fity of talents, there fhould be two kinds that are in fome degree incompatible with each other? or that those who poffefs the one in an eminent degree, fometimes can form no idea of the bewitching charms that accompany the exertions of fuperior powers, of a kind with which they are entirely unacquainted? A Newton might not perhaps have had a musical ear; and in that cafe he could not have formed an idea of the way in which a Handel could lead the ravifhed multitude after him nor could a Handel (he was blind) form an idea of the charms by which the pencil of a Reynolds fhould captivate the admiring people.

In fcientific purfuits, men may be arranged into two grand claffes, which, though greatly different from each other in their extremes, yet approximate at times fo near as to be blended indiscriminately together; those who poffefs a talent for detail, and those who are endowed with the faculty of arrangement. The first may be faid to view objects individually, as through a microfcope. The field of vision is confined; but the objects included within that field, which muft ufually be confidered fingly and apart from all others, are feen with a wonderous degree of accuracy and diftinctness. The other takes a fweeping view of the universe at large, confiders every object he perceives, not individually, but as a part of one harmonious whole : His mind is, therefore, not fo much employed in examining the feparate parts of this individual object, as in tracing its relations, connections, and dependencies on thofe around it. Such was the turn of Cullen's mind. The talent for arrangement was that which peculiarly dif tinguifhed him from the ordinary clafs of mortals; and this talent he poffeffed perhaps in a more diftinguifhed degree than any other perfon of the age in which he lived. Many perfons exceeded him in the minute knowledge of particular departments, who, knowing this, naturally looked upon him as their inferior; but poffeffing not at the fame time that glorious faculty,

which,

which," with an eye wide-roaming, glances from the earth to heaven," or the charms which this talent can infufe into congenial minds, felt difguft at the preeminence he obtained, and astonishment at the means by which he obtained it. An Aristotle and a Bacon have had their talents in like manner appretiated; and many are the perfons who can neither be exalted to fublime ideas with Homer, nor ravifhed with the natural touches of a Shakespear. Such things are wifely ordered, that every department in the universe may be properly filled by those who have talents exactly suited to the talk affigned them by heaven.

Let not the mafon, however, despise the architect, beeaufe no part of the building could be reared without his own aid; neither let the architect think lightly of the pioneer who raises the stones from the quarry. It is by their joint labours alone that the fabric can be reared. Let each then proceed in his respective station, to discharge thofe duties that fall to his fhare, without attempting to depreciate the other.

11 Had Cullen, however, poffeffed the talents for ar rangement alone, fmall would have been his title to that high degree of applause he has attained. Without a knowledge of facts, a talent for arrangement produces nothing but chimeras; without materials to work upon, the structures which an over-heated imagination may rear up, are merely the bafelefs fabric of a vifion." No man was more fenfible of the juftness of this remark than Doctor Cullen; and few were at greater pains to avoid it. His whole life, indeed, was employed, almoft without interruption, in collecting facts.-Whether he was reading, walking, or converfing, these were continually falling into his way. With the keen perception of an eagle, he marked them at the first glance; and, without ftopping at the time to examine them, they were stored up in his memory, to be drawn forth as occafion required, to be confronted with other facts that had been obtained after the fame manner,

and to have their truth afcertained, or their, fallity proved, by the evidence which fhould appear when carefully-examined at the impartial bar of justice. Without a memory retentive in a fingular degree, this could not have been done; but fo very extraordinary was Dr. Cullen's memory, that till towards the very decline of life, there was fcarcely a fact that had ever occurred to him, which he could not readily recollect, with all its concomitant circumstances, whenever he had occafion, to refer to it. It was this faculty which fo much abridged his labour in ftudy, and enabled him fo happily to avail himself of the labour of others in all his literary fpeculations, He often reaped more by the converfation of an hour, than another man would have done in whole weeks of laborious study.

In his prelections, Doctor Cullen never attempted to read. His lectures were delivered viva voce, without having been previously put into writing, or thrown into any particular arrangement. The vigour of his mind was fuch, that nothing more was neceflary than a few fhort notes before him, merely to prevent him from varying from the general order he had been accuftomed to obferve. This gave to his difcourfes an ease, a vivacity, a variety, and, a force, that are rarely to be met with in academical difcourfes. His lectures, by confequence, upon the fame fubject, were never exactly the fame. Their general tenor, indeed, was not much varied; but the particular illuftrations were al ways new, well fuited to the circumstances that attracted the general attention of the day, and were delivered in the particular way, that accorded with the caft of mind the prelector found himself in at the time. To thefe circumstances must be afcribed that energetic art lefs elocution, which rendered his lectures fo generally captivating to his hearers. Even thofe who could not follow him in thofe extenfive views his penetrating mind glanced at, or who were not able to understand those apt allufions to collateral objects, he could only rapidly

point at as he went along, could not help being warmed in fome measure by the vivacity of his manner. But to thofe who could follow him in his rapid career, the ideas he fuggefted were fo numerous, the views he laid open were fo extenfive, and the objects to be attained were fo important, that every active faculty of the mind was roufed, and fuch an ardour of enthufiafm was excited in the profecution of ftudy, as appeared to be perfectly inexplicable to those who were merely unconcerned fpectators. In confequence of this unfhackled freedom in the compofition and delivery of his lectures, every circumstance was in the niceft unifon with the tone of voice, and expreffion of countenance, which the particular caft of mind he was in at the time infpired. Was he joyous, all the figures introduced for illuftration were fitted to excite hilarity and good humour was he grave, the objects brought under view were of a nature more folemn and grand; and was he peevish, there was a peculiarity of manner, in thought, in word, and in action, which produced a moft ftriking and interefting effect. The langour of a nervelefs uniformity was never experienced, nor an abortive attempt to excite emotions that the speaker himfelf could not at the time feel, never produced thofe difcordant ideas which prove disgusting and unpleafing.

To be continued.

Whatever friendship those we have justly offended exprefs towards us, we cannot bring ourfelves to believe that they do not preserve some refentment for the injury we have done them; and if at laft they should give us fuch convincing proofs of it as to leave us no room to doubt of their fincerity, they are then in regard to us in the fituation of one to whom we owe great obligations but we never love thofe to whom we have been too much indebted, or at leaft we do not fee them with pleasure.

Literary Project.

The following propofal has been seen by feveral perfons of judg ment, all of whom greatly approved of it: but no one has been found, who was willing, in the prefent fituation of affairs, to bring it forward in parliament. It is now offered to the public, with the hope, that if no perfon at the prefent time fhall think proper to take it up, it may be kept under view, fo as to be adopted, when the literary ardour fhall become more confpicuous among the leading members of the legislature than it now is.

A Propofal, for obtaining a Complete Collection of Papers printed in the British Dominions.

To have a complete collection of all the papers that ever were printed, fo arranged, as that they could be eafily confulted, would be an object of the greatest importance to the hiftory of civil fociety. Every man of letters must have felt the want of fuch a collection, and may be expected to lend his warmeft fupport to every propofal that has a rational tendency to effect it.

To do this, for the time that is paft, is now impof fible; to effect it, in time to come, feems by no means impracticable. A law to the following effect, with fuch alterations as fuperior wisdom fhall fuggeft, may be obtained, without fubjecting any clafs of men to inconvenience, and would completely anfwer the pur pose.

Let it be enacted,

That one copy of every book, pamphlet, or detached paper of any kind, that fhall be printed in Britain, day of fhall be delivered into the hands of certain persons, appointed by government,

after the

* If twe would not be better?