moral art, is itself too, in every inftant, confummate and complete; is neither heightened nor diminifhed by the quantity of its duration, but is the fame to its enjoyers, for

a moment or a century.

UPON this I fmiled. He afked me the reason. It is only to obferve, faid I, the courfe of our inquiries. A new hypothefis has been advanced: appearing somewhat strange, it is defired to be explained. You comply with the request, and in pursuit of the explanation, make it ten times more obfcure and unintelligible than before. It is but too often the fate, faid he, of us commentators. But you know in fuch cases what is ufually done. When the comment will not explain the text, we try whether the text will not explain itself. This method, it is poffible, may affift us here, The hypothefis, which we would have illuftrated, was no more than this: That the Sovereign Good lay in Rectitude of Conduct; and that this Good correfponded to all our pre-conceptions. Let us examine, then, whether upon trial, this correspondence will appear to hold; and, for all that we have advanced fince, fuffer it to pass, and not perplex us. Agreed, faid I, willingly, for now I hope to comprehend you.

RECOLLECT then, faid he. Do you not remeniber that one pre-conception of the Sovereign Good, was to be accommodated to all times and places? I remember it. And is there any time, or any place, whence Rectitude of Conduct may be excluded? Is there not a right action in profperity, a right action in adversity? May there not be a decent, generous, and laudable behaviour, not only in peace; in power, and in health, but in war, in oppression, in ficknefs, and in death? There may.

AND

AND what shall we fay to thofe other pre-conceptions; to being durable, felf-derived, and indeprivable? Can there be any Good fo durable, as the power of always doing right? Is there any Good conceiveable, fo entirely beyond the power of others? Or, if you hefitate, and are doubtful, I would willingly be informed, into what circumftances may fortune throw a brave and honest man, where it fhall not be in his power to act bravely and honestly? If there be no fuch, then Rectitude of Conduct, if a Good, is a Good indeprivable. I confefs, faid I, it appears fo.

It was.

BUT farther, faid he: Another pre-conception of the Sovereign Good was, to be agreeable to nature. And can any thing be more agreeable to a rational and focial animal, than rational and focial conduct? Nothing. But Rectitude of Conduct is with us Rational and Social Conduct. It is.

ONCE more, continued he: Another pre-conception of this Good was, to be conducive not to mere being, but to well-being. Admit it. And can any thing, believe you, conduce fo probably to the well-being of a rational, focial animal, as the right exercise of that reafon and of those focial affections? Nothing. And what is this fame exercise, but the highest Rectitude of Conduct Certainly.

HARRIS.

CHAP. III.

ON CRITICISM.

AND how did Garrick speak the foliloquy last night?

Oh, against all rule, my lord; moft ungrammatically? betwixt the fubftantive and the adjective, which should agree together in number, cafe, and gender, he made a breach

thus,

thus,-ftopping as if the point wanted fettling;-and betwixt the nominative cafe, which your lordship knows fhould govern the verb, he fufpended his voice in the epilogue a dozen times, three feconds, and three fifths, by a ftop-watch, my lord, each time.-Admirable grammarian!-But in fufpending his voice-was the fenfe fufpended likewife? did no expreffion of attitude or countenance fill up the chasms ? Was the eye filent? Did you narrowly look?—I looked only at the stop-watch, my lord.-Excellent obferver!

AND what of this new book the whole world makes fuch a route about?-Oh! 'tis out of all plumb, my lord,quite an irregular thing! not one of the angles at the four corners was a right angle.-I had my rule and compaffes, &c. my lord, in my pocket.-Excellent critic!

-AND for the epic poem your lordship bid me look at ; -upon taking the length, breadth, height, and depth of it, and trying them at home upon an exact scale of Boffu's'tis out, my lord, in every one of its dimenfions.—Admirable connoiffeur !

-AND did you step in to take a look at the grand picture in your way back ?-'Tis a melancholy daub! my lord; not one principle of the pyramid in any one group! -and what a price!-for there is nothing of the colouring of Titian-the expreffion of Rubens-the grace of Raphael the purity of Dominichino-the corregiescity of Corregio-the learning of Ponin-the airs of Guidothe taste of the Carrachii-or the grand contour of Angelo.

GRANT me patience, juft Heaven!Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world-though the cant of hypocrites, may be the worst-the cant of criticism is the moft tormenting!

4

I WOULD

I WOULD go fifty miles on foot, to kifs the hand of that man, whofe generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into his author's handsbe pleased he knows not why, and cares not wherefore.

STERNE.

CHAP. IV.

ON NEGROES.

WHEN Tom, an' pleafe your honour, got to the shop,

there was nobody in it, but a poor Negro girl, with a bunch of white feathers flightly tied to the end of a long cane, flapping away flies-not killing them-'Tis a pretty picture! faid my uncle Toby-she had fuffered perfecution, Trim, and had learnt mercy

-She was good, an' please your honour, from nature as well as from hardships; and there are circumstances in the ftory of that poor friendless flut that would melt a heart of stone, faid Trim; and some dismal winter's evening, when your honour is in the humour, they fhall be told you with the rest of Tom's story, for it makes a part of it

THEN do not forget, Trim, said my uncle Toby. A NEGRO has a foul, an' please your honour, faid the. corporal (doubtingly)?

I AM not much verfed, corporal, quoth my uncle Toby, in things of that kind; but I suppose, God would not leave him without one, any more than thee or me.

-IT would be putting one fadly over the head of another, quoth the corporal.

Ir would fo, faid my uncle Toby. Why then, an' please your honour, is a black wench to be used worse than a white one?

I CAN give no reason, faid my uncle Toby.-ONLY, cried the corporal, shaking his head, because she has no one to ftand up for her

-'Tis that very thing, Trim, quoth my uncle Toby, which recommends her to protection, and her brethren with her; 'tis the fortune of war which has put the whip into our hands now-where it may be hereafter, Heaven knows! -but be it where it will, the brave Trim, will not use it unkindly.

God forbid, faid the corporal.

AMEN, refponded my uncle Toby, laying his hand upon his heart.

STERNE.

CHAP. V.

RIVERS AND SIR HARRY.

SIR HAR. COLONEL, your moft obedient: I am come

upon the old bufinefs; for unless I am allowed to entertain hopes of Mifs Rivers, I shall be the most miferable of all human beings.

RIV. Sir Harry, I have already told you by letter, and I now tell you personally, I cannot listen to your proposals. SIR HAR. No, Sir.

Riv. No, Sir; I have promised my daughter to Mr. Sidney; do you know that, Sir?

SIR HAR. I do; but what then! Engagements of this kind, you know

Riv. So then, you do know I have promised her to Mr. Sidney?

SIR HAR. I do; but I alfo know that matters are not finally fettled between Mr. Sidney and you? and I moreover

know,