Events of but one Man's Life. For as it fometimes happens, that the Grandfon, or great Grandfon, resembles the Grand-Father, or great Grand-Father more than the Father, fo many times it comes to pafs, that the Occurrences of prefent Times fort better with antient Examples, than with thofe of later Times. Laftly, The Wit of one Man yields as much to the Extent and Latitude of Learning, as the Income of a private Man to a publick Treasury.

For

AND tho' 'twere granted, that those Depravations, Indifpofitions, and Impediments, which are imputed to Learning by Politicks, were of any Force and Validity, and had any Truth in them, yet it must be remembred withal, that Learning in each of these is more medicinal than it is hurtful. allow, that Learning by a fecret Influence renders the Mind irrefolute and perplext; yet certainly it plainly teaches how to unwind the Thoughts, how far to deliberate, and when at laft to refolve; nay, it fhews how Things in the mean time may be protracted, and fufpended without Prejudice.

BE it likewife granted, That Learning makes Men's Minds too pofitive and ftiff ; yet withal it teaches, what Things are in their nature Demonftrative, and what Conjectural, and propounds as well the Ufe of

Distinctions and Exceptions, as the Stability of Rules and Principles.

BE it again, That it misleads and wrests Men's Minds, either by the disproportion or diffimilitude of Examples, that I can't tell; yet this I know well, that it unfolds, and lays open as well the Force of Circumftances, as the Errors of Comparisons, and teaches all the Cautions of Application; fo that in the whole, it rectifies Men's Minds more than it perverts them. And these Remedies Learning infinuates every where by the great Force and Variety of Exainples. Let a Man weigh well the Errors of Clement the VIIth, fo lively defcrib'd by Guicciardine, that was a kind of Domeftick to him; or the Waverings of Cicero, painted to the Life by his own Pencil, in his Epiftles to Atti

cus

and he will of all things fhun Inconftancy, and frequent fhifting of Refolutions. Let him look into the Errors of Phocion, and he will dread Obftinacy, and Wilfulnefs. Let him read the Fable of Ixion, and it will difpel exceffive Hopes, and fuch like Fumes and Mifts. Let him confider Cato the Second, and he will never go to the Antipodes, and tread oppofite to the prefent World.

NOW for the Conceit of those that think Learning a Friend to Sloth, and that it overfpreads

verfpreads the Mind with a fweet Slumber of Repose and Retirement, they will do a Miracle if they can prove, That that which accuftoms the Mind to a perpetual Motion, and Agitation, is the Patronefs of Sloth : Whereas, on the contrary, it may be truly affirm'd, That no kind of Men love Business for Business-fake, but the Learned. For other Perfons love Affairs and Business, for the Profit, as Hirelings the Work for the Wages : Others for Honour; for while they are in Action, they live in the Eyes of Men, and refresh their Reputation, which would otherwife decay. Others for the fake of Power, and the Privileges of Fortune, that they may be able to reward their Friends, and be reveng'd of their Enemies. Others, that they may exercise fome peculiar Faculty that they are fond of, and in that refpect often congratu late and please themselves. Others, laftly, to obtain other Ends of theirs. So that as it is faid of Braggadocio's, that their Valour is in the Eyes of the Spectators; fo fuch Men's Diligence and Activity feems to aim at this, either that others may applaud them, or that they may be delighted inwardly in pleafing Conceits of themfelves, and their own Designs: Only Learned Men love Bufinefs and Employment, as Actions agreeable to Nature, and no lefs healthful to the Mind, than Exercife is to the. Body, having an Eye to the Thing only, not the Profit: So that

of

all Men, they are the moft Indefatigable, provided it be any fuch Bufinefs as can fill and entertain the Mind according to its Dig nity.

AND if any be found fometimes active in Reading, but idle in Action, they have not this from Learning, but from fome Weakness and Softnefs of Body, or Spirit ; fuch as Seneca touches: Some, fays he, are Jo much for Shade and Obfcurity, that whatever is in the Light, they take to be in a Storm. It may perchance happen, that Men from a Confcioufnefs of fuch a Temper, may give themselves to Learning; but Learning it felf implants and breeds no fuch Tem per.

BUT if any Man, notwithstanding, pes remptorily maintains, That Learning fwale lows up too much Time, which might others wife be better employ'd, I anfwer, That no Man is fo ftraitned and oppreft with Bufi nefs, but he has his Intermiffions and Va cancies, till the Returns and Tides of Bufis ness flow in again, unless he be either very dull, and of no Difpatch; or ambitious (lite tle to his Credit and Reputation) in reach ing after Bufinefs of all Kinds and Natures

IT remains then to be enquir'd, with what, and in what manner it may be convenient VOL. II. E

V

to fill up thofe fpare Hours; whether with
Studies or Pleafures, with Senfuality, or
Contemplation ; as was well anfwer'd by
Demofthenes to Efchines, a Man given to
Pleasure, who when he told him by way
of Reproach, That his Orations fmelt of the
Lamp. In troth, fays he, there is great dif
ference between the Things that I and
do by Lamp-Light. Wherefore there is no
need of fearing, left Learning fhould expel
Business ; nay, rather it refcues and defends
the Mind from Idlenefs and Pleasure, which
otherwife by degrees are wont to steal in, to
the prejudice of both, Bufinefs as well as
Learning.

you

AGAIN, Whereas they object, that Letters undermine the Reverence of Laws and Government, it is a mere Calumny, and has not the probable appearance of an Accufation. For to fay, that a blind Obedience fhould be a ftronger Obligation than an ocular Duty, is all one as to affirm, that a Blind Man with a Guide, treads furer than he that has the use of Light and Eyes. Nay, without all Controverfy, the Arts foften the Manners, make them tender, obfequious, pliable, and ductile to the Commands of Power; whereas Ignorance on the other hand, makes them Contumacious, Refractory, and Mutinous : And this appears clearly by History, confidering that the most unlearned