CHARACTERS. Caratteri, temperamenti, il mondo é bello per questo. GOLDONI. VARIETY is in all things a source of enjoy«. ment, and tho' there are some objects to which we ought to be constantly attached, yet even these may be seen in different lights, and are capable of affording us new pleasures. The remark of Solomon, that there is nothing new under the sun, is generally true, but not as applied to individuals, for tho' all things in the world which appear to be new, (because they take new forms) are but different modifications of matter, which has existed, most probably, from eternity, yet to those who see them for the first time, they have the air of novelty. No individual can live or act on so extended a scale, that the change of country or of manners L will not present to him something that he has not seen before; the sphere of action in which the generality of men move, is very limited to them, therefore, by the frequent re-appearance of the same objects, it may be said there is nothing new. Even Solomon, who possessed all that wealth or power could afford, came at last to the end of his enjoyments, and then cried out, with the peevishness of a child who is tired of its playthings, that all is vanity. The situation of kings is not, however, the most favorable to the pleasures of variety; their enjoyments may be costly, may be exquisite, and far-sought, but being limited to a certain round, both of space and company, they must soon become tiresome and monotonous, for the faculties become blunted, by a continual repetition of the same objects, even if they are pleasing. Variety is most within the reach of him, who, with a moderate fortune, can travel from place to place, partake of the pleasures which different countries afford, and contemplate all the various appearances of the natural and moral world, both of which, considered as to individuals, are endless in their extent and variety. The constant pleasure which even the dullest minds experience from a change of objects, 'to man. is a proof that the love of variety is congenial The natural world presents us with perpetual variety, but the greatest of all is in human characters, for no two are alike, any more than two faces, so that their diversity is only bounded by the number of the species; yet, for all this, there are many which so nearly resemble each other, as to come under a general description, and without this, the world would be a scene of endless confusion, and men could have no certain criterion whereby to judge of the characters or conduct of their fellow-creatures. Were all men constantly and solely directed by reason, there could be no difference in their actions, and consequently no variety in their character, for reason is uniform, consistent and steady; but as passion forms a part of our nature, and custom, caprice, and prejudice, make up the rest of our composition, these simple materials, like the notes of the gamut, are capable of endless variations; yet reason, like harmony, is the principle which binds them together, and preserves them from confusion and discord. The casual circumstances which form the distinctive marks of character among men, are generally at first so slight and imperceptible, as to escape the eye even of the acutest ex aminer; they principally operate in early youth, when the connection between cause and effect, on the human mind is hardly to be perceived, and are, therefore, erroneously attributed to a natural disposition; yet in men more advanced in life, it is sometimes not difficult to distinguish the particular circumstances, which form their tendency to a particular turn of character. The man whom a long acquaintance with the worst of his species, whom disappointment or distress has rendered dissatisfied with all around him, and hopeless of any thing better, becomes a gloomy misanthropic enemy to the present state of things, not from any benevolent purposes of general melioration, but out of pure ill-nature and revenge. He rails at that dishonesty, which he once looked upon with indifference, while he partook of its spoils, but when he becomes a sufferer, instead of making many others suffer, he sees the matter in a different light, and finds his only satisfaction in exposing the villainy which he once looked upon with approbation and complacency. He becomes a reformer, not from principle, but from malice, and a patriot from pure misanthropy, not so much to redress the grievances of others, as to revenge his own. Some there are, who, hav ing spent their fortunes by extravagance, become advocates for reform, in hopes of mending their condition, and getting rich by others' ruin; such men should first reform themselves, before they are trusted with the public concerns. Reformers are to be found in all states, who seek for a change of affairs rather to satisfy their own disquiet, than to improve the condition of others. Among this set of men there are infinite varieties of character, and tho' the object of reform in all states is, or ought to be, the same, viz. to remedy those grievances whereby the people are deprived of their comforts, yet such are the different views and sentiments of men, that there is, perhaps, not above one third of the whole who in any one point resemble each other. The various shades of character which distinguish individuals from each other in society, form a constant subject of amusing contemplation to the philosopher, who penetrates into the recesses of the human heart, and judges.of things not from their appearances, but from their distinctive qualities. The dull monotonous forms of polished society, leave little room for any display of character among the generality of men, yet there are some whose minds are of so peculiar a temper, as to shew their |