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if not, to what Caufes the Difference may be afcribed.

The Effay ends with a Differtation on thofe Deities, which were faid, by the Ancients, to be the Source of all that is amiable and pleafing, to difpenfe Justness of Tafte, Love of Beauty, and that Happiness of Manner, which adorns and enlivens Merit, and is a proper Attendant upon Senfe and Learning: For which Reafon they ufually reprefented the Graces in the Train of the God of Wisdom.

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A N

ESSAY

UPON

DELICACY.

P

DIALOGUE I

HILOCLES is one of those few, who can

be chearful and employed, without having Re

course to the Bufinefs or Diverfions of the World. He has a warm Imagination tempered with an excellent Understanding, both which he has improved by a judicious Mixture of Reading and Converfation.

Though his Inclination has led him into Retirement; his Talents qualify him for making a Figure in the active Scenes of Life. Yet, at the fame Time, it must be confeffed, there is a certain natural Delicacy in the Frame of his Mind, which would have rendered

Dial. I. rendered him lefs ferviceable in Bufinefs, than others of inferior Abilities without the fame Refinement of Temper. He is arrived to that Period of Life, when the Powers of the Mind are in their trueft Vigour : And having converfed at large long enough to give him a thorough Knowledge of Mankind, he has narrowed his Friendships, as well as Acquaintance, defiring but few of either.

The Spot he has chofen for his Retirement is within a convenient Distance of the Town, yet not fo near as to want any Advantages of the Country. He is a profeffed Admirer of what he calls Refined Simplicity, and discovers that Chastity of Taste, not only in his Judgment of the fine Arts, but in his Houfe, his Furniture, his Equipage; and in short, throughout the whole Conduct and Economy of his Life.

At a small Distance from his House stands a Wood; which has fo many natural Beauties attending it, that with a very inconfiderable Expence, and by judiciously humouring the Genius of the Place, he has made it one of the most delightful Scenes imaginable. In the Center he has erected a little Temple, the Materials of which are cheap and common; yet they are chosen with such Judgment, and thrown together with fuch Art, that perhaps the moft coftly Ornaments could not have produced any thing more pleafing to a juft Eye. It is covered with Thatch, and paved with Pebbles; and the Pillars are nothing more than the Trunks of fome old Oaks, which grew upon

the

the Spot. But the Plan is fo happily defigned, and fo neatly executed; and the feveral Parts are fo harmoniously proportioned to each other, as well as to the whole, that it forms one of the moft agreeable Structures I ever beheld.

To this favourite Scene Philocles retires, whenever he would enjoy himself or his Friend without Interruption. And here it was that Sophronius found him in his Evening Meditations, having been informed at his House, that he was taking a Walk in the Wood.

Sophronius and Philocles have long lived together in the ftricteft Intimacy, and moft unreferved Communication of Sentiments. Sophronius has a juft, rather than a lively Imagination. His Senfe is ftrong, but improved more by the Force of his own Reflexions, than by Books; for he has thought much more than he has read. Not that he is unacquainted with the capital Authors, both Ancient and Modern; but it is his Maxim, that "Books have made more "Fools than ever Nature defigned." Truth is the fingle Aim of his Enquiries; and to ftrew her Paths with Flowers, is, he thinks, to retard rather than to forward the Progrefs towards her. The Mind is amufing herself with little artificial Beauties in the Way, whilft fhe fhould be pushing forward to the End of her Journey. In fhort, as he is naturally of a phlegmatic Conftitution, he declares againft Enthufiafm of every Sort, efteeming her as the worst Enemy that Truth has to fear. He frequently rallies Philocles upon this Article; whom he thinks, upon

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