Little therefore, good Philocles, will a poetical Quotation avail, to afcertain the Sentiments of the Ancients; which furely are to be drawn from the fober Discourses of their Philofophers, rather than the Raptures and Visions of their Poets.

But you fend me likewife to the human Breast for Conviction in this Point. Why there it is, that I find my Sentiments confirmed. When I behold human Calamities, I perceive all my Faculties overpowered at the afflicting Sight. The Vigour of my Mind fails; and I yield, as it were with Reluctance, to fome fuperior Force. Men of a more refined Frame, who entertain exalted Notions of the Dignity of Man's Nature, may flatter themselves, that, in fuch a Situation, they feel a Confcioufnefs of generous Excellence: But as to myself, I cannot triumph in imaginary Greatnefs of Soul, against the clear Conviction of my Senfes. I freely confefs, that it is nothing but the Weakness of my Mind, to which I can ascribe the fudden Effects, which an Object of Mifery raises in my Breast.

But think not, therefore, that this is any Derogation to the Wisdom of the Creator. On the contrary, it seems a wife Defign, to have formed us with this Imbecillity, that we might be rouzed by a quicker Impulse than that of Reafon, and forced to give fpee

Mifericordia eft ægritudo ob alienarum miferiarum fpeciem, aut triftia ex alienis malis contracta. Ægritudo autem in fapientem virum non cadit. SENECA de Clementiâ. lib. II. dy

dy Relief, that we might as speedily ease ourselves of the Anxiety raised in us at the Sight of Diftress. Thus do our very Frailties and Imperfections lead us to Benevolence, and draw us into public and private Fellowships. Let not then Philocles imagine, that I am endeavouring to depreciate either the one or the other, when I fay they are derived from Weakness and Neceffity.

That the former could not arife from Affection to the Species, feems evident, from the fmall Degree of it, which was ever found in the World, and from the Animofities and Contentions, neceffarily attending the Self appetites under no legal Reftraints: And as to the latter, whilft Men had no Protection and Security from Laws, Self-prefervation must have been the only Object of their Attention and Care. But how was it poffible, in such a fituation, for the undifciplined Mind to exert her Faculties, and plan a Scheme of private Affociation, before a public was eftablished; from whence alone fhe could derive that Leifure and Safety, which were requifite to form the more diftant Scheme?

I can by no Means allow, returned Philocles, that the Self-appetites were under no Reftraint, even fuppofing a Time, when civil Compacts were not as yet eftablished. If Self-affection pleads one Way, Benevolence (a Paffion equally belonging to our Frame) pleads as ftrongly the other: and the latter can no more be fuppreffed than the former, without doing Violence to Nature.

But fee the Force of Truth! whilft you would represent your Species under disadvantageous Characters, you were infenfibly led into an Argument, which demonftrates Benevolence to be the original Growth of Man's Heart, and what must confequently have drawn him into Society. Pity, you have allowed, is a natural Paffion. And what is Pity, but Love foftened by a Degree of Sorrow, the Meltings of a benevolent Heart? This then was the generous Sympathy, which knit Mankind together, and blended them in one common Intereft. From hence then it appears, that, if Nature did not directly dictate Affociations to the human Kind, fhe yet gave them fuch preparative Faculties, as drew them, by Degrees, into national Brotherhoods. In this View, "fhe "feems to have treated us as a Painter does his Dif"ciples, to whom he commits fome rude Sketches "and Out-lines; which they themselves are to co❝lor and complete [z]."

The Paffion of Pity is then a full Proof, that Men have naturally a Love for their Species, however it may be checked or ftifled by fome Counter-inclination; which, it cannot be denied, is too often the Cafe. Senfible of this Truth, the Legiflators took infinite Pains, and called forth all their Skill, to rouze

[x] Ut Phidias poteft à primo inftituere fignum, idque perficere; poteft ab alio inchoatum accipere & abfolvere: Huic eft fapientia fimilis. Non enim ipfa genuit hominem, fed accepit à naturâ inchoatum: hanc ergò intuens, debet inftitutum illud, quafi fignum, abfolvere.

CICERO de Finibus, p. 99. Edit. Ald. Manuc.

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the dormant Paffion. This seems to be the concealed Meaning of what the Poets tell us concerning Orpheus and his Lyre.

Thus, in every View, it feems evident, that it was Affection for the Species, which drew Men into Society; and that, without it, they never did, and never can fubfift. For could Nature intend to preferve and propagate the Species, and not maintain Fellowship and mutual Affection? Whence arises that ftri& Agreement between the Sexes, in the Care of their growing Offspring, but from Love? And can you ftop here? How (as I remember Lord Shaftsbury closely puts the Queftion) "How fhould Man break "off from this Society, if once begun? And that it "began thus, and grew into an Houfhold, is an in❝ contestable Fact. And must not this Houfhold "have foon grown into a Tribe? that Tribe into a ❝ Nation ?"

Here Philocles paufed when, looking stedfaftly on his Friend — O Sophronius, said he, is it poffible you can, in good Earneft, contend against the Reality of the kind and generous Affections? Is it poffible you cannot discover a moral Attraction in our Natures, which unites Mankind to each other, previous to all Confiderations of Intereft or Convenience?

But I have long fufpected, that we are drawn into Opinions from our conftitutional Propenfities, as the Stream follows the feveral Declivities of the Ground, through which it flows. Something, perhaps, of this

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Kind

Kind may have given a Biafs to my Friend's Sentiments, and turned them afide from that Scheme he is oppofing. But I will not defpair of reconciling you to more favorable Thoughts of the human Kind. No Method seems more probable to effect this, than a Contemplation of Nature in these her visible Operations. From her (it is confeffed) the defigning and imitative Arts derive all their Energy and Grace. And yet fhe herself, it feems, (helplefs Parent!) is deftitute of all thofe Charms and Delicacies, the confers on her acknowledged Offspring! But

It is very poffible, interrupted Sophronius, that the Opinions of Mankind may be influenced by their Tempers. The Fruit, no Doubt, will partake of the Nature of the Soil. But Philocles should remember, that the fame Obfervation will ferve to explain the Rife of his Sentiments, no lefs than mine. I am, however, very willing to confefs, that I am always afhamed of being pleafed, where I cannot affign the Caufe; and am extremely apt to fufpect my Judgment concerning any Object, that moves my Paffion. For this Reafon, I should hardly fend my Difciple to the School of Arts (for there, Philocles, you feemed to be pointing) for his Instruction in the Truth of fevere Philofophy. A good Picture, a wellexecuted Statue, or a fine Style, give me (fo far as I am able to discover clearly their respective Beauties) fome Degree of Pleasure. But when the profeffed Admirers, the Connoiffeurs in these several Arts, talk of their nameless Graces, their certain inexplicable Delicacies, and I know not what other fine Terms,

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