'Twas

DIAL. unfuccefsfully grafting from him. II. fomething of this which, as I have read fomewhere, made a judicious man fay, Voiture spoilt near half the French writers. Those indeed I chiefly fpeak of, draw nearer to the Style of Balfac, which an ingenious acquaintance of mine fays, looks like a continual Gasconade. They are full as much for big fort of phrases, which are flung out at random, and of which the very beft are only good by chance. They seem to pen down their thoughts at a venture, first chufing their words by the bulk and found, and then forcing 'em into a pretended context; though in reality their very way and jog of writing, naturally throws them out of true connection.

CRITOM. At least you will not, I hope, make Callicrates anfwerable for his miftaken pretenders to his Style.

EUDOX. By no means. But I am apt to think it is not a very right one, fince it fo naturally leads to the wrong.

CRITOM. But what do you think par ticularly of those parts of his book, which are by way of dialogue; where the very

Sententia grandes quarum optima quaque à periculo pe

titur. Quint. Lib. 2. Cap, 11.

character

character of familiar difcourfe allows a DIAL. greater freedom? 'Tis in them one cannot II. but admire to fee the perfons he introduces, take up one another fo wittily.

EUDOX. I fear it is a kind of wit which is not altogether so natural in common discourse. Methinks too, he makes his gentlemen enter upon matters in a hurry, and as if they were refolved to run one another immediately down into conviction, by the precipitousness of their expreffions. Were it not much more natural to begin with temper, and rife by degrees, and prepare a conclufion, than to enter by a start, purfue it by spurts, and snap off on a fudden? These are only doubts, I propofe, not affertions; and to them I will add another. After a few words have paft between the interlocutors, is it according to art, to make one of them begin to engross the discourse to himself?

CRITOM. Why, Sir, wou'd you have him count them out their words, and make their fentences of an equal length, for fear one fhou'd not have his fhare of talk? It is common in all conversation, for persons to advance now and then fuch propofitions as require a longer proof, and to be deduced fomething more at large.

པ

DIAL.

II.

doubt EUDOX. It is fo; and therefore my is chiefly concerning the way. He does it, by immediately making one profer, or the other defire his attention, because he has a great deal to say, and his head is full of Then he fets him a talking with a witness. Thus Sophronius, in one of the dialogues, talks fo long for eight or nine large pages together, that he has not breath left to give Philander good night: and fo they part.

matter.

CRITOM. Now, Eudoxus, for all the modesty of your only propofing doubts, I perceive you are turning it to a banter. 'Tis the best method of making a breach in a folid reputation. I hope you will not be affronted if I obferve to you, that exceptious humours never gain their point fo furely as by ridiculing.

EUDOX. Believe me, that is far from my defign at prefent, and you know it is never much my humour; though I fee no need, in matters of this nature, to be always pofitively grave. However, at our next meeting, we will, if you please, pursue the matter, without making ufe of jefts for arguments. At present you must give me leave to go to my Club, where I promised to be a little fooner than ordinary.

I

CRITOM

CRITOM. You know you may ufe all freedom with us.

CLEAND. And you might be sure we never defigned our vifit fhould be the least hindrance to your other concerns.

DIAL.

II.

[68]

THE

THIRD DIALOGUE,

BETWEEN

CRITOMACHUS, EUDOXUS, and CLEANder.

CRITOM.

W

HAT now, Eudoxus, are you going abroad? Have you a mind to decline any farther debate, and are your critical niceties at an end?

EUDOX. No, Sir. Not expecting you quite fo foon, I was going no farther than a-cross the street, and had given orders to my man to call me at your arrival. The ceremony-vifit I was upon, may as well be put off till another time. So, if you please, we will walk up to my library. Befides a referve of former reflections, I have made fome others fince our laft conference.

CLEAND. There's Callicrates's book ready, I see, upon your table. But who

is