any science however abstruse, may with ease and satisfaction be derived. Should it be the wish of an apothecary to become acquainted with the principles of jurisprudence; should a reverend divine be eager to commence quack; or a manmilliner entertain an affection for polite literature, to these farrago's of learned nonsense they may · look for the accomplishment of their wishes. Replete in general with the grossest blunders, compiled from abridgements, and the refuse of the common-place book, they are lowered down to the comprehension of the most degraded and sluggish capacities, till every vestige of sense is eradicated, and every spark of animation is totally extinguished. Under such auspices, and ander such instructors, the silly coxcomb and universal pedant give ample scope to their silly curiosity and frivolous garrulity. With just knowledge enough to render him impertinent, and just wit enough to make him disagreable, he stands confessed,

"Grammaticus, Rhetor, Geometres, Pictor, Aliptes, Augur, Schænobates, Medicus, Magus.”

"A Cook, a Conjuror, a Rhetorician,
A Painter, Pedant, and Geometrician,
A Dancer on the Ropes, and Physician.'

Juv. Sat. 3, 76,

A slender acquaintance with the first princi ples, and a reasonable portion of the abstruse and technical terms of any art, thrown in at proper times and distances, cannot fail of exciting the admiration of the ignorant, and of frequently deceiving a far deeper proficient than himself. A single week properly employed in this manner, and under these directions, will give him a full insight into the vast body of arts and sciences; one only of which, under other circumstances, would take up his whole life to have maturely considered, deliberately weighed, and thoroughly acquainted himself with. An observation on the weather will afford him an opportunity for displaying his knowledge in " Hydrostatics, Peneumatics, and Carbonic Gas." On the simple mention of music, he will astonish you with thirds, octaves, &c. and should ill luck give you a headach, it will be considerably increased by disquisitions on comatosity, cellular membranes &c. No subject comes amiss; an equal force of words, technical terms and pompous nonsense will butt the unfortunate sufferer with the unwieldy vigour of incessant folly.

This fluency of speech and readiness of language, is by some considered as an argument in favour of their erudition. It is rather owing to

a scarcity of matter and an equal scarcity of words; for whoever is a master of language, and has a mind full of ideas, will be apt in speaking, to hesitate in the choice of both: whereas common speakers have only one set of ideas and one set of words to cloth them in, and these are always ready for immediate use. The cogency of their arguments are generally impressed by noise, and where sense is wanting, clamour supplies its place; as with narrow necked bottles, the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring that little out. This species of false and superficial learning resembles false money, it may pass for a time, and may serve some ordinary occasions; but upon the application of the touchstone we find the lightness and detect the alloy. Their folly is soon discovered by their obscurity, and their gross ignorance is soon betrayed by impotent garrulity.

The bird of the day always looks to the sun, so must we look up to the genuine source of uncontaminated wisdom.

Atq haurire.

"Juvat integros accedere fontes,

"To draw from genuine founts the purest streams."

LUCRET.

The borrowed precepts, silly observations, and trite stupidity of elementary books may form a noisy, and impudent, but never a great and illustrious man. Such will never be the effect of flippancy without wit, dulness without sobriety, and strangeness without originality. An intense, fervent and unremitting investigation of the depths of literature and science, must put to flight those indolent habits of mental dissipation, which are a most serious and insurmountable obstacle to the substantial and systematical acquisition of all knowledge. Shallow and superficial productions, like an ignis-fatuus, first by their false glimmering lead us into error, and afterwards plunge us into the profoundest abyss of intellectual night. From a laborious application alone and its attendant effects, can learning and science derive the brightness of their lustre, the fulness of their dignity, and the consummation of their glory.

THE

MINIATURE.

NUMB. XX.

MONDAY, November 5, 1804.

Quid Romo faciam? mentiri nescio; librum,
Si malus est, nequeo laudare et poscere, &c.

As it has often been a subject of my deepest reflection, and as it must be a matter of no small importance to the larger portion of my fellowcitizens, to consider what path they will hereafter pursue, when time shall have conveyed them from the peaceful bosom of Eton, into the tumultuous scenes of public life; it is my intention to dedicate this paper to an enquiry into