IN

THE CHARACTERISTICS

OF

GREATNESS.

every duty, in every science in which we would wish to arrive at perfection, we should propofe for the object of our pursuit fome certain ftation even beyond our abilities; fome imaginary excellence, which may amuse and serve to animate our enquiry. In deviating from others, in following an unbeaten road, though we perhaps may never arrive at the wifhed-for object; yet it is poffible we may meet feveral difcoveries by the way; and the certainty of fmall advantages, even while we travel with fecurity, is not foamufing as the hopes of great rewards, which infpire the adventurer. Evenit nonnunquam, fays Quintilian, ut aliquid grande inveniat qui femper quærit quod nimium eft.

This enterprifing fpirit is, however, by no means the character of the prefent age; every perfon who fhould now leave received opinions, who fhould attempt to be more than a commentator upon philofophy, or an imitator in polite learning, might be regarded as a chimerical projector. Hundreds would be ready not only to point out his errors, but to load him with reproach. Our probable opinions are now regarded as certainties; the difficulties hitherto undiscovered as utterly infcrutable; and the writers of the laft age inimitable, and therefore the propereft models of imitation.

One might be almoft induced to deplore the philofophic fpirit of the age, which in proportion as it enlightens the mind, increases its timidity, and repreffes the vigour of every undertaking. Men are now content with being prudently in the right;

VOL. IV.

Р

which,

which, though not the way to make new acquifitions, it must be owned, is the beft method of fecuring what we have. Yet this is certain, that the writer who never deviates, who never hazards a new thought, or a new expreffion, though his friends may compliment him upon his fagacity, though criticifm lifts her feeble voice in his praife, will feldom arrive at any degree of perfection. The way to acquire lafting efteem, is not by the fewnefs of a writer's faults, but the greatnefs of his beauties, and our nobleft works are generally moft replete with both.

An author, who would be fublime, often runs his thought into burlesque; yet I can readily pardon his mistaking ten times for once fucceeding. True Genius walks along a line, and perhaps our greatest pleafure is in feeing it fo often near falling, without being ever actually down.

Every fcience has its hitherto undiscovered myfteries, after which men fhould travel undiscouraged by the failure of former adventurers. Every new attempt ferves perhaps to facilitate its future invention. We may not find the Philofopher's stone, but we fhall probably hit upon new inventions in pursuing it. We fhall perhaps never be able to discover the longitude, yet perhaps we may arrive at new truths in the investigation.

Were any of thofe fagacious minds among us, (and furely no nation, or no period could ever compare with us in this particular) were any of those minds, I fay, who now fit down contented with exploring the intricacies of another's fyftem, bravely to fhake off admiration, and undazzled with the fplendour of another's reputation, to chalk out a path to fame for themselves, and boldly cultivate untried experiment, what might not be the refult of their inquiries, fhould the fame ftudy that has made them wife, make them enterprifing alfo? What

4

could

But

could not fuch qualities united produce? fuch is not the character of the English, while our neighbours of the Continent launch out into the ocean of fcience, without proper ftore for the voyage, we fear fhipwreck in every breeze, and confume in port those powers, which might probably have weathered every storm.

Projectors in a ftate are generally rewarded above their deferts; projectors in the republic of letters, never. If wrong, every inferior dunce thinks himfelf entitled to laugh at their difappointment; if right, men of fuperior talents think their honour engaged to oppofe, fince every new discovery is a tacit diminution of their own pre-eminence.

To aim at excellence, our reputation, our friends, and our all must be ventured; by aiming only at mediocrity, we run no rifque, and we do little fervice. Prudence and greatnefs are ever perfuading us to contráry purfuits. The one inftructs us to be content with our station, and to find happiness in bounding every with. The other impels us to fuperiority, and calls nothing happiness but rapture. The one directs to follow mankind, and to act and think with the reft of the world. The other drives us from the crowd, and exposes us as a mark to all the shafts of envy, or ignorance.

Nec minus periculum ex magna fama quam ex mala.

TACIT.

The rewards of mediocrity are immediately paid, those attending excellence generally paid in reverfion. In a word, the little mind who loves itself, will write and think with the vulgar, but the great mind will be bravely eccentric, and scorn the beaten road, from univerfal benevolence.

IN this place our author introduces a paper intituled a City Night-piece, with the following motto from Martial,

Ille dolet vere, qui fine tefte dolet.

This beautiful Effay forms the 117th Letter in the Citizen of the World; but Dr. Goldsmith has there omitted the concluding paragraph, which on account of its fingular merit we fhall here preserve.

But let me turn from a scene of fuch distress to the fanctified hypocrite, who has been talking of virtue till the time of bed, and now fteals out, to give a loofe to his vices under the protection of midnight; vices more atrocious because he attempts to conceal them. See how he pants down the dark alley, and, with haftening fteps, fears an acquaintance in every face. He has paffed the whole day in company he hates, and now goes to prolong the night among company that as heartily hate him. May his vices be detected! may the morning rife upon his fhame! yet I wish to no purpofe; villany, when detected, never gives up, but boldly adds impudence to imposture.

THE

THE BE E, N° V.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1759,

UPON POLITICAL FRUGALITY.

FRUGALITY has ever been esteemed a virtue as well among Pagans as Chriftians: there have been even heroes who have practifed it. However, we must acknowledge, that it is too modeft a virtue, or, if you will, too obfcure a one to be effential to heroifm, few heroes have been able to attain to fuch an height. Frugality agrees much better with politicks; it seems to be the bafe, the fupport, and in a word, feems to be the infeparable companion of a juft administration.

However this be, there is not perhaps in the world a people lefs fond of this virtue than the English, and of confequence there is not a nation more restless, more exposed to the uneafiness of life, or lefs capable of providing for particular happiness. We are taught to despise this virtue from our childhood, our education is improperly directed, and a man who has gone through the politeft inftitutions, is generally the person who is leaft acquainted with the wholefome precepts of frugality. We every day hear the elegance of tafte, the magnificence of fome, and the generofity of others, made the fubject of our admiration and applaufe. All this we fee represented not as the end and recompenfe of labour and defert, but as the actual refult of genius, as the mark of a noble and exalted mind,