"The

fourth book is an inimitable fatire. principal excufe," fays he, " which engages men in falfe ftudies, is, that they have attached the idea of learned where they should not." Aftronomy, antiquarianifm, history, ancient poetry, and natural history, are all mowed down by his metaphyfical scythe. When we become acquainted with the idea Father Malebranche attaches to the term learned, we understand him-and we smile. -D'ISRAELI.

Men v. Books.

O take measures wholly from Books without looking into men and business, is like travelling in a map; where, although countries and cities are well enough diftinguished, yet villages and private feats are either overlooked, or too generally marked for a stranger to find: and therefore, he that would be a mafter muft draw from the life, as well as copy from originals, and join theory and experience together.-JEREMY COLLIER.

Men of Valour.

OR men there are to be confidered the valour and the numbers, the old obfervation is not untrue, that

the Spaniards' valour lieth to the

eye of the looker on, but the English valour lieth about the foldier's heart.-LORD BaCON's Spanish War.

Mental Pleafures.

LEASURES of the mind are more at command than thofe of the body. A man may think of a handfome performance or of a notion that pleases him, at his leifure. This entertainment is ready, with little warning or expense; a fhort recollection brings it upon the stage, brightens the idea and makes it fhine as much as when it was first stamped upon the memory.-JEREMY COLLIER.

Mental Prayer.

ENTAL prayer, when our fpirits wander, is like a watch ftanding ftill, because the fpring is down; wind it up again and it goes on regularly. But in vocal prayer, if the words run on and the fpirit wanders, the clock ftrikes falfe, the hand points not to the right hour, because fomething is in disorder, and the striking is nothing but noife. In mental prayer we confefs God's omniscience, in vocal prayer we call angels to witness. In the firft our fpirits rejoice in God, in the second the angels rejoice in us. Mental prayer is the best remedy against lightness and indifferency of affections, but vocal prayer is the apteft inftrument of communion. That is more Angelical, but yet is fitteft for the ftate of feparation and glory; this is but human, but it is apter for our present conftitution. They have their diftinct proprieties, and may be used according to feveral accidents, occafions or difpofitions. - JEREMY TAYLOR.

Milton's Childhood.

HEN I was yet a child, no childifh play

To me was pleafing: all my mind was fet

Serious to learn and know, and thence to do What might be public good: myself I thought

Born to that end, born to promote all truth, All righteous things.-MILTON.

Milton's Prayer for the Church. HICH way to get out, or which way to end I know not, unless I turn mine eyes and lift up my hands, to that eternal and propitious throne, where nothing is readier than grace and refuge to the diftreffes of mortal fuppliants. And it were a fhame to leave these serious thoughts lefs piously than the heathen were wont to conclude their graver difcourfes.

THOU, therefore, that fitteft in light and

glory unapproachable, Parent of Angels and men! Next thee I implore, omnipotent King, Redeemer of that loft remnant whose nature thou didst assume, ineffable and everlafting Love! And thou, the third fubfiftence of divine infinitude, illuming Spirit, the joy and folace of created things! One tripersonal Godhead! Look upon this thy poor and almost spent and expiring Church; leave her not a prey to these importunate wolves, that wait and think long till they devour thy tender flock: these wild boars that have broke into thy vineyard, and left the print of their polluting hoofs on the fouls of thy fervants. O let them not bring about their damned defigns, that stand now at the entrance of the bottomless pit, expecting the watch-word to open and let out those dreadful locufts and scorpions, to re-involve us in that pitchy cloud of infernal darkness, where we shall never more see the fun of thy truth again, never hope for the cheerful dawn, never more hear the bird of morning fing. MILTON.