That the Sublime with fome faults, is better than what By the preceding rule Demofthenes and Hyperides are SECT. XXXV. That Plato is in all respects fuperior to Lyfias; and SECT. XXXVI. Sublime writers confider'd in a parallel view. 145 147 SECT. XLI. Of apt Connexion of the conftituent parts of discourse. 162 That broken and precipitate measures debafe the Sub- lime. 165 That Words of foort Syllables are prejudicial to the SECT. XLII. SECT. XLIII. 166 That Contraction of ftile diminishes the Sublime. 167 That low terms blemish the Sublime. SECT. XLIV. The fcarcity of fublime writers accounted for. 3 ibid. 172 57, 113 E. Ratofthenes. 139 Eupolis. 88 80, 81, 83, 164 G. 11 Euripides. 76, 77, 78, Archilochus. 59, 79 Georgias the Leontine. 9 Arimafpians, Author of H. 116 II Ariftophanes. 163 HEcatæus. Aristotle. 129 Hegefias. Herodotus. 4, 69, 103, III, 114, 122, 127, B. Bacchylides. 139 154, 167 Hefiod. C. 33, 70 Homer. 17, 26, 31, 32, 37, 40, 42, 44, 45, 55, 10 Calisthenes. Cicero. Clitarchus. ΙΟ 111, 117, 128, 140, Lyfias. 135, 136, 141, 145 Matris. Some AccoUNT of the Life, Writings, and Character O F LONGINUS. HERE is no part of history more agreeable in itself, nor more improving to the mind, than the lives of those who have diftinguished themselves from the herd of mankind, and fet themselves up to public regard. A particular tribute of admiration is always due, and is generally paid to the Hero, the Philofopher, and the Scholar. It requires indeed a strength of understanding and a folidity of judgment, to distinguish those actions, which are truly great, from such as have only the shew and appearance of it. The noise of victories and the pomp of triumphs are apt to make deeper impreffions on common minds, than the calm and even labours of men of a ftudious and philofophical turn, tho' the latter are, for the moft part, more commendable in themselves and more useful to the world. The imagination of the bulk of mankind is more alive than their judgment: hence Cafar is more admired for the part he acted in the plains of Pharfalia, than for the recollection of his mind the night after the victory, by which he armed himself against the infolence of fuccefs, and formed refolutions of forgiving his enemies, and triumphing more by clemency and mildness, than he had before by his courage and his arms. Deeds which we can only admire, are not fo fit for fedate contemplation, as those which we may also imitate. We may not be able to plan or execute a victory with the Scipios and Cæfars, but we may improve and fortify our understandings, by infpecting their scenes of study and reflexion; we may apply the contemplations of the wife to private use, so as to make our paffions obedient to our reason, our reafon productive of inward tranquillity, and fometimes of real and substantial advantage to all our fellow-creatures. Such remarks as the preceding can be no improper Introduction to whatever may be col |