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copy of Polybius, or of Cæfar's Commentaries.

Serious ftudies require a total abfraction from domestic folicitude, and from anxious concern for the future: on this account, the monaftic life is the most proper for ftudy, because they who devote themfelves to it are always fecure against want, both at the prefent moment, and when they become unable to labour. Hence we must conclude, that if monafteries were abolished, learning, and the means of acquiring it would fuffer much. It is faid, indeed, that there are many orders of Monks that neither ftudy nor teach, but to this we muft reply, that meafures fhould be fallen upon to make them useful rather than to annihilate them.

It is a peculiar gratification to the man of reading and study to have a perfon with whom he may argue and reafon on what he has read. Scire tuum nihil eft nifi te fcire hoc fciat alter; but it is neceffary to choose those with whom we wish to reafon on what we know and have read; for if unluckily we should fall into the hands of thofe conceited, cenforious, and unwearied difputants, that are but too common in the world, it would have been better for us never to have reafoned at all. In this unfortunate cafe, we must keep to ourselves what we have read.

Forced ftudies fatigue and tire us, but when they are voluntary and free, we purfue them as it were without perceiving. I knew a lady who, having for a long time had a connection with a certain perfon, had been accustomed to write to him almost every day, even when they lived together in the fame town, giving him an account of her time, her reading, and her very thoughts. The gentleman died, and his heirs had the politenefs to return the lady her letters. Thefe, as fhe had a friendship for me, fhe allowed me to read and to carry away. I read them with the greatest imaginable pleafure; they abounded

in wit, in reflections, and thoughts qually elegant and juft. I collected them together, arranged them according to their dates, and bound them up in four 4to volumes: Some time after, being with the lady, I made her repeat what she had often obferved to me, that he could not conceive how people had the patience to make a book. Well, Madam, faid I, you will find that you yourfelf have made a book, and that a pretty large one, and a better than those that are most in cfteem; here it is. I then put into her hands the four volumes in 4to. There, faid I, Madam, are what we prize more than the Letters of Madame de Sevigné, and perhaps more than the Efays of Montagne.

Montagne learned Latin by rote without a mafter, at least without ru diments. I have feen the time when fcholars at the Jefaits College, were obliged to fpeak Latin to the cooks and valets of the college, when they wanted the most common neceffaries. Latin, fpoken in this way, must needs be wretched: it is what we call kit chen Latin; but fuch as it is, it gives one fome practice in the fpeaking of Latin, and it is ufeful to those who, travelling in Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, and Poland, are obliged to have recourfe to Latin to make themfelves understood. It is needless to think of learning to speak Greek, but it is neceffary to understand the grammar, and to be master of the Greek roots; it is incredible of what use these roots are, in explaining the etymology of the terms of art and feience; nay, two thirds of the words in common ufe in the French language are derived either immediately or remotely from the Greek.

There are fome didactic books fo tedious and difagreeable, though fuffi ciently learned, that one may juftly call them antidotes to ftudy, as fome ill-tempered and ugly women have been called antidotes to love. Young people ought to be fpared the tediouf

nefs

Reflections on the Method of Reading and Study.

nefs of fuch books, and others should be put into their hands that will excite their curiofity and engage their attention. To intereft his reader is the great art in every author. It ought to be the aim and object of him who writes on the sciences and hiftory, as well as of the author of plays and romances. But to create an intereft is not all; he must fupport it to the end. Hoc opus, hic labor eft. Style too is a neceffary article, but juftnefs of thought and precifion of expreffion are the effential requifites.

There are two ways of cultivating the memory; one is the getting by heart large paffages of poetry, whole orations, pages of figures, &c. With a memory of this kind, we often perform aftonishing feats, but they are in general ufelefs; the other I call the memory of Judgment: by this we retain the fenfe and arrangement of things if this is not the true kind of memory, it is certainly a good kind, it is the kind by which we gain most knowledge. It is applicable alike to what we have feen, and what we have read, and it fatigues us less than the first, for we remember every thing without effort, and without perceiving it.

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Men of great genius have no occafion for reading in order to conceive grand and beautiful ideas, or to form bold and useful defigns. Yet reading is of ufe in regulating their ideas, and in fhewing them by the example of those to whom the fame have occurred, what inconveniences thofe who have followed them with too much ardour and precipitation have expofed them felves to. It has been faid long ago, that hiftory is experience anticipated, and this experience is at least neceffary for thofe who may be led aftray by their ideas, and who may conceive too bold defigns.

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They must even take care not to lose that eafy turn of expreffion, that smooth, fprightly, and often voluptuous ftylę which is natural to them.

I return to the fubject of Memory, to speak of those who want this faculty altogether. There are people who are obliged, in aid of the little memory they have, to make memorandums of every thing they have to do. A certain intendant at Tours, who lived at the beginning of this century, was famous for his agenda; his friends used to steal his tables when they could lay hold of them, and read them behind his chair. One day the following memorandum was found written: " I have come to the refolution of fhaving myself henceforward, for my fervants are rafcals that almoft flea me." A little lower: "I have refolved never again, in fwearing, to use the word mordieu; it is a vulgar expreffion, not fuitable to the dignity of a magistrate or intendant; morbleu is better." It was not, however, this gentleman who was the author of the following, but a man who went often from Paris to Lyons: "Mem. To get married as I pafs through Nevers."

Notwithstanding the ill I have been faying of Agenda, I make use of the practice fometimes, and find it very ufcful, but I take care not to write down my refolutions, or the rules of my conduct.

I have read in an eloge of the Abbé de Louvois, that he was educated according to the intentions of his father, who was then all-powerful, nothing being neglected that could make him an accomplished man. The moft learned perfons were employed in inventing methods for teaching him every thing in a little time. He was fed, fays his Fanegyrift, with the elixir and quintellence of the fciences, like the rich and delicate who live on The epiftolary ftyle is moft necef- the extracts, the juices, and effences fary for women. Those who wish to of animals and vegetables. The comwrite well in this way, need not take parifon is juft and elegant, but as there much trouble in order to fucceed. is a neceffity to have a good stomach,

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332 Letter from D. Rofs, Efq; late of the Theatre-Royal, Edinburgh,

n order to digeft all aliments reduced about their object, trifle and play with to fo little bulk, fo there is a neceffity to have a well-organized head, in order to retain the principles of all the fciences.

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The English do not trouble them felves with ftyle, and lefs with method; but their thoughts are bold and strong: accustomed to rife above prejudices government and politics, they treat all fubjects with equal freedom. Their pleafantrics are neither delicate nor elegant: their fatire is violent, but fometimes full of humour. We know Swift, one of their most ingenious and wittieft authors. He has been pretty well tranflated into French; and in general it is eafier to render the pleafantries of the English into other languages, than to tranflate those of the Italians into French, or ours into any other language: for the Englifh turn more on the thought, and they defcribe with much energy; while the Italians play upon the words, and the French run round and round

it like a cat with a moufe; confequently it is very difficult to catch the fpirit of their pleafantries, or to tranflate them. Nothing can be more agreeable to read than the papers of the Specta tor, and if the English had much of this fort, we could not be too eager in becoming acquainted with them. But I forefee, that a great deal of wretched imitations of that excellent work will be tranflated into our tongue, which will eftablish among us a new tafte in literature; that the French, who can never check the effects of their enthu fiafm, will be anglicifed, and that we, will lofe fomewhat of our graces in acquiring part of the boldness of their ideas, and of their freedom of thinking and writing. Voltaire fays, that whoever thinks ftrongly, will exprefs himfelf ftrongly this is true, but we may carry this ftrength of thought too far, and become harfi and difgufting in our ideas as well as in style.

Letter from David Rofs, Efq; late Patentee of the Theatre-Royal in Edinburgh, containing a remarkable incident that occurred in confequence of the reprefentation of George Barnwell.

DEAR SIR,

UR converfation of yesterday

He found him very ill with a flow fever, à heavy hammer pulfe, that no

Our converfation of an impref- medicine could touch. The nurfe told

fion on my mind, that I cannot avoid requesting you to publifh the following anecdotes. They relate fo immediate ly to Mr Palmer's plan, and to the commercial and mercantile interefts of the metropolis, that I think it would, be unjuft to conceal them.

In the year 1752, during the Chriftmas holidays, I played George Barnwell, and the late Mrs Pritchard played Milwood. Doctor Barrowby, phyfician to St Bortholomew's hofpital, told me he was fent for by a young gentleman in Great St Helen's, apprentice to a very capital merchant.

him he fighed at times fo very heavily, that fhe was fure fomething lay heavy on his mind. The doctor fent every one out of the room, and told his patient he was fure there was fomething that oppreffed his mind, and lay fo heavy on his fpirits, that it would be in vain to order him medicine, unless he would open his mind freely. After much folicitation on the part of the doctor, the youth confeffed there was fomething lay heavy at his heart, but that he would fooner die than divulge it, as it muft be his ruin if it were known. The doctor affured him, if he would

make

Letter from D. Rofs, Efq; late of the Theatre-Royal, Edinburgh. 333

make him his confidant, he would by every means in his power ferve him, and that the fecret, if he defired it, fhould remain fo to all the world, but to those who might be neceffary to relieve him. After much converfation, he told the doctor, he was the second fon to a gentleman of good fortune in Hertfordshire; that he had made an improper acquaintance with a keptmiftrefs of a captain of an Indiaman then abroad; that he was within a year of being out of his time, and had been entrusted with cash, draughts, and notes, which he had made free with, to the amount of two hundred pounds. That, going two or three nights before to Drury-Lane, to fee Rofs and Mrs Pritchard in their characters of George Barnwell and Milwood, he was fo forcibly ftruck, he had not enjoyed a moment's peace fince, and wifhed to die, to avoid the fhame he faw hanging over him. The doctor afked where his father was? He replied, he expected him there every minute, as he was fent for by his mafter upon his being taken fo very ill, The doctor defired the young gentleman to make himself perfectly eafy, as he would undertake his father fhould make all right: and, to get his patient in a promifing way, affured him, if his father made the leaft hefitation, he should have the money of him. The father foon arrived. The doctor took him into another room, and, after explaining the whole caufe of his fon's illnefs, begged him to fave the honour of his family, and the life of his fon. The father, with tears in his eyes, gave him a thousand thanks, faid he would step to his banker, and bring the money. While the father was gone, Doctor Barrowby went to his patient, and told him every

thing would be fettled in a few minutes, to his eafe and fatisfaction. That his father was gone to his banker for the money, and would foon return with peace and forgiveness, and never mention or even think of it more. What is very extraordinary, the Doctor told me, that in a few minutes after he communicated this news to his patient, upon feeling of his pulfe, without the help of any medicine, he was quite another creature. The father returned with notes to the amount of 2007. which he put into the fon's hands-they wept, kiffed, embraced. The fon foon recovered, and lived to be a very eminent merchant. Doctor Barrowby never told me the name, but the ftory he mentioned often in the green-room of Drury-Lane Theatre; and after telling it one night when I was standing by, he said to me, "You "have done fome good in your pro"feffion, more, perhaps, than many a "clergyman who preached laft Sun

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day;" for the patient told the Doctor, the play raised fuch horror and contrition in his foul, that he would, if it would please God to raise a friend to extricate him out of that diftrefs, dedicate the rest of his life to religion and virtue. Though I never knew his name, or faw him to my knowledge, I had for nine or ten years, at my benefit, a note fealed up with ten guineas, and thefe words, "A tribute of gra❝titude from one who was highly oblig "ed, and faved from ruin, by feting Mr "Rofs's performance of Barnwell."

I am,

Dear Sir,
Yours truly,

Hampstead,
20th August 1787.

DAVID ROSS.

Kinnaird's

334

TH

Kinnaird's-Head Light.

HE town of Fraferfburgh is fituated at the entrance of the Marray Firth, on the South headland called Kinnaird's-Head, upon which one of the four northern Lighthoufes is erected; the spot on which that light-houfe ftands being only three hundred yards diftant from the town. It contains about 1000 inhabitants, and has a fafe commodious harbour, with a depth of water from 11 to 16 feet, according to the age of the tide. The harbour is capable of being greatly enlarged and deepened, by extending the piers to the Ellie Rock and Inch, fo as to procure 16 feet water in ordinary, and 22 feet in fream tides, at an expence very inconfiderable compared with the importance of the object. Adjacent is a convenient tay and Road-ftead, a circumftance of material confequence at a headland, where veffels are frequently windbound. The country around is populous, fertile, and cheap; and in the town are good fchools, and a regular well-fupplied weekly market for but For fome time paft flipbuilding has been carried on in this port to a confiderable extent; several Eranches of manufacture have lately been introduced in the neighbourhood, and were the difcouragement arifing from the transportation of coals coaftways removed, these would be greatly extended. By the fame reafon agriculture, in a country nearly deftitute of turf-fcwel, would derive a great benefit. The duties paid in Scotland on coals carried coaft-ways amount to 3s. 4d. per ton, with additional 5 per cent. making in the whole upwards of 30 per cent. of their retail price at the places of importaThis circumftance operates to fo great a degree of difcouragement, that the inhabitants of the town of

cher meat.

tion.

Brechin find their account in leading their coals from the port of Arbroath, where thefe duties are not paid, 14 miles of a very bad road, rather than from Montrofe, diftant only 8 miles of good road, But at which laft port the duties on coals carried coaft-ways are exacted.

The first land made by veffels approaching this part of the coaft of Scotland from the northward is the hill of Mormond. After that they make Kinnaird's-head Light. If a veffel does not make the light on Kinnaird's-head, the crew may depend on being either to the Eaft of the Bu chan Nefs, or far within the Murray Firth. They cannot in this fituation be in danger from Rattray-head.

Veffels coming from the fouthward to the Murray Firth fhould keep a north course for a mile or two after paffing Peterhead, until they make Kinnaird's-head Light, after which they may turn weft to the Murray Firth, without danger from the reef of rocks at Rattray-head. The light may be approached with fafety from every quarter where it is feen, as it will only be vifible in thofe directions from which a strait course can be held on it without danger. It would be an additional benefit to the navigation on this coaft, and prevent every poffibility of miflake to mariners, were a branch of the light placed on the green hill at Peterhead. To fave any additional tonnage-duty on fhipping for this purpose, Peterhead might be included in the payment of the duty on fouthern voyages, which would indemnify for the additional expence.

Rattray-head is fituated at equal diftances from Peterhead and Kinnaird's-head light, being five leagues diftant from each.

Edin. 19th Nov. 1787.

Introduction

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