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tinued for fome time in a pofture of affected thought-, fulness, as if I had been mufing on fomething elfe, and did not feem to attend to the subject of converfation; hoping by thefe means to avoid the difagreeable neceffity of explaining myfelf, and thereby depriving the gentleman of his imaginary happiness.

But my pfeudo-patriot had no mind to let me efcape fo eafily. Not fatisfied that his opinion fhould pass without contradiction, he was determined to have it ratified by the fuffrage of every one in the company; for which purpofe, addreffing himself to me with an air of inexpreffible confidence, he asked me if I was not of the fame way of thinking. As I am never forward in giving my opinion, efpecially when I have reafon to believe that it will not be agreeable; fo, when I am obliged to give it, I always hold it for a maxim to speak my real sentiments. therefore told him, that for my own part, I fhould not have ventured to talk in fuch a peremptory ftrain, unless I had made the tour of Europe, and examined the manners of these feveral nations with great care and accuracy: that perhaps a more impartial judge would not fcruple to affirm, that the Dutch were more frugal and induftrious, the French more temperate and polite, the Germans more hardy and patient of labour and fatigue, and the Spaniards more ftaid and fedate, than the English; who, though undoubtedly brave and generous, were at the fame time rash, headstrong, and impetuous; too apt to be elated with profperity, and to defpond in adverfity.

I could eafily perceive, that all the company began to regard me with a jealous eye before I had finished my answer, which I had no fooner done, than the patriotic gentleman obferved, with a contemptuous fneer, that he was greatly furprized how fome people could have the confcience to live in a country, which VÓL. IV.

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they did not love, and to enjoy the protection of government, to which in their hearts they were inveterate enemies. Finding that by this modeft declaration of my fentiments I had forfeited the good opinion of my companions, and given them occafion to call my political principles in question, and well knowing that it was in vain to argue with men, who were fo very full of themselves, I threw down my reckoning, and retired to my own lodgings, reflecting on the abfurd and ridiculous nature of national prejudice and prepoffeffion.

Among all the famous fayings of antiquity, there is none that does greater honour to the author, or affords greater pleasure to the reader (at least if he be a perfon of a generous and benevolent heart) than that of the philofopher, who, being afked what countryman he was," replied that he was a citizen of the world." How few are there to be found in modern times who can fay the fame, or whofe conduct is confiftent with fuch a profeffion! We are now become fo much Englishmen, Frenchmen, Dutchmen, Spaniards, or Germans, that we are no longer citizens of the world; fo much the natives of one particular spot, or members of one petty fociety, that we no longer confider ourfelves as the general inhabitants of the globe, or members of that grand fociety which comprehends the whole human kind.

Did these prejudices prevail only among the meaneft and loweft of the people, perhaps they might be excused, as they have few, if any, opportunities of correcting them by reading, travelling, or converfing with foreigners; but the misfortune is, that they infect the minds, and influence the conduct, even of our gentlemen; of thofe, I mean, who have every title to this appellation but an exemption from prejudice, which however in my opinion ought to be regarded as the characteristical

mark

mark of a gentleman; for let a man's birth be ever fo high, his ftation ever fo exalted, or his fortune ever fo large, yet if he is not free from national and other prejudices, I should make bold to tell him, that he had a low and vulgar mind, and had no just claim to the character of a gentleman. And in fact you will always find, that thofe are moft apt to boast of national merit, who have little or no merit of their own to depend on; than which to be fure nothing is more natural: the flender vine twists around the sturdy oak for no other reason in the world, but because it has not ftrength fufficient to fupport itself.

Should it be alledged in defence of national prejudice, that it is the natural and neceffary growth of love to our country, and that therefore the former cannot be deftroyed without hurting the latter, I answer, that this is a grofs fallacy and delufion. That it is the growth of love to our country, I will allow; but that it is the natural and neceffary growth of it, I abfolutely deny. Superftition and enthufiafm too are the growth of religion; but who ever took it in his head to affirm, that they are the neceffary growth of this noble principle? They are, if you will, the baftard fprouts of this heavenly plant, but not its natural and genuine branches, and may fafely enough be lopt off, without doing any harm to the parent stock: nay, perhaps, till once they are lopt off, this goodly tree can never flourish in perfect health and vigour.

Is it not very poffible that I may love my own country, without hating the natives of other countries? that I may exert the most heroic bravery, the moft undaunted refolution, in defending its laws and liberty, without defpifing all the reft of the world as cowards and polttoons? Moft certainly it is; and if it were not-But what need I fuppofe what is abfolutely

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folutely impoffible?-But if it were not, I must own, I fhould prefer the title of the ancient philofopher, viz. a Citizen of the World, to that of an Englishman, a Frenchman, an European, or to any any other appellation whatever.

AMIDST

ESSAY XII.

MIDST the frivolous purfuits and pernicious diffipations of the prefent age, a refpect for the qualities of the understanding ftill prevails to fuch a degree, that almost every individual pretends to have a Tafte for the Belles Lettres. The fpruce prentice fets up for a critic, and the puny beau piques himfelf upon being a connoiffeur. Without affigning caufes for this univerfal prefumption, we shall proceed to obferve, that if it was attended with no other inconvenience than that of expofing the pretender to the ridicule of those few, who can fift his pretenfions, it might be unneceffary to undeceive the publick, or to endeavour at the reformation of innocent folly, productive of no evil to the commonwealth. But in reality this folly is productive of manifold evils to the community. If the reputation of taste can be acquired, without the leaft affiftance of literature, by reading modern poems, and feeing modern plays, what perfon will deny himself the pleasure of fuch an eafy qualification? Hence the youth of both fexes are debauched to diverfion, and feduced from much more profitable occupations into idle endeavours after literary fame; and a fuperficial falfe Tafte, founded on ignorance and conceit, takes

poffeffion

poffeffion of the publick. The acquifition of learning, the study of nature, is neglected as fuperfluous labour; and the beft faculties of the mind remain unexercised, and indeed unopened, by the power of thought and reflection. Falle Tafte will not only diffufe itfelf through all our amufements, but even influence our moral and political conduct: for what is falfe Tafte, but want of perception to discern pro priety and diftinguish beauty?

It has been often alledged, that Taste is a natural talent, as independent of Art as ftrong eyes, or a delicate fenfe of finelling; and without all doubt the principal ingredient in the compofition of Taste, is a natural fenfibility, without which it cannot exift; but it differs from the fenfes in this particular, that they are finished by Nature; whereas Tafte cannot be brought to perfection without proper cultivation for Tafte pretends to judge not only of Nature, but alfo of Art; and that judgment is founded upon obfervation and comparison.

What Horace has faid of Genius is ftill more applicable to Taste.

Natura fieret laudabile carmen, an arte,

Quæfitum eft. Ego nec ftudium fine divite venâ,
Nec rude quid profit video ingenium: alterius fic
Altera pofcit opem res, & conjurat amicè.

HOR. ART. POET.

'Tis long difputed, whether poets claim
From Art or Nature their beft right to fame;
But Art, if not enrich'd by Nature's vein,
And a rude Genius of uncultur'd strain,

Are useless both; but when in friendship join'd,
A mutual fuccour in each other find..

FRANCIS.

We have seen Genius fhine without the help of Art; but Tafte must be cultivated by Art, before it will produce agreeable fruit. This however we must

ftill inculcate with Quintilian, that ftudy, precept,

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