PERHAPS it may not be for the advantage of any nation, to have the arts imported from their neighbours in too great perfection. This extinguishes emulation, and finks the ardour of the generous youth. So many perfect models of Italian painting brought into Britain, instead of exciting our artists, is the cause of their small progress in that noble art. The fame, perhaps, was the case of Rome, when it receiv'd the arts from Greece. That multitude of polite productions in the French language, difperft all over Germany and the North, hinder these nations from cultivating their own language, and keep them ftill dependent on their neighbours for thofe elegant entertainments.

'Tis true, the ancients had left us models in every kind of writing, which are highly worthy of admiration. But befides that they were wrote in languages, which were known only to the learned; befides this, I fay, the comparison is not so perfect nor intire betwixt modern wits, and those who liv'd in fo remote an age. Had Waller been born in Rome, during the reign of Tiberius, his firft productions had been defpis'd, when compar'd to the finish'd odes of Horace. But in this ifland the fuperiority of the Roman poet diminish'd nothing from the fame of the English. We efteem'd ourselves fufficiently happy, that our climate and language could produce but a faint copy of fo excellent an original.

IN fhort, the arts and fciences, like fome plants, require a fresh foil; and however rich the land may be, and however you may recruit it by art or care, it will never, when once exhausted, produce any thing that is perfect or finish'd in the kind.

ESSAY

XVIII.

The EPICUREAN

IS a great mortification to the vanity of man, that his utmost art and industry can never equal the meanest of nature's productions, either for beauty or value. Art is only the underworkman, and is employ'd to give a few ftrokes of embellishment to thofe pieces, which come from the hand of the mafter. Some of the drapery may be of his drawing; but he is not allow'd to touch the principal figure. Art may make a fuit of clothes: But nature must produce a man.

EVEN in thofe productions, which are commonly denominated works of art, we find, that the noblest of the kind are beholden for their chief beauty to the

* Or, the man of elegance and pleasure. The intention of this and the three following effays is not fo much, to explain accurately the fentiments of the ancient fects of philofophy, as to deliver the fentiments of fects, that naturally form themselves in the world, and entertain different ideas of human life and of happiness. I have given each of them the name of the philofophical sect, to which it bears the greatest affinity.

force

force and happy influence of nature. To the Oeftrum or native enthusiasm of the poets, we owe whatever is admirable in their productions. The greatest genius, where nature at any time fails him (for she is not equal) throws afide the lyre, and hopes not, from the rules of art, to reach that divine harmony, which must proceed from her inspiration alone. How poor are those songs, where a happy flow of fancy has not furnish'd materials for art to embellish and refine!

BUT of all the fruitless attempts of art, no one is fo ridiculous, as that which the fevere philofophers have undertaken, the producing an artificial happinefs, and making us be pleas'd by rules of reafon, and by reflection. Why did none of them claim the reward, which Xerxes promis'd to him, who could invent a new pleafure. Unless, perhaps, they invented fo many pleasures for their own use, that they defpis'd riches, and ftood in no need of any enjoyments, which the rewards of that monarch could procure them. I am apt, indeed, to think, that they were not willing to furnish the Perfian court with a new pleasure, by prefenting it with fo new and unufual an object of ridicule. Their speculations, when confin'd to theory, and gravely deliver'd in the fchools of Greece, might excite admiration in their ignorant pupils: But the attempting to reduce fuch principles to practice would foon betray their abfurdity.

You pretend to make me happy by reafon, and by rules of art. You must, then, create me anew

by rules of Art. For on my inward frame and ftructure does my happiness depend. But you want power to effect this; and fkill too, I am afraid : Nor can I entertain a less opinion of nature's wisdom than of yours. And let her conduct the machine, which she has fo wifely fram'd. I find, that I should only spoil it by my tampering.

To what purpose should I pretend to regulate, refine, or invigorate any of those springs or principles, which nature has implanted in me? Is this the road by which I muff reach happiness? But happinefs implies ease, contentment, repose and pleafure; not watchfulness, care, and fatigue. The health of my body confifts in the facility with which all its operations are perform'd. The ftomach di gefts the aliments: The heart circulates the blood: The brain separates and refines the fpirits: And all this without my concerning myself in the matter. When by my will alone I can ftop the blood, as it runs with impetuofity along its canals, then may I hope to change the courfe of my fentiments and paffions. In vain fhould I ftrain my faculties, and endeavour to receive pleafure from an object, which is not fitted by nature to affect my organs. with delight. I may give myself pain by my fruitless endeavours, but fhall never reach any pleasure.

AWAY then with all thofe vain pretences of making ourfelves happy within ourselves, of feafting on our own thoughts, of being fatisfy'd with the confciouf

nefs