1774.

N

OR dare th' immortal Gods my rage oppofe.----Such was the conclufion of an harangue, worked up by the enthusiastic brain of a tragic poetefs, expreffive of that height to which the ambition of her Hero afpired; and what she has there applied to his fituation, may not, I think, be improperly adapted to that of a modern Poet."

There is scarcely a wretch upon the furface of the earth, but who, in fome degree or other, thinks himself qualified to be a Poet; and there are few, who bear that name, but are the flaves of wild, extravagant ambition. Imagining that Nature has given them abilities for writing poetry, they feize the pen on every occafion, and without having any good end in view, they rhyme away their time and fenfes to no manner of purpofe. Their minds are too much bufied on fublimer matters, to be attentive to their bufinefs or their families, and while they are foaring, in idea, to the utmost height of importance, they fink, in reality, into poverty,contempt, and wretch

ednefs.

I was fitting one day at my bookfeller's, (where I often go to pafs a leifure hour) when a young man, dressed in black, came into the fhop, and enquired for Mr. Folio. From the fhabbinefs of his appearance, I judged him to have come on a charitable errand; and when he begg'd Mr. Folio to retire with him to another room, that he might communicate his business, I felt fo MISCELL. VOL. II.

PARODY of HAMLET'S SOLILOQUỲ.

his distress, not doubting but he was under fome very great misfortune, destitute of fupport, yet afhamed to atk a public charity. I was the more confirmed in this opinion, by the humility of the man, and a fomething genteel in his appearance, which told me he had once feen better days.

I must own I had a great curiofity to be rightly informed in this matter, and therefore waited till his bufinefs with Mr. Folio was concluded.---It was not long before the young man returned, but with visible marks of diffatisfaction in his countenance. ---What, thought I, is it then poffible, that my friend Folio fhould hear the complaints of indigence, and yet refufe to mitigate its forrows?---Can a Bookfeller, whofe very life is fpent in reading over the works of eminently-virtuous men, be himself fo void of that moft pleafing virtue, which delights in doing good?---For fhame! faid I--and was going from the fhop in queft of poor fellow, when Mr. Folio defired me to ftep into his parlour.

the

I went---though not without some reluctance; and as foon as he had fhut the parlour door, I asked him of the person he had been conferring with.

"That (replied he) is a poor writer ;--a fellow that has had the misfortune of a tolerable good education, without any conduct. The cacoethes fcribendi seized him very early in life, and has reduced him to the miferable plight in which you faw him. He has lodged at a little public-houfe in this neighbourhood for fome time,---and

when

when I could do the young man any fervice,---I did. He often teazes me to fet on foot for him a fubfcription for Two Volumes of Fugitive Pieces, which he thinks he could get permiflion to dedicate to Lord ******; but there is fuch a vile collection of incoherent rubbish---Imitations and Paraphrafes of Pindar, Horace, Juvenal, and the Pfalms---Verfes to Amelia---Strephon to Celia---and other fuch infignificant, threadbare stuff, that no money could be got for it,--nor do I think any gentleman would fuffer his name to be printed in it; and as for charitable fubfcriptions, we have had enough of them, Mr. ****, already. I was going to exprefs my concern for him, when Mr. Folio proceeded :

poor

"I am heartily forry for the fellow, indeed. Seven years (he fays) has he followed this employment; and finding now that nothing is to be got by it but poverty and rags, he is determined to change the livery of the Mules for that of his Sovereign.'

What, (faid I) to enlift?*

"That is really the cafe. While in his prefent fituation, he has no hopes at all; but as he is a man of fome fpirit, he thinks he may get preferment in the army, by being active and induftrious; and not having wherewithal to purchase a commiffion, he begins at the lowest step, and enters as a common foldier."

"Poor-young-fellow."

My heart was too full to fay more, and a filent tear fell down my cheek, in spite of all. my fortitude.

His bufinefs with me this morning (continued Mr. Folio) was to tell me of his refolution, and to ask my opinion on the publishing a few sketches of his life, as a beacon to others, who are wandering in the fame mistaken path with himself. He has not brought me the copy, not being willing to compleat it till he had my approbation; but one can't give much, Mr. ****, for the life of a poet. They (Lord help 'em!) have no varietya Garret is their conftant refidence-a Bookfeller their only mafter. Vifits, indeed, they would pay, if they could get admittance; but Howcompany at home they never fee.

ever, I told him to get it finished, and probably I might give him half a crown for it. You fhall fee it, Mr. ****, and if you have a mind to take it for a paper of your Scribbler, you shall have it at a fair price. I expect him again to-morrow, and you fhall then talk with the young man yourself.”

I thanked Mr. Folio for his obliging offer, and returned home, ruminating on the unhappy ftate of thofe men, who, miftaking a lively imagination for poetical genius, and vainly trufting to thofe abilities, plunge themfelves at once into mifery and distress; exchanging a life of happinefs and ease for that contemptible situation, which Dr. Swift imagines to be the very depth of wretchedness.

Were I to curfe (fays he) the man I hate,
Attendance and dependance be his fate.

HOSE researches which imprefs on Tou minds a juft fenfe of a fuperin

tendant Providence, will more certainly lead us to the performance of virtuous than immoral actions. Natural Philofophy here claims the palm: it is to her the antient Deities are indebted for their exiftence. The contemplative mind, as it ranged through the works of the creation, plainly difcovered the footsteps of a Deity imprinted on every leaf and flower. Reafon, confined and narrow in her conceptions, could not at firft form the vaft idea of UNIVERSALITY: it was an abyss into which the unaccustomed foul was at a lofs to enter; and therefore, intend of giving the immediate direction of the Univerfe to a fingle Omnipotent Agent, fhe readily di

Revelation, joined with Philofophy, has taught us to reject thefe notions concerning the government of Creation, and clearly evinced to us, that what the Heathens wor➡

hipped as tutelary Gods, prefiding over the various links of Nature, are only certain fixed properties given her by the Almighty, by which the performs fuch actions as to his infinite wifdom feem meet for the univerfal welfare.

That thefe powers of Nature are immediately dependent on her prefent mode of existence, is evident; fince many Philofo

phical experiments prove, that matter not only lofes its powers, but affumes new ones, according to the arrangement of its elements, and the ftates in which it is placed.

That Being, therefore, who fixed it in its prefent round of variegation, can, whenever it shall please him, break the chain of connection, change and confine it to another ftate in which reflections I would convey the following inference :-It is not at all contradictory to the principles of Nature, that she fhould, at the will of that pervading Power which at prefent conducts her regular motions, fall into an entire new ftate, as has been announced in Holy Writ.--Thus far inanimate mat

ter.

The Sou!, in its prefent confined state, evidently proves itfelf in its every action an eternally exiftent, but fubjected being, immured in the flesh to exalt its nature, and render it worthy the immortal manfions of ethereal blifs.

Knowledge has been cenfured of making men ambitious and self-fufficient.True Knowledge can have no fuch effect. If men will fcarcely enter the field of fcience before they fet up for deep Philo-' fophers, and accurate inveftigators of the Powers of Nature; if they will flightly scan over the powers of secondary causes, and from them draw conclufions, without reflecting on the bafis on which thefe caufes act, they may poflibly fwell with pride, and, arrogating to themselves univerfal knowledge, farget to whofe 'bounty they owe their existence and capacities.

Learning to bad men is truly pernicious; for, as a jewel in the fwine's nofe, fo is Science in the mouth of a fool: it may be compared to wines---cordials to the wife, to the foolish, poifons; nourishing and invigorating the former, but producing frequently fatal intoxication to the latter.

But fhall the behaviour of a Madman, or the fentence of Folly, fix a ftigma on any thing? Was their abufe of things to affect their merit, we might cavil at every fvour Heaven has bestowed on us. The neceffaries and comforts of life, are by them rendered fo many inftruments of deItruction; and every bleffing in their hands is a certain evil. The admiffion of fuch reafoning would be laying the axe at the root of nature's every law, and at each blow the attributes of the Almighty would feel the wound. Nor would the Chriftian Difpenfation efcape our cenfure, fhould we judge of its merit by the conduct of too many of its profeffors.

The errors, therefore, or imperfections of Philofophers, altho' advanced with fuch confidence as arguments against Philofo-. phical Enquiries, are fo far from being unanfwerable, that they are to be easily overthrown.But before I conclude this part of my enquiry, let me ask a few queftions: Are their errors and imperfections peculiar to themselves, a! the mere effects of their knowledge? Would ignorance make them a jot more virtuous and irreproachable? Would it in any degree mend their morals? An extinction of Science, that grand luminary of the mental world, like the abfence of the fun, would caft a darkness over the land, but not in the leaft leffen its vice.

Evident it is to me, that Science foftens our ferocity, and properly ufed, diverts and amufes the paffions---thofe tygers of the mind, which prove deftructive of its peace and good order; and the Learning of the wicked will appear lefs deferving our fear than their brutal Stupidity, fince the former will render them circumspect in their actions. The Sciences, therefore,. aid the caufe of Religion and Virtue, and conduce to the good order of fociety, as without them men may be poor and ignorant, but no lefs vicious.

Science may be compared to the old man's faggot---each stick, separately, will yield and break---but, when united, they refift our utmost power: fo, alfo, fever the links of Science, and they may be wrested to their own deftruction; but, while connected, they are proof against every injury." An investigation of the powers of Nature is the chief employment of the Bleffed. An attention to Science on earth is, therefore, anticipating in forac measure that fullness of blifs which is enjoyed in the mansions of eternity, and to which it will conduct its votaries, when this globe, and all its beauties, fhall be done away; even then fhall Science remain unchanged, except in that it will become far more exalted and improved.

Let us, therefore, enter deeply into this agreeable field; let us follow Nature thro' her various windings; fee the reciprocal chain of alliance, by which her every part is linked together; but, above all, that grand dependence which its holds towards its Creator. Let us, I fay, thus infenfibly rife from one link of Creation to another,, and, if poffible, reach the primum mobile there behold that which feems to our confined fenfes a vaft impoflibility, performed with the most perfect eafe. Then fee how, our feelings will be actuated; will vanity, or awful modefty fill our befoms? Surely

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the