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C\won\c\c. and iiftie-Ue.
EDITED
TV JOSEPH VAL&F.NCE DEYAN.
rvßLisuv.n ivikt
Monday Thursday.
*t fjv* I'OLi aus per a»si m, rATAi®r tft
AIIVAXCR -COI’STRt r.IPKR, ONCE A WEEK,
*ntt lIOEI-ARS PER AJISCM, 1-AtAlllE
ALSO t!» AIIVAE.E.
IMVA^'V» | VV\ I H I V\VVUMVW' /V t'^ wvv ' VV'
.i\n/a r i?s'tr^o
TMCHSDAV, J-F-BRUAHY 14, 1822.
Observing the fate of the. several nv.el-
in JNcrlh'Carolina, as also those at
< !i:;r!clw aril JFrcdcritksbufffli, anil o<
• Vtt conterrplttWil «*l Savannah, upon the
.. ,i jcct of the Restriction of Trade with
Indies —we ore of opinion, th it
• wfnf at the present, be; worse than f »l-
I or our community to act at all in tela
, > n it. It is end) by the united dim Is ol
• p. ople from the Patuxent to the Mis.
, ■ pi, that we can hope to effect any
• ~jr ._inukiiiK' “along' pull, a strong
jWI, and n pull all-together.”
>y e heg leave to Invite the attention ol
readers to the following extract from
t* munition of Homer’s Odyssey, by a poet
; ./lived about tire time of Shakespear.—
'y men of reading nnd taste, Chapman ?
. vion is account-d superior to that ol
, iilier r.owpcr op Pope; and in general,
r ’precisian of ihoiigltt and force of ex
•( am on, the old English writers are infi
, idy superior to those of later dais.
•J lie curious reader will find in relation
• i this subject (and in another column of
, h i paper) a valuable, comparison of the
' orients and Moderns, extracted IromSir
V. i.iiani Ttmplo’s Micellanea.
Chu ( man's TmnthUinn of Homer.
i.vaSKSj a.sii tux crecoi*, POLvtMiisMi's.
\ ? »W then saw,we nr are,
• lie iinchilit late praisd U*nd i and might
he uro
lie nturmure of their shcepe and goalcs ;
and see
•f ~lr smokes ascend. The Sunne then
set, ami we
' .Y'urn Night succeeded) tooke our rest
ashore.
.1 when the world the Mornings favour
wore,
! cal Id my friends to councell i charging
them
T > make slay there, while I lookc ship
and slreaijie*
' dh some associates ; and explor’d what
men „
! ;.i neighbour lie Itcld: if ol rude dis
daine,
uirlish and tyrannous, or minds bcwraid
mis nnd hospitable. Thus much said,
> .wiled, and commmuled to ascend
f iends nnd souldiers, to put oil, and
lend
to our ship. They boomed. sale,
nudbeate
• old sea forth, till we might see the
• '"'rate,
..•neatest Cyclop held for his abode ;
h <vas a dsepc Care, neare the com
rrttn rude
•dups that tmichl there; thicke wit*
Luwrcls spied,
V i,. tv many sheeps andgoateslay sha
flowed :
• 1 ncaro to this, a Hall of tornc-up
stone,
g!i built wiih Pines, that heaven and
earth nttone ;
■; 1 lofiic frontcd Okes : in which kept
bouse,
' ’» iyn in shape,immane, and ironstcrous,
1 all bis flocks alone i nor would »f
--foord
, "merce with men ; but had a wit ab
hord:
mind, his body answering. Nor was
he #
* " ' any man, dut food coukPpossibly
'< •• cc so hugely ; but (beheld alone)
vd like a sleepe hils top, all over
grow no
l! tiers and brambles t lille thought
had 1
vuch vast objects. When, arriv’d so
uio;
,\e „f my lov’d friends, I made stay
aboard,
••lard my ship ; and twelve with me 1
.shor'd,
' -oh lice of all. I tooke besides along,
' t-sk'.n lligon of wine, blacke and
ilri.ug,
, ■ ... 'fan clfd present; F.vanlhmii sonne,
Priest to Pha bus ; who had mansion
. iiftcia I mums, (the Townc I tooke)
i avc it me ; since 1 (with reverence
r.lionke,
grave place, his wife and childrens
good)
1 all of violence Amidst awoml
1 to I J habus, stood his house ; from
• lienee
•rlu me gifts of varied excellence ;
i talents of fm<-gold; aboil all fram’d
ssie silver. But his gift, most fam’d,
■ wi lvc great vessels, lilld with such
tr •it h wine,
• as incorruptible, apd divine. » .
a p? it • s Ids jewjdkw Inch none knew
In- himselfe, his t|we, and he that
drew
s so s' rong, that never any filld
• n " here that was but by drops in
rvU.
' Mi-.he it off j. but twas before allaid
• "•rntif' parts m water; vet soswaid
Spirit of that title, that the whole,
■vd odour breath'd about the boll.
i the odo-T smelt, and sent it cast,
•>t I l ave vcxl you to forbeare dye
■tv e,
n (the >aste grind too) the spirit
VtO'lglt,
;t* dungs high, set up an end my
' ’tr*’. >• v
«’■ ily, julnige great flagon pdl! bore,
a good l|*ge knapsackc, victles
. ■ 4 , «i;d to see this heap© of fertitnde,
I'icti-r.i-e was, ami upland mile,
f % wf-s divine * nCr hutpunc ho had
■•a V
Wid, speed we reacht the C.’.vemc, nor
disccrml- . „ , , . • ,
Ills presence there. Hi* flocks he leu si
Entring his den; each thing bcheid,
<li<l yeeld ‘
Our admiration : shelves with cheeses
heapl; ,
Sheds stuft with I.ambs and Coates, uis
tinclly kept;
* Distinct the biggest; the more mcane
■* distinct;
h Distinct liie yongest- And in Ibcir pre
cinct ,
' (Proper and placcfull) stood the troughs
and pailts.
In which be millet ; and what was given
nt meales, # ; . ...
Pet up a creaming : in the I.t enmg still,
All scouring bright, as draw upon the bill.
'Mien were my fellowes instant to con
,t Kids, cheeses, lambs, aship-boord ; and
C nvray ,
Saile tli3 salt billow. I thought best, not
, But better otherwise ; and first would
know,
I What guest-gifts he would spare me. l.it
!• tie knew
My friends, on whom they would have
preyd ; bis view
'* Prou’d after, that his inwards w'erc too
i- rough
For such hold usage : we were bold cn
ough,
g In what 1 sufierd ; which was there to
stay;
Make (ire and feed there, though bcarc
c none away.
There sate we, till we saw him fccumg
II come,
t And on his nccke a burthen lugging heme,
Most highly huge of Scre-woud; which
the pile
s That fed his fire, supplide all supper
while.
Do r lie by his den Jic threw it ; and up
l> rose
A tumult with thn fall. Afraid, wc close
Withdrew ourselves, while he into a
j Cave
Os huge receii, his high-fed cattell dravc,
y All that he milkl j the males he lefi willi
out
• His loftie roofes, that all bestrowed about
; With Bams and buok-goates were. And
tlien a rocke
r He lift aloft, that damd up to his IWke,
The doom tliey enterd : twas so hard to
wield,
That two and twcnlie Waggons, nllfoure
whcekl,
, (Could they be loaded, and have teames
that were
t Proportioned to them) could not slirre it
there.
; Thus, making sure, he kneeld and milkt
his Ewes,
i And braying Coates, with all a milkers
dues.
t Then let in all their yeng : then, quicke
did dresse,
r His hullo milke up for cheese, and in a
prease
j Os w icker prest it ; put in bolls the rest,
To drinke, and eate, and serve his sup
) ping feast.
All works dispatclit thus; he began his
t fire ;
Which blownc, he saw us j and did thus
enquire;
Ho ! Guests ! what are ye ? whence
I saile ye these seas P
I'raflicke, or rone ye ; and like tbeeves
oppresse
1 Poore strange adventurers; exposing so
Your smiles to danger, and your lives to
, wo f
This utterd be ; when Fcarc from our
2 hearts tooke
The very life ; to bo so thundcr-strooke
With aucli a voice, and such a monster
cee.
Hut thus I answered : Erring Grecians we,
From Tray were turning homewards, but
by force
Os adverse winds, in fir-diverted course,
Such unknoWne waies tooke, and on
i rude sens tost,
(As Java decreed) are cast upon this
Coast
Os Jlgavunmon (famous . livens sonne)
We boast our selves the souldiers ; who
hath wonttc
Rcnowme that rcachethheaven ; to over--
* J&rmv
So grea* a Citle, and to mine so,
So many nations Act at thy knees lie
Our prostrate bosolnes ; Ibrc’t with praires
to trie.
If any hospitable right or Boone
Os other nature, (such as have bin wonne
By law.es of other houses) thou wilt give.
Reverence the Gods, Uiuu grealst of all
that live;
We suppliants are ; and hospitable .Jove
Poores wreakc on all, whom praires want
pov.-rc to move :
And with their plagues, together will
provide.
That humble Guests shall have their
wants supplide.
He cruelly answered : O thou foole
, (raid he)
To came so farre, and to importune me
With any Gods leave, or observed love ,
, We Cyclops cart not for your Goat-fed
i Jure ;
I Nor other Blest ones ;we are hettei farre.
To Jure himselfe, dare I bid open waive ;
To thee, and all thv fellowes, if 1 please,
i Hut tell me .- where’s die ship that by die
sxas
Hath brought thee hither ? If farre off,
i or neare;
Informc me quickly. These his tempt
ings were.
But I, too much knew, not to know his
mind;
And. craft, with craft paid; telling him
the wind
, (Thrust up from Sea, by him that shakes
the Shore)
Had dusht our ships against his rocks, and
; tote
irer'r’.bs in pieces, close upon his Coast;
And we from high wracke sav’d ; the
rest wt re lost.
He answered nothing ; but rusht in,
and tooke
Two of my fellowes up from earth, and
strooke
, Theji braines against it Like two whelps
: they flew
About his shoulders; and did all etnbrew
i The blushing earth. No mounlaine Lion
tore
' Two Lambs ao sternly ; lapt up all their
gore,
, Gusht from their tome -up bodies ; lim
s by I'm,
(Trembling with life yet) ravisht into him.
, Both lies'.. •,d marrow-stuffed bones he
cate,
1 And even dthmcTcanscd entrcils made
his roca’.et A
• Wc weeping, cast our tianitf to heaver,
to view,
A sight so horrid. Desperation flew
With a!l our a'.ler lives, to,instant dea’h.
In our bekev’d destuctior. But when
breath,
j The fury of his appetite had got.
Because the gulfe his belly, rcacht his
. ihrote ;
Mans flesh, and Coates milke, laying
laire on lairc,
Till m are choki up, was all ike prsse oi
, aire.
Along his den, amongst his cattell, downe
5 He rushi, and streakt him. When niy
my mind waa grown®
, Desperate, to step in ; draw my sword,
and part .
His hi.some, where the strings about the
htfSirt , , .
. Circle the Liver, and adde strength of
liand . .
J (Jut that rash thought, More Staid, did
countermand; ....
I For there we all had perisnt, since it p»st
Our po'.vres to lift aside a tog so vas ,
1 As band all out scape ; and so sigh’d away
ihe thought all Night, expecting active
■ Day.
Which come, he first of all, I is flic en
e flames,
Then milks his Coates and Ewes; then
3 to their dams
Lets in their jong ; and wondrous rrdei
]y t
With manly haste, dispalcht his houswife
a r y- ~ , „
Then to his Breakfast, to which, other
c two
Os my poore friends went: winch cate ;
* out then go
’ Ills beards and f.U flocks ; lightly putting
. by ...
i The churlish barre £k closdc it instantly j
For both those works, with case, as much
r lie did,
As you would ope & shut your Quiver lid.
> With stormes of whistlings then, his
flocks he drave
e Up to the mountaines} and occasion gave,
a For me to use my wits; which to their
height,
, I striv’cl to skrew up ; that a vengeance
might
By some mca'es fall from thence ; and
t J’alla » now
I Aflbord a full care to my neediest vow
This then, my thoughts preferd : a huge
club Ivy
j Close by his milk-house, which was now
in way
; To >lrie, and season ; being an Olive tree
Which late he fold; and being greenfe
s must be
Made lighter for his manager. Twas si
t vast,
That wo resembl’d it to some fit Mast,
t To serve a ship of burthen, that was dri
ven
s With twentie Ores ; and had a bignesst
given,
e To beare a huge sea. Full so thicke, sr
tall
a Wo judg’d this club ; which T, in part
hewcl small,
, And cut a fathome off The peece I gave
. Amongst my souldiers, to take downe,
and shave j
s Which clone, I sliarpn’d it at top andther
(Hardn’d in fire) I bid it in the den,
s Within a nastic dunghill reeking there,
Thicke, and so moist, [ issude every
; where.
Then made I lots cast, by my friends to
s trie.
Whose fortune serv’d to dare tho bor’d
7 out eie
3 Os (bat man-eater; and the lot did fall
On foure 1 wis'd to make my aid, of all;
r And I, the flit made, chosen like the rest.
Then came the Even ; and he came from
the feast
- >tf his fat cattcll; drave in all; nor kept
One niah; abroad: if, or his memorySh.pt
, By Cods direct will ; or of purpose was
His driving in of all then, doth surprise
My comprehension. But he ciosde againe
The ini gillie barre; milkt, and did still
maintaine
All other observation, as before.
Hisworke, all done j two of my Scukliers
more.
At once he snacht up; and to supper
went.
Then clar’d 1 words to him, and did pre
sent
A boll of wine, with these words: Cyclop
take
A boll of wine from my hand, that may
make
Way for the mans flesh thou hast eale ;
anil show
What drinke our ship held ; which in sa
cred vow,
1 od’er to tine j to take ruth on me
In my dismission home. Thy rages be
Now no more sufferable flow shall men
(Mad and inhumane that thou art) againe
(b eet thy abode, and get thy actions grace,
If thus thou ragest, and eatst up their race
He loolcc, and tlrunke ; anil vehement
ly joyd
To taste the sweet cup; and againe em
ployd
My flagons powie ; entreating more, and
said .
Good guest, againe affjord my taste tin
aid ;
And lei me know thy name; and quickly
now ;
That in thy rccompence I may bestow
\ hospitable, gift on thy desert;
And such :* one as sba'l reicyce thy bea-t;
For to the Cyclops too, tile gentle carti
Beares generous wine; and Jove augments
her birth,
Instore of such, with showres. But this
rich wine,
Fell from the river that is tneere divinf,
Os JW'ctnr and .Imbva.ua. This againe*
1 gave, him; and againe; nor could hie
foole abstain®.
But drunks as often. When the node
Joyce
Had wrought upon his spirit, I then give
use
To fairer language; saying Cyclops.' now
As thou demands!, He tell thee mv name ;
do thou
Make good ihv hospitable gift io me ;
Mv name is . Yo-wan .Vo-m, in, each de
gree
Os friends, as well as parents, ca'l my name,
i He answered, as his eruell soule hceame ;
.Xo-Mcm! Be eate thee last of all thy
friends;
A ml this is that, in which so mubh amends
1 vowd to thy deservings; thus shall he
' My hospitable gift, made good to thee.
This said : he upwanlsfell'; but then bent
i round
Jli esl e necke ; and Slerpe (with all
crowues, rrnwnd)
: Subdude the Savage. From his Ihrote
brakt out • ...
: My wine, with mans flesh gobbet?, like a
spout; t
m
When loded with his cups, he lay and J
snor’d. , ' ,
And then tooke I the clubs end up, and
gor’d , . , |
The burning cole-h*ape, that the pomt
might hea’e. „
Confirmed my tellowes minds, lest feare
should let
Their vowd assay, and make them nie m>
aid ,
Strait was the Olive Lever, I had lam
Amidst the huge fire,'t o get bamning,. nol;
And glowd extremely, though twas
greene ; (wlm.li got
From forth the cinders) close about mt
stood .
, J!y bardie friends; but that w hich aid tne
good,
• Was 'Gods good inspiration, that gave
A spirit beyond the spirit they vs-.e t<>
f have:
Who tooke the Olive sparre, made keene
1 before.
And plung’d it in bis eye ; am, up I bore,
Bent lo the lop close ; and lielpt poare u
m. . .
r With all my forces: And as you have
; scene
A ship wright bore a navall biamc ; be
oft
Thrusts at tire Jlnynro Froofe ; works
i still aloft ;
And at the sbankc, heipe others ; with a
cord
Wound round about, to make it sooner
bor’d;.
All plying (he round still: So into Ins eye,
n The fr ic s'ale.*, we labourd to imply.
Out gnsht the blood that scalded ; Ids eye
ball
Thrust, out a flaming vapour, that schurciit
J '.all
lis bvowes and eye-lids ; bis eyc-stnngs
; did crncke,
• \s in, the sharpe and burning rafter brake.
(A ml as a Smith to harden any toole,
. (Broad Axe, or Mattocke) in bis 1 rough
s I doth code
The red-bote substance, tba* so fern nf is,
■ It makes the cold wave strait to seethe
r and hisse ;
So sod, nndhixd bis eye about t!ic stake
;■ tic roar’d withal! ; and ail Ida (.uverivt
brake
! In claps like thunder. We, did frighted fle,.
Disperst in corn- r». Il« fi-mii forth his tie,
file fixed slake plnckt; after which, the
e blood
Flowd freshly forth ; and, mad, he hurl’d
• the wood
About his Imvill. Out he then did evie
F ir other Cyclnps, that in ,t'avernes by
! Upon a wiiulieT’romontoric dwellcl;
Wlio h aring ho\v impetuously beyelld,
t Ibisbl very way about him ; and eiifjidr’il
What ill afflicted him, that he expir’d
Such horrid clamors ; and in sacred night,
i To break their slecpes so ? Askt him, if
Ids fright
t Game from some mortal!, that his flocks
■ had driven ?
r Or if by craft, or might, his death were
given!
Tic answered from his den ; by craft, nor
might,
f No man hath given me death. They then
■, said right;
If no man hurt thee, and thy selfe alone ;
r That which is done to thee, by Jove is
done 1
And what great Jove inflicts, no man can
y ■ flie;
Pray to thy Father yet, a Deitle ;
3 And prove, from him, if thou causl helpc
acquiie.'
;l Tims spake they, leaving him. When
all on Are,
My heart with joy was; that so well my wit.
And name deceiv’d him ; whom now paine
did split;
n And growing up and downe, he groping
(ride,
To find the stone, which found, he put
t aside;
Put in thedoore sate, feeling if he could
(As his shrepe issude) on some man lay
e hold:
1 Esteeming me a foole, that could devise
No stralageme to scape his grosse sur
prise.
s But 1, contending what I could invent.
My friends and me, from dca li so immi
r nent,
To net delivcrd : all my wiles I wove,
- (Life being the subject) and did this ap
prove ;
■' Fat fleccic Rams, most faire, and great,
lay the'-e,
)’ That did a burthen like a Violet bearc.
Ihcse (while this team’d in villanie did
; sleepe)
I yokt with Osiers cut there, shcepe to
• sheep:*:
Three in a ranke ; and still the mid sbeepe
bore
A man about his belly : the two more,
> Marcht on Ids each side for defence. I
then,
, Chusingmy selfe the fairest oftb<* den,
flisfk-ecie belly under-crep?; enibrac’t
- His backc, and in his rich wool! wrapt me
fast
- With both my hands, arm’d with as fast a
mind.
1 And thus each man huiig, till the morning
shin’d ;
Which come, he knew the hour?, and let
abroad
Mis male-flocks first; the females, un
mi Ikt stood
Bleating and braying, their full bags so
sore,
i With being unemptied ; but their shep
heard more,
; With being unsighted ; which was cause,
his mind
i Went not a milking. He (to wreake eu
din’d)
The backs felt as they past, of those male
dams;
• (Grosse foole) beleeving, we would ride
his Bams.
■ Nor ever knew, that any of them bore
Upon bis belly, any man before.
; Tne last Ram came to passe him, with his
wool,
Ariel me together, loded to the full;
; For there did 1 hang: and that Ram he
staid;
And me withall had in his hands; my head
troubl’d the while, not causelesly, nor
least.
This Ram he grop’t, and talkt to; Lazie
beast!
Why last art thou now ! thou hast never
usde
i To lag thus hindmost ? but still first hast
brusde
The tender blossome of a flowre; and
, held
State in thy steps, both to the flood and
1 field;
First still at Fold, at Even; now last re
i fvmioe f
Doesl thou not wish I had mine eye againe,
i Which that abhord man .Va jlftvi du! put
out.
*
Assisted Uv Hs execrable rout, P
X hi hi dowae with h
v/reakc SRpunningly it
I would to heaven thou knewst, and could
To he lurks now j I wouUl ,1
His b"?M about my Cave, strewd here t
and there, , s
Tota e my heart of those foule ds, th.a |
were i
Th’ inflictions of a man, I prisde at roug.U| |
Tims let he him abroad; when I (once qj
brought „ , ,
A little from his hold) my selfe firs. losde, i
And nex , my friends. Then uiuve we I
and dispot de,
Il.s stiait-lcggd lat fleece-bearers over |
land, . ~
Even till they all were in my ships com
mand ; . ,
And to mtr lov’d blends, shewd our praid
for sight,
Escap’t from death. Hut for our lossc,
outright
They brake in tearcs.
From Sir f/ #n 'FemJj.'e s hunea.
Au Essay on the Ancinnt tiiul
Modem Lcavn-ng.
Whoever converses much among the
old hooks, will be something hard to
please among the new; yet thtse must
have, iheir pail too in Hie leisure rt an
idle man, and have many of them, their
bt-autics as well as their defaults- Those
o: story, or relations of matter or. (.id,
have a value (com their substance, as much
as from their form, and the variety of
event;:- is seldom, without entertainment
ot mat ruction, how’ indifferently, aofever
the tale is 1 ol< 1 Other sorts of writ
ings have little cf esteem, but wliat they re
ceive from the wit, learning, or genius of
the Authors, and are seldom met with of
any excellency, because they do but trace
over tin; paths that have been beaten by
tin; ancients or comment, critic and flou
rish upon them; and are atuc-Si but c pies
af-er those originals, unless upon subjects
never touched by tberr.; such are alt that
,•«!,«■ o to the d iid rent constitutions of re
ligions, laws or governments in several
countries, with all matters of controver
sy that arise upon them.
’ The force of all that I have met with
upon this subject, cither in talk or wait
ing, is, first, as to knowledge, that we
must have more than the ancients, because
we have the advantage both of theirs and
our own, which is commonly illustrated
by the similitude of a dwarf’s standing
upon a giant's shoulders, and seeing more,
or farther than he. Next as to wit or ge
ni us, that nature being still the same,
these must be much at a rate in all ages,
at least in the same Climates, as the
growth and size of plants, minima's com
monly are; and if both these are allowed,
they think tlie cause is gained. Hut 1
cannot tel) why we should conclude, that
the ancient writers hud not as much ad
vantage from the knowledge of others,
that were ancient to them, as we have
from those that are ancient to ns. The in
• vention ( f printing, has not perhaps, nml
iiptieu books, but only the copies of tht-rh;
and,,if we believe there were six hundred
thousand iu the library ofP.olomy, we
shall hardly pretend to equal :t by all put
together; I mean so many originals, that
have lived any time, and (hereby given
testimony of their having been thought
, worth preserving. For the scribblers
are infinite, that like mushrooms or flics,
are horn and die in small circles of time;
whereas hooks like proverbs, receive
their chief value from the stamp and es
lean of ages through which they have
passed Besides, the account oi this !i
hrary at Alexandria, and others very v.>
luminous in tile lesser Asia and Home,
we have frequent mention of ancient vvri
tersin many of those books which we now
cr.ll ancient, both philosophers and histo
rians' ’Tis true, tin t besides what we
have in scripture concerning Die original
and progress of the Jewish nation; u.l
that passed in the rest f four world bofor;
the Trojan War, is either sunk in the
depts of lime, wrapt up in'he mysteries
of fables, or so maimed by 'the want of
, testimonies and less of authors, that it
appears to us in too obapure a shade, to
make any judgment upon it For the
fragments of Manelhon about the antiqui
ties of Egypt, the relations in Justin con
cerning tbe Scythian F.in pi re, and majiy
others iu Herodotus and of China, make
such excursions beyond flic periods oi
time given us by The'holy scriptures, that
we are not allowed to reasdn upon tiicin
And this disagreement itself after so great
a. part of the. world became clu is iaojnwy
have contributed to the loss of many an.
cient authors. For Solomon tells us even
in lustrine, of writing many books there
was no end; and whoever considers the
subject and the stile of Job, wh ch by
many is thought more ancient than Moses,
will hardly think it. was writen in an ago
or country that wanted either boons or
learning; and yet he speaks of the ancients
then and their wisdom as we do now.
Hut if any sho-.fld so very rashly and
presumptuously conclude,that there were
(ew books before those we have either
extent or upon record; yet that cannot ar
gue there was no knowledge or learning
before those periods of time, whered
they give us the short account. Hooks
may be helps to learning and knowledge,
aihl'make it more common and diffused;
but I doubt, whether they are necessary
ones or no, or much advance any other
science, beyond the particular records of
actions or legisters of time; and these
perhaps, might be as long preserved with
out them, by the care and exactness of
tradition Lti the long successions of cer
tain races of men, with whom (hey were
lid rusted So in Mexico and Peru, be
fore dip least use or mention of'letters,
there was remaining among them, the
knowledge of what had passed in those
mighty nations and governments for many
ages. Whereas in Ireland, that is said
to have furnished in hooks and learning
before they had much progress in Gaul
orßritany; there are now hardly any
traces left of what passed there, before
the conquest made of that country the
English in Henry the second’s time, a
strange but plain demonstration, how
knowledge and ignorance, as well as ci
vility and barbarism, may succeed each
other in the several countries of the
world, how much better the records of
lime may be kept by tradition in one ,1
country than writing in another; and how
much we owe to those b arbed languages
of Greek and Latin, without whub, for i
1 know, the world in all these Western
wt?, would t hardly Lc known : 0
ieeji above s.X hundred years og £jjl
3.- any certainty’iemain of what pasaul tj
t before that ume.,
But after all, Ido not know, vhc 1 ., jfl
die high flights of wit and knowlege, 1. £ ,, fl
tliose of power and of empire in the vorg B
may not have been made by the pure na. I
live force of spirit or genius, in some ■
single men, rather than by anv derived I
gUgngllramo.fig them, however incieas-.d I
Bfcucctssion; and whether they may !Kl , I
Be been the atchievenu nts of nature* ■
Either-than the irojvruvcinents of an-_, I
Thus the conquest of Ninus and Semlij.E
mi.,, of Alexander and Tamerlane, uiil
[take to have been the greatest,- rect.i.; I
ed in story, were at their height. In th c . t B
persons that began them, end sof.,r
being increased by their successors, th ; B
they were nm preserved in their -I
tent and vigor bv tuv of them, grew * tJt I
ker-ln every hand they passed
or were divided into many, that set''l
for great princes, out of several sir;-,/I
ruing oft! e fust empires, till the;i'toi| :t ..B
ed away in time, or were lost by isl
cf.a -ge of names and totals of Limliu B
of Governments.
Just the same f.te Scerrs to Imveat.
tended, the higher t flights < f learnings
of knowledge, that are'upon our icginn,
TJjialcs Pydiagoras, Democritus,
emits, I’.alo, Aiiatude, Epicurus, v.' r ,
•die fust mighty conquerors < f igiio.w-j
in our world, and made greater pingiv.
ses in the several empires of vein....
tiiau unyof theirsucceSsors have been si,;,
able to reach. These have hard 1 } fVI ,
pretended more, than to learn vyhat f :
invented, and not able to compass thatii
self, they have set up for authors, up,,
some parcels of those gnat slocks, ore 1 ,
have contended t hemselv. s only to mn
merit upon those texts, and make the|, t<
copies they could, after thosc/briginah,
I have long thought, that the il'flVrer
anilities of men, which we call wisdom,,
pnidenc.-, for tlie conduct of public;
fails of private life, grow directly out (
that little grain of intellect or.good sm ;
which they bring with them into the wo,II
and that the defect of it in yien, coir.i.j
from some want in their conception <js
birth
nixftyi sc.mcl JWsceHttfntt r i
Qiticqvid scire hcei
And though this may be improved or •
paired in some degree, by accidents,
Education, Wfitudy, and of converse
and business, yet it cannot go beyond .i
reach of its native force, no more tin
life can, beyond the period to which!
was destined, by the strength or vvcahii
of the seminal virtue.
If these speculations should be tr;-
then 1 known not what advantages we ci
pietend to modern knowledge, In r
we receive from Hie ancients; nay, ’tisp;
sible, men may lose rather than gain
them, may lessen the force and growth
their own genius, by constraining Ik fnn
tag it upon that of others; may have I
knowledge of their own, forconlenr
themselves, with that of those belt
them. So a man that only translates sh
never pea poet, nor painter that only,
pies, nor swimmer that swims always Vi
bladders So people that trust wholly
others charity, and without industry'
their own, will be always poor. Posit
who can tell; whether learning may,
even weaken invention, in a num that I,
great advantages from nature and bit.
whether the weight and number ol
many other mens thoughts riul.notic
may not suppress his own, or hinder
motion and agitation of them, from win
all invention arises; as heaping on vw
or too many sticks, or too close togetln
suppresses, and sometimes quae tul
guishes a little spark that would otl i
wise have grown up to a noble flami f
The strength . of mind as well as of bo *
grows more from the warmth of exe cii#
than of deaths, nay, too much ot tlncfl
reign hea’, rather makes men faint, |
th r constitutions tenderer weaker, tift
they vv; uld.he without them. Let it c A
about how it w’ill, if we are dv.a L-, .1
aye still so, though we stand upon I
giant’s shoulders, and even so placed, K
we see less than he, if we are uatiiri*
sliorter sighted, or if we d o not loot A
much a.lout us, or if vve are dazlrd H
the height, which often hanpens ii I
weakness either of heart or bruin- k.
In the growth and stature of
well as bodies, the common product;. I
are bt indiflbront sizes, that occas.on B
gazing nor no wonder; but there »r;"VH
have been, sometimeu dwarfs untlsi.
times giants in the world,-‘yet it da?;:
fallow, that there must he suchinevs
age nor in every country: this we can :
more conclude, than tliat there ace in
now, at least in the compassjif.onr "
sent know'edge or inquiry. 'As as l’
hevp, there may have been giants
sometime, and some place' or other in '•
world, or such a stature, as may no; Iu
Oe-.-n equalled perhaps again, in s<v.
tiiuusan.l ot years, or in another parts;
nbere may be giants in i* it and knou ie ';
of so overgrown a size, as not tn
equalled again many successions ol ag
any compass of olace or country. Si
lam sure, I.uerelius esteems'aid
scrib.ps Kpicums to have been, as
have risen, like a prodigy t .f iiiyct;:
Slid knowledge, such as bad not bars
t uv;, nor was like to be again; a „d I jcr.
not, why o hors of the ancients, u,hvf
be allowed to have been as great in lb
kinds, and to liav,- bud; as lugb, th ■;
upon diflorent schemes cr foundation-
Because tiiere is a stag's head at AuiVn-K
ot a most prodigious size, CTi'd a large
bie at Meiuorancy, cut out o a v ne m-.ic-IB
is it necessary, tlia- there must be, cv 'H
age, such a -stag iu every great so es-, I
sneu a v ine in every large vineyard or ■
the productions of naluie in any I; I
must be stdl alike or nometbingLiiorl
because mit re is still the sum! 3 : |
there notmany circumstan»-es cone r, ■
one production, that do not to anv ■
in one or many ages ? in the growth r M
tiec. there is tlie native strength oi
seed bo<h from the kind, and from I
perfections of its ripening, and i;<,.iri
health and vigor of the plant that bore B
There is the degree of strength an-J- B
celleuct-, in that vein or earth vvlicrt B
first took root;'!here is a propriety oi ■fl
suited to the kind of tree that grows in fl
Dure is a great favor or dis'iivo, to fl
growth, from accidents of wat r nuiß
shelter, from the kindness of seas miidfl
it be pa-t Hie need or the oangir fl
them. All these, and perha-s
others Joined with th,e>,pi-opitio.rs!.es.
Ciithate, to that sort o( tree, and the leu-
vt age it shall stand ftml grow, mav i i
, a 1
snail ctsei\c to iciiuwncvl Juste- **