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mentioned France, but to condemn the post-horses: nor took notice of any circumstance in his passage over the Alps, except the loss of his hat and periwig. One would have concluded him a cheesemonger from his description of Parma. His observations on Florence were confined solely to its wines: and though he was profoundly silent on the constitution of Lucca, he talked very particularly of the olives it produced..... He had occasionally interspersed some anecdotes of himself; as that he had drank a little too frequently at Genoa with lord A.; that he had broke the west window of the great church at Milan in a frolic with sir Thomas B.; that he had been plundered of his gold watch and snuff-box by a courtezan of Venice; and that he had attempted in revenge, to sink a gondola belonging to the Doge. These singular contents really gave me pain, as I had a sincere affection for my cousin and his family; and I began to moralize on the vanity and misapplication of travelling into foreign countries. A packet of letters, which reached me soon after, from other correspondents at that time in Italy, threw me into perplexities: for they all concurred in representing my relation as doing honour to his country by his genius and learning. They spoke of him as distinguished for his knowledge of the religion, government and antiquities of the states he had visited; and described him as little less remarkable for his chastity, sobriety, and gentleness of manners. A disagreement so visible between the letter from himself, and those which succeeded it, was at first indeed not easily reconciled. Being satisfied, however, that my intelligence from the latter might be relied on as certain, I at length made a discovery, that my cousin had departed from his veracity on this occasion; an dthat he resumed a character compounded of folly, ignorance and debauchery, to which he had no pretentions: preferring it to that of a gentleman, a

scholar, and a man of virtue, which really belonged to him, from a studious affectation of appearing to his friend in any other light than the unfashionable one of a pedant.

*In answer to Hillaria and her cousin, I am sorry to say that it is not my good fortune to be the gentleman who has attracted their notice.

No. XCIV. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17.

IN my paper of last Thursday, I took notice how much conversation had suffered from the singular disposition of mankind in our age to appear in every character except their natural one, and to consider pedantry as reflecting more disgrace on the persons tinctured with it, than any other frailty, or even immorality, incident to our nature. I am, however, far from concluding this principle (universal as it is) to be the only obstruction to rational society: other causes, distinct in themselves, or operating in conjunction with it, have conspired to reduce conversation to the state we lament it in at present. ́ I shall mention the most remarkable of these causes in the order they occur to me.

One great abuse of conversation has visibly arisen from our mistaking its end, which is, the mutual entertainment and instruction of each other by a friendly communication of sentiments. It is seriously to be wished that this end were pursued, and that every one would contribute with freedom and good-manners to the general improvement from his particular

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discoveries. On the contrary, we are apt to consider society in no other light than as it gives us an opportunity of displaying to advantage our wit, our eloquence, or any other real or imaginary accomplishment. is our intention to procure admiration from it, not improvement, and to dazzle our companions with our own brightness, rather than to receive light by reflection from them. I knew indeed an instance, the very opposite to this, in a late person of distinction, who to very great qualities had united the talents of a most agreeable companion. I could never perceive that he supported this character by any assumed superiority over his company: it was his singular faculty to discover the genius of other men: no latent merit escaped his penetration, though the proprietor seemed industrious to conceal it from the world, and even from himself. With this advantage he had the art to engage every member of the company on that particular subject, which he was capable of maintaining with ease to himself, and benefit to society. He himself at the same time pretended to no more than a common part in that conversation, which derived its merit entirely from his address. The tendency of such behaviour to enlarge knowledge, as well as to procure esteem, cannot fail of appearing very evident to my readers.

There is another defect, very closely connected with the abuse above-mentioned, which has proved equally pernicious to conversation: I mean the peremptoriness and warmth that are employed in modern conferences. Indeed, whether we write or converse, the haughty manner, the self-sufficiency, and the contempt of our opponent that we mix with our arguments, have considerably prevented the advancement of truth, and conviction of error. Modern disputants by this method have subjected their cause, though perhaps founded on demonstration, to great

disadvantages; since they have not only the prejudices of mankind to combat, but have imprudently interested their passions too against them. In debates perhaps purely speculative, a person is obliged not only to defend the point in controversy, but even his understanding and moral character, which are united to the question by the management of his adversary. Sir Isaac Newton and Mr. Locke, ornaments to their country, their age, and human nature, have been frequently represented as men of weak heads and bad hearts, by persons esteeming themselves nothing less than philosophers. It does not indeed appear to the unprejudiced, that gravitation and cohesion have any visible connexion with ethics; that an attempt to ascertain the powers of the understanding has a tendency to undermine revelation; or that these writers deserved to be considered in any other light than as ingenious enthusiasts, if reason and universal experience had not confirmed their enquiries to be as true as they were beautiful. I have often thought that the reception of the Platonic philosophy in the world may be attributed more to the manner of its delivery, than to the superior excellence of it. If we except the moral part, which is divinely treated, its discoveries in physics and other branches of science did not entitle it to be advanced above that of other sects, particularly the Aristotelian. The difference was, that the ipse dixits and dogmatical positions of the one, made it unpalatable; while modesty, politeness, and deference to the reason and dignity of mankind, rendered the other lovely even to its adversaries. They were induced by the address of it, to pursue the consequences of their own opinions until they led them to absurdity, and were not ashamed of a conclusion which seemed to be the effect of their own examination. The same management inclined them to adopt with cheerfulness those principles.

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which were established on the ruins of their favourite prejudices. It is a little extraordinary than the success of this milder method of disputation should have had no greater influence on succeeding ages; especially since the Divine Founder of christianity has, by his own example, so eminently recommended the same practice. The errors.of mankind were treated by him with the tenderness of a parent; and even divine truths introduced into the mind by persuasion rather than authority. The delivery of them in parables was excellently calculated to divest men of prejudices and passions, and to exclude the consideration of self-interest from the question; at the same time that it shewed an indulgence to the understanding, by proposing, chiefly general truths, and leaving their particular application to ourselves.

The fatal influence of politics on society, in a country divided into parties like our own, has been too often mentioned to require illustration. I shall observe only, that it has been the occasion of excluding a variety of useful knowledge from conversation, even with men of the most moderate principles. They have been cautious of engaging on any subject, which might accidentally lead to that of politics: and from the natural relation of one science to another, have by this means precluded themselves from almost every branch of instructive conversation. It was observable at the table of a late great man, that obscenity was too often the subject of discourse, which he himself appeared not sufficiently to discountenance. To some serious persons, who took offence at his conduct, he made the following apology. "I have attempted," says he, "in vain to start other subjects, and at the same time to preserve the harmony of my company. If, for instance, I introduce the state of ancient and modern learning, we enter very soon into a comparison of the governments they have flourished

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