From

a Picture by Van Loo.

in the Marquis of Buckingham's Collection at Stowe.

Published by Cadell & Davies, Strand, and the other Proprietors, May 1.1807.

EPISTLE I.

ΤΟ

SIR RICHARD TEMPLE, LORD COBHAM.

ARGUMENT.

Of the Knowledge and Characters of MEN.

THAT it is not fufficient for this knowledge to confider Man in the Abstract: Books will not ferve the purpose, nor yet our own Experience fingly, Ver. 1. General maxims, unlefs they be formed upon both, will be but notional, Ver. 10. Some peculiarity in every man, characteristic to himself, yet varying from himself, Ver. 15. Difficulties arifing from our own Paffions, Fancies, Faculties, &c. Ver. 31. The shortness of Life, to observe in, and the uncertainty of the Principles of Action in men, to obferve by, Ver. 37, &c. Our own Principle of action often hid from ourselves, Ver. 41. Some few characters plain, but in general confounded, diffembled, or inconfiftent, Ver. 51. The fame man utterly different in different places and seasons, Ver. 71. Unimaginable weaknesses in the greatest, Ver. 77, &c. Nothing conftant and certain but God and Nature, Ver. 95. judging of the Motives from the actions; the fame actions proceeding from contrary Motives, and the fame Motives influencing contrary actions, Ver. 100. II. Yet to form Characters, we can only take the strongest actions of a man's life, and try to make them agree: The utter uncertainty of this, from Nature itself, and from Policy, Ver. 120. Characters given according to the rank of men of the world,

No

Ver. 135. And fome reafon for it, Ver. 141. Education alters the Nature, or at leaft the Character, of many, Ver. 149. Actions, Paffions, Opinions, Manners, Humours, or Principles, all fubject to change. No judging by Nature, from Ver. 158 to 174. III. It only remains to find (if we can) his RULING PASSION: That will certainly influence all the reft, and can reconcile the feeming or real inconfiftency of all his actions, Ver. 175. Inftanced in the extraordinary character of Clodio, Ver. 179. A caution against mistaking second qualities for first, which will deftroy all poffibility of the knowledge of mankind, Ver. 210. Examples of the Arength of the Ruling Paffion, and its continuation to the laft breath, Ver. 222, &c.