ridiculous; and though in fome of Aikin's profaic pieces there is a very serious and good imitation of it, yet we are rather difpofed to file than admire. Affectation always borders on burlesque; but a manner, which derives its graces from nature, cannot be rendered ridiculous. The style of Xenophon, like the philofopher whom he records, is proof against the sportive and malignant buffoonery of an Ariftophanes. It is however certain, that every beauty cannot be combined under one forn. If the ftyle of Xenophon difplays grace, eafe, and fweetnefs; it is deficient in magnificence, in weight, in authority, and in dignity. But it should be remembered, that the Venus of Medici is not to be cenfured, because it wants the nerves and muscles of the Farnefian Hercules. It appears to me, however, that though fome of the most popular writers of England yield to Xenophon in the fofter graces, they greatly excel him in mafculine beauty. The authors of the Rambler, of the Adventurer, and of fome of their imitators, will be found to poffefs a fuperiority in this refpect, on a fair comparifon. Indeed, if there were more fingularities and deviations from fimplicity than are to be found in thofe volumes, their excellent fenfe and fine morality ought to exalt their authors to a degree of honour, far fuperior to any which can be derived from a fkill in compofition. According to the opinions of the beft judges, antient and modern, the greatest master of the beauties of ftyle whom the world ever faw, was the divine Plato. The antients hefitated not to affert, in the zeal of their admiration, that if Jupiter were to fpeak in the language of Greece, he would infallibly exprefs himself in the diction of Plato. He poffeffed the art of combining severity with grace, and sweetness with grandeur; and to him we owe a fimilar combination, in the great orator and philofopher of Rome, who formed his ftyle on the model of Plato; and has given us a refemblance scarcely lefs exact than that of the buft to its mould, or of the waxen feal to the fculptured gem. The introductions to the dialogues of Cicero are always peculiarly beautiful; fo alfo are thofe of Plato. It. It is agreeable to call to mind the sweet spot which Plato reprefents as the fcene where the dialogues paffed, in language no lefs delightful than the fcene itfelf. The river Iliffus glided over the pebbles in a clear ftream, but fo fhallow that you might have walked through it without any great inconvenience. At á finall diftance rofe a tall plane tree, fpreading its broad foliage to a confiderable distance, and flourishing in all the mature luxuriance of fummer beauty. At the root of the tree iffued a fpring, dedicated to Achelous and the Nymphs, and remarkable for its cool and limpid water. The fofteft herbage grew round its little banks, the verdure of which was rendered perpetual by the refreshing moisture of the fpring, as it flowed down a gentle declivity. A fweet and cooling breeze generally breathed along the shade, and great numbers of Cicada, taking fhelter from the fun, reforted to the coverts, and made an agreeable kind of natural mufic with their little notes, which feldom ceafed. Plato adds feveral other agreeable heightenings of the fcene, in which moral and philofophical beauty was to emulate the beauties of nature. The language of Plato adds charms to the whole, as variegated colours illuminate and embellish the plain fketches of the chalk or pencilled outline. It is no wonder that philofophy, recommended by fuch graces as thefe, was found to render her votaries enamoured. Virtue and public fpirit can fcarcely ever want their admirers and followers, when they are decorated in a manner which fets off their own loveliness to the greateft advantage. It is to be lamented, for the fake of virtue, that Lord Shaftesbury was a fceptic. His ftyle was a fine imitation of Plato, and difplays fuch beauties, as might conceal the uglinefs of a deformed fyftem. Mr. Harris has alfo exhibited the Platonic graces in high perfection; and I cannot help confidering it as a mark of defective tafte that he is not more popular. His ftyle appears to be one of the most elegant, claffical, and judiciously ornamented among all the English writers of the prefent century. They who have raised their tafte fo as to perceive his beauties, - will confider the style of many writers, whom they once admired, as comparatively barbarous. He who never tafted tafted the pine-apple, the peach, and the nectarine, may probably fuppofe that he enjoys the most exquifite flavour of the fruit garden while he is feafting on a pippin as he, who never partook of the pippin, may devour a crab, and admire it as a delicacy. A critic of antiquity, Dionyfius the Halicarnaffian, has difcovered many and great faults in the style of Plato. He feems to think the epithets too poetical, the metaphors too bold, the matter too allegorical. Pompey the Great difputed the point with him; and there is a curious letter extant on the fubject, from the critic to the ftatefman. It is, indeed, obvious to remark, that, though Plato would not admit Homer into his republic, he has admitted many of his beauties into his ftyle; and has often written with an enthufiaftic warmth, which they, who have not partaken of the efflatus to which he fomewhere pretended, cannot entirely approve. A cold critic, like Dionyfius, would naturally be difgufted with it; but we cannot liften to his cenfures of a noble genius, who fnatched graces beyond the reach of art; whom Pompey approved, and 'whom Tully almoft idolized. When specimens of perfect compofition were to be pointed out, the choice has fallen on the Georgics of Virgil and the Menexenus of Plato. Both Xenophon and Plato display, what is more valuable than all verbal elegance, a fine fyftem of morality, which long fhone forth in the world as a light unequaled, till the fun of revelation arofe. If Xenophon's me moirs were divefted of a few fuperfluities and a few abfurdities, I fhould not fear to affert, that they approach very nearly to the Gofpel, in the exhibition of inftructive leffons, and a fublime, yet encouraging example, of all human excellence; for, with refpect to the calumnies advanced against Socrates, they undoubtedly originated from the father of lies. And thofe writers are to be efteemed the enemies to human virtue and happiness, who employ their ingenuity in detracting from illuftrious and established reputation. No. CXXVII. ON THE ADVANTAGES DE RIVABLE FROM NATIONAL ADVERSITY. T is very certain that national profperity, as it is armies, of extenfive empire, large revenues, advantageous commerce, and a profufion of money in fpecie, is a kind of good by no means neceffarily connected with moral good, or with the fubftantial happiness of individuals. It makes a fplendid figure in imagination's eye; but to reafon, it appears in a very questionable fhape, and experience is able to evince, that it has always diffufed profligacy and mifery through the walks of private life; and, by introducing luxury, licentioufnels, indolence, and corruption, has at once destroyed all that can render human nature dignified and happy, and precipitated the decline and the downfall of empires themfelves, while triumphing in fancied glory. It has been observed that the Bodies Politic and Natural bear to each other a remarkable analogy. A human form pampered, bloated, and plethoric, will often have the appearance of ftrength, as well as magnitude; though no ftate of it can be lefs adapted to facilitate the animal movements, or in greater danger of a hafty diffolution. The body politic alfo lofes in mufcular force, as much as it acquires of unwieldy fize, till, by the gradual decrease of vigour, and augmentation of weight, it totters on its bafelefs fupports, and, at last, lies level in the duft with Babylon and antient Rome. Luxury, the inevitable confequence of what is falfely called national profperity, becomes the grave of empires, and of all that could adorn them; or render their longer duration a rational object of defire. There is, undoubtedly, a certain degree of magnitude, at which, when a State is arrived, it must, of neceffity, undergo the alternative; of being purged of its peccant humours, or falling into a nervelefs languor and and confequent decline. Perhaps our own country has already arrived at that degree, and is now, under the operation of Divine Providence, fuffering the amputation of its morbid excrefcences for the falvation of its health and exiftence. It may lofe fome of its revenues; but it will fave and meliorate its morals and its liberty. Minifters may be fhaken from their feats, penfioners and placemen may be reduced to defpair, funds may be annihilated, and eftates brought down to their natural value; but freedom, but virtue, but induftry, but the British conftitution, but human nature, fhall survive the wreck, and emerge like filver and gold when tried by the fire, with new value and additional luftre. After a ftate of political adverfity, fomething may take place in the fociety, fimilar to the expected renovation of all things, after the general conflagration of the universe. Diftrefs and difficulty are known to operate in private life, as the fpurs of diligence. Powers, which would for ever have lain dormant in the halcyon days of ease and plenty, have been called forth by adverfity, and have advanced their poffeffor to the moft enviable heights of virtue, happiness, and glory. Man is naturally indolent, and, when undisturbed, will bask and fleep in the fuafhine till the fleep of death; but, when roused by the blaft and the thunder, he rifes, ftrains every finew, and marches on to enterprife. Succefs will almoft infallibly attend great exertions, uniformly and refolutely continued; fo that what begun in mifery ends in triumph, as the fun which rofe in a mift defcends with ferenity, and paints the whole horizon with gold and purple. Public induftry may be excited in the fame manner, and in the fame degree, by public misfortunes. The nation is impoverished, or, in other words, its fuperfluities are retrenched. It is an event devoutly to be wifhed. Luxury, with ten thousand evils in her train, is obliged to withdraw, and the humble virtues, whom fhe had driven, by her infolence, into exile, clleerfully advance from their concealment. Industry and frugality take the lead; but to what a degree of vigour muit every muscle of the body politic be braced, when every member |