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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 Interest. 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, " she seems to have treated us as a Painter does "his Difciples, to whom he commits fome rude "Sketches and Out-lines; which they them "felves are to color 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 the dormant Paffion. This seems to be the concealed Meaning of what the Poets tell us concerning Orpheus and his Lyre.

[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.

Thus,

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 arifes that strict Agreement between the Sexes, in the Care of their growing Offspring, but from Love? And can you ftop here? How (as I remember Lord Shaftesbury clofely puts the Queftion) How should Man "break off from this Society, if once begun? And "that it began thus, and grew into an Houfhold, " is an inconteftable Fact. And muft not this "Houfhold have foon grown into a Tribe? that "Tribe into a Nation ?"

Here Philocles paused-when, looking stedfastly on his Friend-O Sophronius, faid he, is it poffi ble 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 Interest 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 Kind may have given a Bias 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 favourable Thoughts of the human Kind. No Method

feems

feems 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 the herfelf, it seems, (lrelpless Parent!) is deftitute of all those 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 par take of the Nature of the Soil. But Philocles should remember, that the fame Obfervation will serve 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 suspect my Judgment concerning any Object, that moves my Paffion. For this Reafon, I should hardly fend my Disciple to the School of Arts (for there, Philocles, you seemed to be pointing) for his Inftruction in the Truth of fevere Philofophy. A good Picture, a well-executed 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, of which they themselves do not pretend to explain the Meaning; there, I

confefs,

confefs, I am left behind, and referve my Rapture, till I receive my Conviction.

For tell me, Philocles, what is this Delicacy, either in the Arts or Conduct of Life, which you are constantly extolling in fuch high Strains, and with fuch an Air of Earneftnefs, as if you were perfuaded that there is fomething in it real and fubftantial?

Philocles was going to reply; when a Servant informed them that Supper was upon the Table However, in their Way to the House, he took Occafion, from the beautiful Scenes they paffed, to throw out fome general Reflexions in Support of his favourite Doctrine: for he was determined to omit no Opportunity of drawing his Friend into the Love and Study of Refinement, the Difregard to which Accomplishment he looked upon as the chief Deficiency in the Character of Sopbro

nius.

DIALOGUE

DIALOGUE II.

A

S Sophronius is an early rifer, he was amufing himself in the Library, before Philocles was yet stirring. But his Friend, perceiving it now Day, foon followed him thither, being unwilling to lose any Opportunity of enjoying a Converfation, in which he found himself often inftructed, and always entertained.

How happy (faid Philocles entering the Room)/ how happy would it be for the fashionable World, were they as well acquainted with this fweet "Hour of Prime," as you, Sophronius, are, who feldom fuffer the Sun to rife upon you in Bed !

Rather, replied Sophronius, how much happier would it be for the World in general, would certain active Spirits be perfuaded to slumber Life away! fince they wake but to pursue their Ambition, or vent their Impertinences, and rife only to embroil or mislead Mankind.

Undoubtedly, faid Philocles, if many of those, whofe Actions fill our Hiftories, or whofe Speculations fwell our Libraries, had paffed their whole Lives in profound Sleep; the World would have been obliged to them for their Repofe, but can only now lament that they were ever awake.

I was reading the other Day (continued he) a Treatise upon Bees: The ingenious Author, fpeaking

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