Many fuch portraits might be drawn, and perhaps from the life, of fervile imitation; but ĺ should hope it was fufficiently evident to every one, whofe reafon will tell him that he is an independent being, that the imitation of errors is the most glaring proof of a weak understanding. And that the affectation of that eccentricity which is allowable in true genius alone, is in any thing below mediocrity, like an attempt at the bold animation of a Raphael in the Saracen's-Head; or the venerable gloom of a Salvator, in the foliage of the royal oak.

C

NOTES to CORRESPONDENT S. ANTISUPERBUS I would advife to lay down the pen he has fo haftily affumed; or if the fcribendi cacoethes has taken such strong Hold of him that he finds that impoffible, let him throw his abilities into fome other channel, as at prefent, I fear, he has mistaken their bent.---The fame hint taken in time, might fave the reputation of his unintelligible affociate.

Much as I am obliged to A BARRISTER for his elegant extract, as the circumftances wear an air of truth, and my lucubrations might poffibly fall into the hands of the parties, I fear it would too deeply wound the feelings of a distressed family for insertion.

No. XXV.

OF

THE

MICROCOS M.

MONDAY, May 7, 1787.

Interdum populus recte putat eft ubi peccat.
the peoples voice is odd,

It is, and it is not, the voice of God.-POPE.

ROVERBIAL expreffions, and received Popinions, have usually been confidered as

an abridgement of national wifdom, and are perhaps the beft guides to the character or genius of a people. And it is not improbable, that the extenfion of this method of enquiry, to the established opinions and received ideas of mankind in general, may lead us to a more perfect and general knowledge of them.

That the mind of man is not framed for happiness, is a principle, of the truth of which perhaps the most certain criterion is its popularity.

At

At the revival of learning, the idea of gradual and progreffive degeneracy obtained very strongly; and whether it contributed in any measure to the study of the ancients, or what is more probable, was derived from the inferiority visible in their imitators, its prevalence was unlimited, and its authority unquestioned. How far a fervile reverence and fcrupulous imitation of antiquity is compatible with the efforts of learning and genius, may be seen in the attempts of an age, whofe diligence was unequalled, and whofe genius ours has no right to fuppofe inferior to her own. But it may be objected, that the qualities of the heart, if not those of the head, may be improved by a converfe with antiquity; that if the science of barbarous nations is rude, their morality at least is pure. To fall into errors authorized by the example of a fuperior, has frequently afforded a defpicable gratification to men of inferior abilities; and the fcrupulous ftickler for obfolete antiquity, may be pleased to find his error common to the ableft politicians of declining Rome. That great empire in a state of decay, has been aptly characterized by her hiftorian, as the theatre in which the scenes of a more virtuous age were acted over again; but without the principle or fpirit of the real perfonages. This was the error of a Phyfi

cian, who would treat an infirm patient as if he was in youth and health, as the only means of ref toring him to both; and the only circumstances which render the former folly the more excufeable, are its greater frequency, and that appearance of earnestnefs, which the voluntary affumption of more rigid manners carries with it. Perhaps, the refult of all ferious enquiries on this fubject will be, that, in the moral, as well as the phyfical world, there is a correspondent propriety in every member, as far as its relation to the reft is confidered; and that the manners of every age and nation have as much propriety in their defignation, as the paffions peculiar to the different periods of Life, and the instinctive qualities of the animal world.

The ftriking analogy which fubfifts between the two first, may afford matter for a digreffion, which my readers will the more readily pardon, as it arifes immediately from the fubject, contributes in fome measure to illuftrate it, and throws light on a fimilitude whofe leading features feem to have ftruck every observer; but whofe more minute correfponding peculiarities have never been traced with any degree of accuracy. The firft attempts of a rifing state, ftruggling into eminence and observation,

servation, the strength of an established conftitution, and the weakness of declining empire, have fo strong an analogy to the first efforts of infancy, the confirmed vigor of maturity, and the debility of age, that expreffions adopted into one from the other are hardly confidered as metaphorical; and are to be met with in flyles the most unadorned, or even the flow of common converfation.

The progrefs of national refinement, confidered as analogous to the improvement of perfonal taste, may perhaps furnish a lefs trite, and more interesting fubject of difcuffion.

The objects with which children are most delighted, are fuch as strike most forcibly upon the fenfes; the fimpleft tunes, the sweetest tastes, a fanciful affociation of the moft gawdy colours, are most agreeable to our infancy; and a fondness for fimilar objects, is a certain indication of a national taste in the firft ftages of cultivation; an implicit credulity in what they hear, and the utmoft deference to the authority of what they read, is another leading characteristic of childhood; infomuch, that a fyftem of education, which confines its pupils to ignorance, has been grounded on the fear of imbibing early, and mistaken opi