SECT. XXXIX. Of Compofition or Structure of Words. SE CT. XL. 92 Of apt Connexion of the conftituent Parts of Difcourfe. SECT. XLI. 95 That broken and precipitate Meafures debafe the Sublime. That Words of Short Syllables are prejudicial to the Sublime. That Contraction of Stile diminishes the Sublime. SECT. XLII. SECT. XLIII. 97 98 ibid. SE C T. XLIV. The Scarcity of fublime Writers accounted for. 102 That low Terms blemish the Sublime. 30, 64 Eupolis. 48 Archilochus. 31, 37 Euripides. 40, 41, 42, Arimafpians, Author of the Poem on the. 29 Aristophanes. 96 Ariftotle. 43, 44, 96 Gorgias the Leontine. 7 7 7 Emofthenes. 5, 31, 34, 38, 44, 46, 47, Homer. 11, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 67,79 IO Some ACCOUNT of the LIFE, WRITINGS and CHARACTER OF LONG IN US HERE is no part of History more agreeable in itself, nor more improving to the Mind, than the Lives of those who have diftinguifhed themselves from the Herd of Mankind, and set themselves up to public Regard. A particular Tribute of Admiration is always due, and is generally paid to the Heroe, the Philosopher and the Scholar. It requires indeed a ftrength of Understanding and a folidity of Judgment to distinguish those Actions which are truly great from fuch as have only the Shew and Appearance of it. The Noise of Victories and the Pomp of Triumphs are apt to make deeper Impreffions on common Minds, a 2 Minds, than the calm and even Labours of Men of a studious and philofophical Turn,.. tho' the latter are, for the most part, more commendable in themselves and more useful to the World. The Imagination of the bulk of Mankind is more alive than their Judg ment: Hence Cæfar is more admired for the part he acted in the Plains of Pharfalia, than for the Recollection of his Mind the Night after the Victory, by which he armed himself against the Infolence of Succefs, and formed Refolutions of forgiving his Enemies, and triumphing more by Clemency and Mildnefs than he had before by his Courage and his Arms. Deeds which we can only admire, are not so fit for fedate Contemplation as those which we may also imitate. We may not be able to plan or execute a Victory with the Scipios and Cæfars, but we may improve and fortify our Understandings by inspecting their Scenes of Study and Reflexion; we may apply the Contemplations of the Wise to private ufe, fo as to make our Paffions obedient to our Reason, our Reason productive of inward Tranquillity, and sometimes of real and fubftantial Advantage to all our Fellow-crea tures. Such |