As every one is pleafed with imagining that he knows fomething not yet commonly divulged, fecret hiftory cafily gains credit; but it is for the most part believed only while it circulates in whispers, and when once it is openly told is openly confuted. THE moft pernicious enemy is the man of moderation. Without intereft in the queftion, or any motive but honest curiofity, this impartial and zealous enquirer after truth, is ready to hear whatever can be urged on either fide, and always difpofed to kind interpretations and favourable opinions. He has heard the trader's affairs reported with great variation, and after a diligent comparison of the evidence, concludes it probable that the fplendid fuperftructure of bufinefs and credit being originally built upon a narrow bafis, has lately been found to totter; but between dilatory payment and bankrupcy there is a great diftance; many merchants have fupported themselves by expedients for a time, without any final injury to their creditors; what is loft by one adventure may be recovered by another; and no man, however prudent, can fecure fecure himself againft the failure of corref pondents. He believes that a young lady pleafed with admiration, and defirous to make perfect what is already excellent, may heighten fome of her charms by artificial improvements, but furely most of her beauties must be genuine, and who can fay that he is wholly what he endeavours to appear? The author he knows to be a man of diligence, who perhaps does not sparkle with the fire of Homer, but has the judgment to discover his own deficiencies, and to fupply them by the help of others; and in his opinion modesty is a quality fo amiable and rare, that it ought to find a patron wherever it appears, and may justly be preferred by the publick fuffrage to petulant wit and oftentatious literature. He who thus difcovers failings with unwillingness, and extenuates the Faults which cannot be denied, puts an end at once to doubt or vindication; his hearers repofe upon his candour and veracity, and admit the charge without allowing the excuse. SUCH are the arts by which the envious, the idle, the peevish, and the thoughtless obftruct E 2 ftruct that -worth which they cannot equal, and by artifices thus eafy, fordid, and deteftable is induftry defeated, beauty blafted, and genius depreffed. NUMB. 145. TUESDAY, August 6, 1751. Non fi priores Moonius tenet Sedes Homerus, Pindarica latent, Stefichorique graves Camana. HoR. T is allowed by those who have confider ed the conftitution of society, that vocations and employments of least dignity are of the moft apparent use; that the meaneft artifan or manufacturer contributes more to the accommodation of life, than the profound scholar and argumentative theorist; and that the publick would fuffer lefs immediate inconvenience from the banishment of philofophers, than from the extinction of any common trade. SOME SOME have been so forcibly ftruck with this obfervation, that they have in the first warmth of their discovery thought it reasonable to alter the common diftribution of dignity, and have ventured to condemn mankind of univerfal ingratitude. For if juftice exacts that those by whom we are most benefited fhould be moft honoured, what better title can be produced to praife and veneration than fuccessful labour for the good of others? And what labour can be more useful than that which procures to families and Communities thofe neceffaries which fupply the wants of nature, or those conveniencies by which eafe, fecurity, and elegance are conferred? THIS is one of the innumerable theories which the first attempt to reduce them into practice certainly deftroys. If we cftimate dignity by immediate usefulness, agriculture is undoubtedly the first and noblest science; yet we fee the plow driven, the clod broken, the manure spread, the feeds fcattered, and the harvest reaped, by men whom those that feed upon their industry will never be perfuaded to admire for their wifdom, or admit into the same rank with heroes, or with fages; and who, after all the confeffions which truth may extort in favour of their occupation, must be content to fill up the lowest clafs of the common-wealth, to form the bafe of the pyramid of subordination, and lie buried in obfcurity themselves while they fupport all that is fplendid, confpicuous, or exalted. It will be found upon a clofer inspection, that this part of the conduct of mankind is. by no means contrary to reafon or equity. Remuneratory honours are proportioned at once to the ufefulness and difficulty of performances, and are properly adjusted by comparifon of the mental and corporeal abilities, which they appear to employ. That work, however neceffary, which is carried on only by mufcular ftrength and manual dexterity, is not of equal effecm in the confideration of rational beings, with the tasks that exercise the intellectual powers, and require the activevigour of imagination, or the gradual and laborious investigations of reafon. THE merit of all manual occupations feems to terminate in the inventor; and furely the |
