ANIMORUM

Juv.

Wis lately confidering, among other Was lately confidering, among other tempt of an univerfal regifter, an office in which every man may lodge an account of his fuperfluities and wants, of whatever he defires to purchase or to fell. My imagination foon prefented to me the latitude to which this defign may be extended by integrity and induftry, and the advantages which may be justly hoped from a general mart of intelligence, when once it's reputation hall be fo established, that neither reproach nor fraud thall be feared from it; when an application to it fhall not be cenfured as the last refource of defperation, nor it's informations fufpected as the fortuitous fuggeftions of men obliged not to appear ignorant. A place where every exuberance may be difcharged, and every deficiency fupplied, where every lawful paffion may find it's gratifications, and every honeft curiofity receive fatisfaction; where the flock of a nation, pecuniary and intellectual, may be brought together; and where all conditions of humanity may hope to find relief, pleasure, and accommodation; muft equally deferve the attention of the merchant and philofopher, of him who mingles in the tumult of buinefs, and him who only lives to amule himfelf with the various employments and purfuits of others. Nor will it be an uninftructing fchool to the greatest mafters of method and difpatch, if fuch multiplicity can be preferved from embarraffinent, and fuch tumult from inaccuracy.

While I was concerting this fplendid project, and filling my thoughts with it's regulation, it's conveniencies, it's variety, and it's confequences, I funk gradually into fumber; but the fame images, though lefs diftinet, ftill continued to float upon my fancy.. I perceived myself at the gate of an immenfe edifice, where innumerable multitudes were pating without confufion; every

face on which I fixed my eyes feemed fettled in the contemplation of fome important purpofe, and every foot was haitened by eagerness and expectation. I followed the crowd without knowing whither I should be drawn, and remained a while in the unpleafing itate of an idler, where all other beings were hufy, giving place every moment to thofe who had more importance in their looks. Afhamed to ftand ignorant, and afraid to ask questions, at laft I faw a lady fweeping by me, whom, by the quick nefs of her eyes, the agility of her steps, and a mixture of levity and impatience, I knew to be my long-loved protectress, Curiofity. Great goddess,' faid I, 'may thy votary be permitted to implore thy favour? If thou hast been my directrefs from the firit dawn of reafon, if I have followed thee through the maze of life with invariable fidelity, if I have turned to every new call, and quitted at thy nod one pursuit for another, if I have never stopped at the invitations of fortune, nor forgot thy authority in the bowers of pleasure, inform me now whither chance has • conducted me.'

Thou art now,' replied the fmiling power, in the prefence of Justice, and of Truth, whom the father of gods and men has fent down to register the demands and pretenfions of mankind, that the world may at laft be reduced to order, and that none may complain hercatter of being doomed to tasks for which they are unqualified, or poffelfing faculties for which they cannot find employment, or virtues that languish unobferved for want of opportunities to exert them, of being encumbered! with fuperfluitics which they would willingly refign, or of wafting away in defires which ought to be fatisfied. Juftice is now to examine every man's. wishes, and Truth is to record them; let us approach, and obferve the progrefs of this great tranfaction.'

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She

She then moved forward; and Truth, who knew her among the moit faithful of her followers, beckoned her to advance, till we were placed near the feat of Juftice. The firit who required the afliftance of the office came forward with a flow pace, and tumour of dignity, and, shaking a weighty purse in his hand, demanded to be registered by Truth, as the Mæcenas of the prefent age, the chief encourager of literary merit, to whom men of learning and wit might apply in any exigence or diftrefs with certainty of fuccour. Juftice very mildly enquired, whether he had calculated the expence of fuch a declaration? whether he had been informed what number of petitioners would fwarm about him? whether he could diftinguish idlenefs and negligence from calamity, oftentation from knowledge, or vivacity from wit? To thefe queftions he feemed not well provided with a reply, but repeated his defire to be recorded as a patron. Juftice then offered to register his propofals on thefe conditions; that he fhould never fuffer himself to be flattered; that he should never delay an audience when he had nothing to do; and that he should never encourage followers without intending to reward them. Thefe terms were too hard to be accepted; For what,' faid he, is the end of patronage, but the pleasure of reading dedications, holding multitudes in fufpence, and enjoying their hopes, their fears, and their anxiety; flattering them to affiduity, and at laft difmiffing them for impatience? Juftice heard his confeffion, and ordered his name to be posted upon the gate among cheats, and robbers, and publick nuifances, which all were by that notice warned to avoid.

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Another required to be made known as the difcoverer of a new art of edu

cation, by which languages and fciences might be taught to all capacities, and all inclinations, without fear of punifhment, pain of confinement, lofs of any part of the gay mien of ignorance, or any obftruction of the neceflary progrefs in drefs, dancing, or cards.

Juftice and Truth did not trouble this great adept with many enquiries; but finding his addrefs awkward, and his fpeech barbarous, ordered him to be regittered as a tall fellow who wanted exployment, and might ferve in any

poft where the knowledge of reading and writing was not required.

A man of a very great and philofophick aspect required notice to be given of his intention to fet out, a certain day, on a fubmarine voyage, and of his willingness to take in paffengers for no more than double the price at which they might fail above water. His defire was granted, and he retired to a convenient itand, in expectation of filling his fhip, and growing rich in a fhort time by the fecrecy, fafety, and expedition of the paffage.

Another defired to advertise the curious, that he had, for the advancement of true knowledge, contrived an optical inftrument, by which thofe who laid out their industry on memorials of the changes of the wind might obferve the direction of the weathercocks on the hitherfide of the lunar world.

Another wished to be known as the author of an invention by which cities or kingdoms might be made warm in winter by a fingle fire, a kettle, and pipe. Another had a vehicle by which a man might bid defiance to floods, and continue floating in an inundation, without any inconvenience, till the water fhould fubfide. Juftice confidered these projects as of no importance but to their authors, and therefore fcarcely condefcended to examine them; but Truth refused to admit them into the regifter,

Twenty different pretenders came in one hour to give notice of an universal medicine, by which all difeafes might be cured or prevented, and life protracted beyond the age of Neftor. But Juftice informed them, that one universal medicine was fufficient, and fhe would delay the notification till fhe faw who could longeft preferve his own life.

A thousand other claims and offers were exhibited and examined. I remarked, among this mighty multitude, that, of intellectual advantages, many had great exuberance, and few confeffed any want; of every art there were a hundred profeffors for a fingle pupil; but of other attainments, fuch as riches, honours, and preferments, I found none that had too much, but thousands and ten thousands that thought themselves intitled to a larger dividend.

It often happened, that old mifers, and women, married at the clofe of life, advertited their want of children; nor

was it uncommon for those who had a numerous offspring, to give notice of a fon or daughter to be fpared; but though appearances promised well on both fides, the bargain feldom fucceeded; for they foon loft their inclination to adopted children, and proclaimed their intentions to promote fome scheme of publick charity: a thousand proposals were

immediately made, among which they hefitated till death precluded the deci fion.

As I ftood looking on this fcene of confufion, Truth condefcended to afk me, what was my business at the office? I was ftruck with the unexpected queftion, and awaked by my efforts to an swer it.

men whofe works are now totally neglected, mentioned with praises by their contemporaries, as the oracles of their age, and the legiflators of fcience. Curiofity is naturally excited, their volumes after long enquiry are found, but feldom reward the labour of the fearch. Every period of time has produced thefe bubbles of artificial fame, which are kept up a while by the breath of fashion, and then break at once, and are annihilated. The learned often bewail the lofs of ancient writers whofe characters have furvived their works; but, perhaps, if we could now retrieve them, we fhould find them only the Granvilles, Montagues, Stepneys, and Sheffields of their time, and wonder by what infatuation or caprice they could be raifed to notice.

It cannot, however, be denied, that inany have funk into oblivion, whom it were unjust to number with this defpicable clafs. Various kinds of literary fame feemed destined to various meatures of duration. Some fpread into exuberance with a very speedy growth, but foon wither and decay; fome rife more flowly, but last long. Parnaffus has it's flowers of tranfient fragrance, as well as it's oaks of towering height, and it's laurels of eternal verdure.

Among those whofe reputation is exhaufted in a fhort time by it's own luxuriance, are the writers who take advantage of prefent incidents or characters which itrongly intereft the paffions, and engage univerfal attention. It is not difficult to obtain readers when we difcuts a question which every one is defirous to understand, which is debated in every affembly, and has divided the nation into parties; or when we difplay the faults or virtues of him whofe publick conduct has made almost every man his enemy or his friend. To the quick circulation of fuch productions all the motives of intereft and vanity concur; the difputant enlarges his knowledge, the zealot animates his puilion, and every man is defirous to inform himielf con cerning affaus to vehemently agitated and varioutly reprefented.

It is fcarcely to be imagined, through how many fubordinations of interet the ardour of party is diffuded; and what utitudes fancy themselves affected by every nature or panegyrick on a man of eminace. Whoever has, at any time, taken occafion to mention him with praite

or blame, whoever happens to love of hate any of his adherents, as he wifbes to confirm his opinion, and to ftrengthen his party, will diligently perute every paper from which he can hope for fentiments like his own. An object, however small in itself, if placed near to the eye, will engrofs all the rays of light; and a tranfaction, however trivial, fwells into importance when it preffes immediately on our attention. He that fhall perute the political pamphlets of any paft reign, will wonder why they were fo eagerly read, or fo loudly praited. Many of the performances which had power to inflame factions, and fill a kingdom with confufion, have now very little effect upon a frigid critick; and the time is coming, when the compofitions of later hirelings fhall lie equally defpited. In proportion as thofe who write on temporary fubjects are exalted above their merit at firft, they are afterwards depreffed below it; nor can the brightest elegance of diction, or moft artful fubtilty of reafoning, hope for much efteem from thote whofe regard is no longer quickened by curiofity or pride.

It is, indeed, the fate of controvertists, even when they contend for philofophical or theological truth, to be foon laid atide and flighted. Either the question is decided, and there is no more place for doubt and oppofition; or mankind defpair of understanding it, and grow weary of difturbance, content themielves with quiet ignorance, and refufe to be haraffed with labours which they have no hopes of recompenfing with knowledge.

The authors of new discoveries may furely expect to be reckoned among thofe whole writings are fecure of veneration: yet it often happens that the general reception of a doctrine obfcures the books in which it was delivered. When any tenet is generally received and adopted as an incontrovertible principle, we feldom look back to the arguments upon which it was first established, or can bear that tediouinefs of deduction, and multiplicity of evidence, by which it's author was forced to itconcile it to prejudice, and fortify it in the weakness of novelty against obsti, nacy and envy.

It is well known how much of our philofophy is derived from Boyle's difcovery of the qualities of the air; yet

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