thofe powers, who fent their ambaffadors to folicit his friendship, and their generals "to learn under "him the art of war."

The Czar found employment fufficient in his own dominions, and amufed himself in digging canals, and building cities; murdering his fubjects with infufferable fatigues, and tranfplanting nations from one corner of his dominions to another, without regretting the thousands that perished on the way: but he attained his end, he made his people formidable, and is numbered by fame among the demi-gods.

I am far from intending to vindicate the fanguinary projects of heroes and conquerors, and would wish rather to diminish the reputation of their fuccefs, than the infamy of their mifcarriages: for I cannot conceive, why he that has burnt cities, wafted nations, and filled the world with horror and defolation, fhould be more kindly regarded by mankind, than he that died in the rudiments of wickednefs; why he that accomplished mifchief fhould be glorious, and he that only endeavoured it should be criminal. I would with Cafar and Catiline, Xerxes and Alexander, Charles and Peter, huddled together in obfcurity or detestation.

But there is another fpecies of projectors, to whom I would willingly conciliate mankind; whofe ends are generally laudable, and whofe labours are innocent; who are fearching out new powers of nature, or contriving new works of art; but who are yet perfecuted with inceffant obloquy, and whom the univerfal contempt with which they are treated, often debars from that fuccefs which their

industry

industry would obtain, if it were permitted to act without oppofition.

They who find themfelves inclined to cenfure new undertakings, only because they are new, fhould confider, that the folly of projection is feldom the folly of a fool; it is commonly very the ebullition of a capacious mind, crowded with variety of knowledge, and heated with intenfeness of thought; it proceeds often from the confcioufnefs of uncommon powers, from the confidence of those, who having already done much, are easily perfuaded that they can do more. When Rowley had completed the orrery, he attempted the perpetual motion; when Boyle had exhausted the secrets of vulgar chemistry, he turned his thoughts to the work of tranf

mutation.

A projector generally unites thofe qualities which have the faireft claim to veneration, extent of knowledge, and greatness of defign: it was faid of Catiline, "immoderata, incredibilia, nimis alta femper "cupiebat." Projectors of all kinds agree in their intellects, though they differ in their morals; they all fail by attempting things beyond their power, by defpifing vulgar attainments, and aspiring to performances, to which, perhaps, nature has not proportioned the force of man: when they fail, therefore, they fail not by idlenefs or timidity, but by rash adventure and fruitless diligence.

That the attempts of fuch men will often mifcarry, we may reasonably expect; yet from fuch men, and fuch only, are we to hope for the cultivation of those parts of nature which lie yet waste, and the invention of thofe arts which are yet wanting

wanting to the felicity of life. If they are, therefore, univerfally difcouraged, art and discovery can make no advances. Whatever is attempted without previous certainty of fuccess, may be confidered as a project, and amongst narrow minds may, therefore, expofe its author to cenfure and contempt; and if the liberty of laughing be once indulged, every man will laugh at what he does not understand, every project will be confidered as madness, and every great or new defign will be cenfured as a project. Men, unaccustomed to reason and researches, think every enterprize impracticable, which is extended beyond common effects, or comprises many intermediate operations. Many that presume to laugh at projectors, would confider a flight through the air in a winged chariot, and the movement of a mighty engine by the fteam of water, as equally the dreams of mechanic lunacy; and would hear, with equal negligence, of the union of the Thames and Severn by a canal, and the scheme of Albuquerque, the viceroy of the Indies, who in the rage of hoftility had contrived to make Egypt a barren defart, by turning the Nile into the Red Sea.

Those who have attempted much, have feldom failed to perform more than thofe who never deviate from the common roads of action: many valuable preparations of chemistry are fuppofed to have rifen from unfuccessful enquiries after the grand elixir: it is, therefore, juft to encourage thofe who endeavour to enlarge the power of art, fince they often fucceed beyond expectation; and when they fail, may fometimes benefit the world even by their miscarriages.

VOL. III.

I

appears

So well defign'd, fo luckily begun,

But, when we have our wish, we wish undone. DRYDEN.

SIR,

To the ADVENTURER.

HAVE been for many years a trader in London. My beginning was narrow, and my stock small; I was, therefore, a long time brow-beaten and defpifed by thofe, who having more money thought they had more merit than myself. I did not, however, suffer my refentment to inftigate me to any mean arts of fupplantation, nor my eagerness of riches to betray me to any indirect methods of gain; I purfued my business with inceffant affiduity, fupported by the hope of being one day richer than those who contemned me; and had, upon every annual review of my books, the fatisfaction of finding my fortune increased beyond my expectation.

In a few years my industry and probity were fully recompenfed, my wealth was really great, and my reputation for wealth ftill greater. I had large warehouses crowded with goods, and confiderable fums in the public funds; I was careffed upon the

Exchange

Exchange by the most eminent merchants; became the oracle of the common council; was folicited to engage in all commercial undertakings; was flattered with the hopes of becoming in a fhort time one of the directors of a wealthy company; and, to complete my mercantile honours, enjoyed the expenfive happiness of fining for fheriff.

Riches, you know, eafily produce riches: when I had arrived to this degree of wealth, I had no longer any obstruction or oppofition to fear; new acquifitions were hourly brought within my reach, and I continued for fome years longer to heap thousands upon thousands.

At last I refolved to complete the circle of a citizen's profperity by the purchase of an eftate in the country, and to clofe my life in retirement. From the hour that this defign entered my imagination, I found the fatigues of my employment every day more oppreffive, and perfuaded myself that I was no longer equal to perpetual attention, and that my health would foon be destroyed by the torment and diftraction of extensive business. I could image to myself no happinefs, but in vacant jollity, and uninterrupted leifure; nor entertain my friends with any other topick, than the vexation and uncertainty of trade, and the happinefs of rural privacy.

But notwithstanding thefe declarations, I could not at once reconcile myfelf to the thoughts of ceafing to get money; and though I was every day enquiring for a purchase, I found fome reafon for rejecting all that were offered me; and, indeed, had accumulated fo many beauties and conveniences in my idea of the fpot, where I was finally to be Q 2

happy,