fore they act in Oppofition to thefe Suggeftions of the Mind, they muft unavoidably be unhappy.

Your Obfervation, faid Sophronius, brings to my Mind an Affertion, which I find maintained by many of the celebrated Ancients and Moderns; that the high and genuine Tafte (as *they call it) of the polite Arts never refided in "the Breast of an immoral Man." They imagined it impoffible for one; who was impure in his Actions, to be refified in his Senfations: fince, in their Eftimation, the fame Faculties and Dif-politions, which would lead a Man to difcern and relifh the Charms of Arts, would neceffarily incline him to taste and admire the Delights of a regular Conduct, betwixt which, they thought, there was an infeparable Connexion. But this is one of the fanciful Maxims of enthufiaftic Genius and Inftances might be produced, which inconteftably demonftrate the Fallhood of the Affer

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When you confider, replied Philocles, what a ftrong Difpofition there is in Mankind, to, vilify thofe, whose extraordinary Talents lift them up to the Notice and Admiration of the World, you will be very tender in giving a decifive Sentence in the Cafe. But if we take the Objection in its strongest Light, will a few Inftances of Deviation overthrow a general Maxim? Still it may be true, that the Study of the fine Arts naturally leads to the Love of Virtue. When a Man has given himself up to thefe engaging Speculations;

VOL. I.

P

they

Dial. II. they take fuch full Poffeffion of the Heart, that he is not at Leisure to lend an Ear to the Calls of Ambition, or the Demands of inordinate Selfpaffions. And as thefe grand Inciters of Vice are thus happily filenced, he is more likely to hearken to the Suggeftions of Virtue, and incline more readily to every Duty of Benevolence and focial Regard.

Upon the whole, from the best and coolest Judgment I have been able to make, I cannot but be of Opinion, it very rarely happens, that a Man of a true refined Tafte in Arts and Literature, is not, at least, an honeft Man. He may now and then, perhaps, be betrayed into fome little Slips and Miftakes in his Conduct; but these Unwarineffes do not darken the whole Character, nor give any juft Grounds to fix upon him the Imputation of Immorality. "Such fmall Stains "and Blemishes (as the inimitable Mr. Addifon "obferves) die away, and disappear, amidst the "Brightnefs which furrounds him."

But the Bell has rung for Breakfast.-Come, good Sophronius,the Ladies will grow impatient.

The END of the FIRST VOLUME.