THIS nation, of all the others of Europe, has fuffer'd the most by neglecting the influence which honor has amongst them; the very nature of its conftitution prevents it from being filled with numbers of perfons diftinétly honored for their fervice; here is no inferior order of knighthood, and a fimple knight is to be found amongst grocers, tobacconists, cheesemongers, and other trades; which effaces its effects, and renders it below the confideration of a man, who has deferved well of his country, either in arts, arms, or science.

Too many honorary diftinctions alfo, as the nation is of the mixed kind of government, would render that part which beftows honors, too powerful; thofe fo diftinguish'd would find an attachment to that alone, and the ba lance would preponderate on that fide. In France the king is not divided from the country's intereft, (the people of England think he pof fibly may); but universal honor, confider'd as facred, would have a juft and true influence on all; nothing discovers this fo effectually as a regiment of foldiers, which has been once efteemed

3

esteemed for some gallant action, the fame fpirit runs thro' it for generations, and the leaft exalted man of the kingdom becomes animated with the gallant foul of the corps, in fix months after he has been listed amongst them, and filled with a fpirit of bravery, to which he was before a stranger; and yet, the pay of these men is no better than thofe of other regiments, where no fuch animating principle prevails; in the day of battle the honor of the regiment fhall operate on their minds, ftronger than untold fums of gold; and this fpirit grows by indulgence, whereas that arifing from money is ruin'd by its reward.

THIS is the prefent fate of England, adieu,

·I am your most obedient fervant.

LET

LETTER XLIX.

To the Reverend Father CURTIO MARINELLI at Rome.

Dear Sir,

IF

F multiplicity of printing is a proof of much learning, the ftate of letters was never in so flourishing a condition as at prefent; and yet, notwithstanding this, it really was never fo truly the contrary, fince the firft rife of learning in this island.

NAY, fo true it is, tho' it may seem paradoxical, that even that art, which was the greatest propagator of science, is now the most likely to prove its deftruction, and printing will probably become the greateft enemy to letters.

To produce works of science, fuppofing that there are men of genius in a kingdom, literature must be held in honor, and careffed; genius is as coy as a virgin, and will make no more advances to the company of the great, than

3

chastity

chastity in Susanna did to the two elders it feels its own fuperiority, and generally being united with pride in the fame breast, rather fhuns, than officiously feeks the acquaintance of fuperiors. This may be blamed with justice perhaps; and yet, fuch is the nature of man, that a genius is as little affected by moralizing, as a dolt.

YET, though pride prevents their feeking fuperior company, neceffity obliges them to feek fuftenance. It has been my constant remark also, that lazinefs is almost the infeparable companion of fuperior parts; they despise what they discover with fo much ease; and yet far from being humbled by it, they contemn ten times. more those who cannot fee fo much, and yet admire that little.

DOUBLY lazy from the ease of doing things, and the ill-judging opinion of those who praise aukwardly, and fhew by every remark that they have never conceived the author's defign (for ab eulogy misplaced catches the heart of none but the weak they seek the shortest way of getting

the

the most money, and fince they are not fought by the great, neceffarily become the hackneys of booksellers.

REDUCED to this ftage, genius is not the thing which is best paid for: abstracts of authors already famous; compilements of compilements of all kinds; dictionaries in arts, fcience, phy fic, trade, commerce, love, and rafcality; for, the scoundrel's dictionary has been lately printed in London, which I hope will compleat the work and tafte of it; are thofe which have beft rewarded the compilers.

ALL these things are fure pay; the author's fheet brings him his money, which he and his bookfeller have agreed for; he eats and rests in peace, without the pain of thinking, when he has done his daily labour.

On the contrary, if by the ftriéteft appli cation, a man fhould have difcovered any thing new in fcience or art, advanced the welfare, health, or happiness of mankind, perhaps he may, after feven years pains, be rewarded by a bookfeller

full