. MUCH Importunity prevailed upon the Fair one to admit of a Collation, where, after declaring The had no Stomach, and eaten a couple of Chickens, devoured a Truffe of Sallet and drunk a full Bottle to her Share, the fung the old Man's With to Sir ROGER. The Knight left the Room for fome Time after Supper, and writ the following Billet, which he conveyed to Sukey, and Sukey to her Friend WILL. HONEYCOMB. WILL. has given it to Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, who read it laft Night to the Club. Madam, Am not fo meer a Country-Gentleman but "I I can guess at the Law-bufinefs you had at the Temple. If you would go down to the Country and leave off all your Vanities but ⚫ your Singing, let me know at my Lodgings in Bow-ftreet Covent-Garden, and you fhall be en 'couraged by, Your humble Servant, MY. |