a THE TABLET, O R 'idure of Real Life; jftly reprefenting, as in a Looking- Glafs, the Virtues and Vices, Fopperies and Fooleries, Mafks and Mummeries of the AGE. With the true Characters Of the WISE and GOOD. a Seleft Set of ESSAYS, Serious and Jocofe, upon the moil inter efting Subjeds. Idrefs'd to thofe who dare to think for them- felves, and attempt, in Earneft, to improve MANKIND. LONDON: inted for T. LONGMAN in Pater-No/ler-Row. M D C C L X 1 1. ^Xln. To the AUTHOR. SIR, I Perfuade my felf neither the Public nor you will be difpleafed at my returning, in this Shape, your own Work into your Hand. No Author, that I know of, has wrote more ufefully than yourfelf ; or fhewn a greater Regard to the Welfare of Mankind. As you are fp happily qualified, I, with Pleafure, prefent this Tafte of you to the Reader, and am, SIR, Tour mofl obliged and mofl humble Servant, The Publiflier. 1304333 SECT, I. Of Literature and Education. I. Scheme of the Work. PAGES. A/JORALIfT, what i - 3 * *-* Dejign of tbe Work 3 4 Refleclion to be improved 4 Materials for promoting Happinefs ,. to be procured Morality how to be improved 6 1 1 II. Of Writings defigned to im- prove Morality. Two Kinds of Moral Writings. 11 12 Fables, Dialogues, Romances, 12 13 ftkmadbus, Pamela. 13 15 Romances in general 1516 Feigned Voyages 1617 Fiftitious Letter-Writing 17 Spectators 17 18 Modern French Morality 18 The French Moralifts of the laft Century ib. ' Satyr, and Plays .19 Boileau, Plautus, Terence, and Moliere 19 22 Paradoxes 2 2 Paradoxical Writings ib. A 3 Mr. vi CONTENTS. Mr. Eayle 22 23 Fable of the Bees 23- 24 Grotius, Petronim, Ovid 25 27 Juvenal and Horace 27 28 Cicero and Pliny 28 29 Homer and Plutarch 29 30 III. A Sketch of Human Life. Infancy, Childhood, Manhood^and Old Age 30 33 No Man to be envied 33 34 The future Life 34 IV. Of the Sciences. 'the Sciences divided into necejfary y ufe- 1 //, and hurtful 3 ^5 Divinity and Morality ib. Education to bave two Views 3 5 36 5"^ Jesuitical Education 3 6 Tfo Mahometan Education 36- 37 . Morality to be taught before Religion 37 Morality negletJed among Jews and \ R Chrifiians 37 "3* The common Method of Teaching to be 1 g reverfed J The Procedure of Miffionaries 3839 The regular Teaching illuftrated 3941 Hiftory 41 The ufeftd Sciences 4.142 Geometry and Natural Pbilofofhy ib. Ecleffic Philofophy 42 Ecleftic Divinity \ ib. Agriculture and Rhetoric 43 4-4 The CONTENTS. The hurtful Sciences 4445 The curious Sciences, and too vreat 7 ,- r f 4S--4O Learning J ^ V. Of the Ignorant and Skilful. The Promifes of Impoftors and Fools 47 4.8 Quacks , Philofopbers, and Ignorants 48 49 The Way to make Fools wife 50 51 Advice to the Great 51 the Utility of Fools 52 VI. Why Learning has not farther advanced Morality. The 'Turn and Temper of the Learned 52 53 Whether Learning conduces to Morality 53 54 The f mall Fruit of 'Study ', whence 54 The Pride of the Learned 55 Adoration of Pupils 55 -- 56 Education, Senjibility^ and Conflitution 56 57 VII. Of the falfe Colours of Learning. The Art of Jhining in Confer fation 58 59 And in Eujinefs 59 60 Petty Practices of the half -Learned 60 6 1 Rules for acquiring a learned Charafter 6162 VIII. Of Authors and Cenfors. The Fate of Authors 62 63 Jtift and Unjuft Cenfurs 63 - 64 Author/hip 65 66 A 4- Poets viii CONTENTS. Poets 66 - 67 Orators 6.7 68 A Letter to an in c en fed Author 68 72 IX. Of Poetry and Rhime. Life notjhort, if -properly employed 73 Labour of Authors 73 " 74 Difficult Kinds of Poetry 74 Ufe of different Feet 74-75 Ancient Poetry, how improved by the 1 Moderns 3 ' * Rhime 75 76 Leonine Verfe 76 77 Rhime to be dropped 77 78 The fet ting of Language to Profodia 78 Difference betwixt Poetry and other Writing ib. Difference betwixt a Poet and a Verfifier 78 79 X. Of Poets. 'The Honours and 'Titles of Poets 79 80 Their Rewards 80 8 1 Their diiine Language 81 The Licentia poetica 81 82 Their Supports 82 XI. Of Satyr and Panegyric ; Praife and Blame. Nature of Satyr and Panegyric 83 84 Origin and Ufe of Panegyric 84 How perverted > 85 Satyr diftinguijhed ib. Unlawful Satyr . 85-87 Satyrical C O N T EN T S. ir Satyr leal Apology 87 88 Motives to Satyr 88 8^ The jujl Satyr 89 - 90 Effects of Praife and Blame in Life 90 Epitaphs 90 - 9 1 Characters 91-92 Cool Praife 9 2-9 3 XII. Of the Stations of Life. That Happinefs may depend upon Opinion 9394 'The Rich and Poor compared as to Diet 94 ~ 95 Their Cares ', Fears and Friends 95~~9^ Difference betwixt Mafter and Servant 98 100 Difference betwixt the Healthy and Sickly 100 102 The Bed-rid 102-104 - XIII. Of Man's Happinefs. r Good and bad Fortune, what 104 105 The Unhappy and the Happy 105106 Our own Happinefs no Rule for another* 's 107 Confolation ib. Man's Likings and Dijlikes io8~iio Contentment no XIV. The Philofopher and Fool compared in Point of Happinefs. The Stoical wife Man 1 10 1 1 1 Whether real 111 112 The wife Man and Fool compared 112 The wife Man . jb. Character of the Fool 112 114 High Pretenfans to Wifdom 115116 Tbs CONTENTS. Condutt of the Fool and Wife 116 the Hardjhips of the Wife 1 1 6 -- 1 1 8 Tbe Labours and Rewards of the Wife 1 1 8 fbe Stoical Perfection not to be found in i mere Men 5 Vfe of Folly it. XV. Of Hiftory. Uncertainty of early Hiftory 120 Tke Affyrian Monarchy 120-122 The Perfian Monarchy 122 Greek Hiftory 122 123 Hiftory of the middle Age < 123 Hiftory Jince the Reformation ib. Partiality of Hiftory 124 Licenjing of Books corrupts Hiftory 124125 Other Caufes of corrupt Hiftory 125126 Materials required for good Hiftory 126 128 Vanity of Hiftorians 129 The Greek and Roman Hiftory 129130 fbe Byzantine Hiftory 130 Vfe of the Greek and Roman Hiftory 131 XVI. Ancient and Modern Times, compared. How to know whether the World improves 131 Government and Penal-Laws ancient 132 be World, whence unjuftly fap- ? I22 pofed to grow worfe 3 ^ Virtues and Vices rife and fet 134 Arts and*S>ciences travel ib. I'be World, in the whole, nearly the fame 135 Vices how far the fame ib. Murder CONTENTS. xi Murder War Incontinency Laws Law- Suits Contrails Magnificence Patriotifm Rioting Plays Education Poetry, Oratory, and Hi/lory The Sciences _ Superjlition SECT. III. Of Intercourfe and Bufinefs. I. Of Errors in Judgment. IPRRO RS how to be corrected 144 By InftrutJion and Reflection 145 146 The Vicious unfuccefeful in correct- 7 ^ ingVue JI46--H7 tte Caufe of Error in Judgment 147 Want of Inftruftion < 147148 ybe Suk bow to be judged of 148 149 Hypochondriacs . 149 Men's Facings to be dijlitiuijhed 149 150 Traflable and Jiiff 'Tempers 150151 II. Of xii CONTENTS. II. Of Reality and Appearance. Apparent and real Wifdom 151 152 Ridiculous Gravity 152 153 Congreffes . < 1 54 General Councils 154155 Proceffions 155156 Commencements << 1 56 Writings /'. Things to be judged of by their Ufe 157 III. Of Decency and Fafhion. Decency may be directed 158 159 Innocent Diver/ions 159160 Different Cuftoms of Countries 160 The Sanction of great Names 161 Great Effefts of Trifles 161 163 A Letter to an unfajhionable Gentleman 163 166 IV. Of gaining a Character. Equal Virtues differently rewarded 166 CbaracJers^ how procured 166169 Hard for Rulers to know Men 169 1 70 V. Of Idlenefs and Bufinefs. Idlenefs and Bufinefs 170171 Idle Authors 171 172 Drifters ... . . 172 173 Ufelefs Labour j 73 1 74 The polite Arts < 174 Toe curious Books iiin r 174175 Midsititdt CONTENTS. xiii Multitude of unnecej/ary Writings 1 75 -- 1 76 The right Ufe of 'Time 176 Public Bufmefs to be Jhortened 176-177 Concifenefs recommended 1 7 7 <~ 1 7 8 VI. Of Tafte. * Power of Tafte i 178 Tafte in Children 178-179 Tafte debauched by Fancy 17^180 Appetite raijed by Difficulty 1 80 And Scar city 18 1 Efefls of Men's different Tafies 181-182 Effetis of lad Taftt 182 Tajle and Knowledge to be improved 182 1 83 VII. Of Friends and Enemies. Friends rare 183 Fable of the Lark 184-185 Friends not to be defpaired of 185 True and corrupt Frie ndjhip 186189 Efficacy of Friends and Enemies 189 Enemies not to be defpifed 189 191 To be prudently treated 191 192 Sarcafm 192 193 VIII. Of the Caufes of Friendfliip and Hatred. Similarity not always the Caufe of Affeftion 193 In Man and Wife ' 193 --194 Similar Qualifications 1 94 Similar Virtues and Vices . ib. Jealoufy and Envy 194195 Strangenefs xiv CONTENTS. Stran^enefs of Men 195196 A Letter to a timorous young Lady 196 198 IX. Of Union and Difcord. The Advantages of Union 199 Its Disadvantages 199200 Advantages of Difcord in Government 200 201 And in Oeconomy 201 202 Objections 202 X. Of conferring Favours. The Manner of conferring Favours 203 205 In Superiors and Equals 205 206 Gratitude, and Gifts of Inferiors 206 207 JXI. Of Avarice and Extravagance. Extravagancy and Parjimony 207 208 The Dejire of Getting 208 Providing for a Family 208 210 Covetoufnefs 211 The boarding and fquandering Mifer 211 213 Extravagance of the Poor 213 214 The Hoarder and Squanderer compared 214 215 XII. Of Ambition and Meannefs. Ambition and Bafenefs 215 Alexander and Cafar 215216 Difference of Ambition 216 217 Bafe Pride 217-218 Noble and mean Ambition 218 219 XII. The CONTENTS. XIII. The Charafter of a Courtier, In a Letter to a Pbilofopher 219 225 XIV. OfPhyficandPhyficians. and Divifion $ ^ All Lawyers not Mercenaries 233 Algebra unprofitable to Lawyers 234 SECT. III. Of Government and Laws. I. Of State-Reformation. ~pArallel betwixt Politics and Pbyfc 235 236 Political Reformation 236 Requires Caution . . 237 And not to be undertaken ra/hly *37" 2 39 State Policy not to be pujbed too far 238 240 II. Of CONTENTS. II. Of meliorating the Univerfities of Europe. The State of Univerfities 240 241 Univerftties founded in ignorant 7 'Times require Reformation J The new Societies to futply the De- 7 fells of the M ^42-24? And to improve from each other 243 244 Public Readings to be changed 244 ~ 245 Prof ejjorjbips to be altered 245 246 Only ufeful Books to be publijhed 246 III. Of the making of Laws. Requi/ites in the making of Laws 247 The Roman Laws how made 247 248 The Care required to enaft fuitably 1 g to the Country and People 5 ; Laws regard paft Finies and the future 250 252 Suitable Councils to be chofe 252 253 IV. Intimation of Man's Nature, with refpe& to Laws. Man's refraclory Nature 253 Penal Laws without exprefs Prohibition 2 53 2 54 Effefts of 'Prohibition 254 Man's Appetite to Things forbid 255 256 Oddities ef Man 256-257 Morality to be genuine 257 258 The Tajle for it to be improved 258 V. Of CONTENTS. xvii V. Of Punifhment, in order to Amendment. Punifoment neceflary 158 259 Some Crimes not puni/hable 259 Correction to be adapted to the Crime 259260 Here tics ) bow to be converted 260 261 Toleration 261 262 Fanatics , Catholics 262 265 Alba/Is^ theoretical and practical ib. How to be cured < 266 268 Infidelity - 268 Coolnefs in Religion , how cured 269 270 VI. How Pofts may be well filled ; and the Public well ferved. Wrong Deftinations of Men 270 Societies for examining the Capacities ) of Touth {270-271 Children not to be forced 271 Nor predeftinated to Profejjions 271 272 Whence a general Want of ufeful Men 272 The Fault of Parents 272 273 Children not to be judged of from l their Parents ^73-274 Children's natural Talents to be diC- ? covered \*7***K The Negleft of Governors 276 Few Men of general Genius 276277 A Probation - Office wanted 277 Lofs of Time at Schools 277 278 VII. Of good Government. What the beft Kind of Government 278 Monarchy . /. Absolute and limited Government 279 Ariftocraty^ Democracy, Anarchy 279 280 b All xviii CONTENTS. All prudent Government good 2 80 -- 28 2 The old Egyptian Government 282 283 The ancient Peruvian Government 283 286 The Office^ Glory , and Honour of Princes 286 288 The Government of Hungary 288 290 Execution of rood Laws -promotes 7 Happinefs {291-292 S E C T. IV. Of Religion and Revelation. I. Of Vice and Virtue. J^ O C A L Virtues and Vices 293 Temporary Virtues 294 Personal Virtues ,. 394~ 2 95 Fajhionable Doftrines 2 95~ 2 97 Virtues and Vices judged of by Succefs 297 298 Virtues clajfed . 298 Good Works 299 The Motives to Virtue 299 300 True and fpurious Virtues 300 Prudence < 3 oo 3 o i Good Men clajjed ^ 301 302 Great Virtues to bejhewn with Prudence 302 303 II. Of Frailty, Sin, and Repentance. Frailty . . 303 306 The Stoical Doftrine of Sin 306307 The Stoical Sopbifms anfwered 307 308 Plaujible Arguments for the Equality \ Q of Sins 5 30< Sinning and Repenting 310 31? III. Of Evil in the World. Bad Confluences ignorantly drawn 1 from God's Attributes 5 3 1 3 " 3 Arguments CONTENTS. xix Arguments of vil from Notions of \ , Imperfection J3H"3 T< Moral Evil i 317 322 Hell-Torments 322 The Folly of Falfe Met aphy fees 322 Nothing determined about the Soul, 3 by Pbilofophers J3 2 3"334 Body and Spirit . 324 Democritus, Atomifts 324 --325 Strata^ Anaxagoras 325 326 Whether Spirit be extended 326 Immortality of the Soul /& Whether the Soul be freer out of the Body 327 Whether Matter can think ib. Propagation of Souls 328 Seat of the Soul ib. Our Ignorance -r 328 329 The beft Metaphyjics 3 2 9"33<> V. Of the Principles of Religion. State of Religion at the Reformation 331 332 Procedure of the newly reformed 332 333 Advatage of the Popifo Clergy 333 Merits of the firft Reformers 333 334 The P rot eft ant Setlaries 334~355 Errors 335 Eftablijhed Religion 3 35 3 36 Duty of Enquiry 33 6 "337 The Tolerating Spirit 337 Heretical Books 3 3 7 ~ 3 3 S Principles of Religion - 33 8 340 Chearfulnefs in Religion 340 Wherein Religion conjtfts 341 Prayer ibid. Q pinions not to be obtruded, but fought 342 VJ. Of CONTENTS. VI. Of being born within the Pale of the Church. Unbelievers by Birth, and Education 343 -- 344 Unavoidable Ignorance 344 345 God no arbitrary Judge 345 347 Scripture bow to be interpreted 347 ~ 348 VII. Of Faith and Impofture. Few Signs of Belief among Cbriftians 349-350 Marks of Impofture 350 Mahomet 35"35 I A Proof of the Chriftian Religion 351 352 VIII. Of fpurious and genuine De- votion. Counterfeit Religion, or Hypocrijy 352 353 Erroneous Religion of three Kinds 353 Myftical, fanatical, and faflrionable 354 355 Falfe Devotion from Misfortunes 355 True Religion 355 - 356 IX. Of the Veneration due to God. God not to be fought in the Abftraft 356 357 God's Exiftence 3 5 7 3 5 8 Corporeal Ideas of God 358 360 Our Notion of God improved by AJlronomy 3 60 3 62 God undefcribable 362 364 Vbe Reverence due to God 365 Prayer 365 366 Cburch-MuJic < 366 Prayer not to be minutely particular 366367 He a ben Prayer 367 368 Praife 3 6 8 3 69 Errors in Prayer to be retJifad 369 371 Lord** Prayer 371 SECT. SECT. I. Of Literature and Education. I. Scheme of the Work. THE Sciences diftinguifh Men From Morality, Brutes ; but it is Morality that muft what * make us good Men, and promote the true Happinefsof ourfelves and others. No Know- ledge deferves the Name of a Science that has not this for its End. The common Learning is a different thing. Thofe Men are ufually called Learned who fpend their Lives in reading the Claflics, ftudying Antiquities, Languages, Cu- riofities, &c. without making any confiderable Progrefs in Philofophy and Manners. But the truly Learned are Men of meritorious Abilities, who bend their Endeavours to promote human Fe- licity : which cannot be effectually done without Morality ; whofe Fruit appears in a virtuous and ufeful Life. Morality teaches us how to diftinguifh and value Virtue as our Friend ; how to difcover and avoid Vice as our Enemy ; and by what Means true Government, and the Sweets of Society are procured and propagated. Other Sciences belong B to O/"LlTERATURE Sc6l. I. to few , but Morality to all, as well as Religion ; 'of which it is the ju(t Foundation. Morality di- rects the Laws which command what Men fhould do, and what they mould avoid, in order to for- ward theHappinefs of every Individual, and of the whole Community. It is therefore the Duty, Inte- reft, and Happinefs of every Mae, efpecially of Go- vernors, thoroughly to underftand and practife Morality. Reading of Hiftory is one Moans of attaining this Science , but more Strefs fliould be laid upon practical Obfervation, and fober Reflec- tion, in the Ufe of which all young Gentlemen muft be early initiated ; more particularly the young Nobility of a Country, as fo much depends upon their purfuing the true Path to their own Happinefs, in advancing that of others, by Ex- ample, Encouragement, and the Direction of civil Affairs; to which they are born, and ought to be bred. In this Light young Gentle-? men fhould be accuftomed to the reading of Hi- ftory, and taught to make a proper Ufe of it -, re- mark upon it i compare, examine, and fift pub- lic Occurrences, as they pafe in a State ; look in- to the Reafons and Motives of Laws ; the Nature of Trade, Commerce, Arts and Manufactures, with the Effects they produce ; fo as clearly to dif- cern where, and when, and how thefe tend to pro- mote theHappinefs or Mifery of a People. Young Gentlemen muft be taught tofet their own Minds right i manage their private Affairs ; correct their vicious Habits j and to take Delight in the Prac- tice of Virtue j fo as fcnfibly to feel, and remain immoveably convinced, that it. is their Imereft to connect I. and E D u c AT i o ft. 3 connect general with particular Happinefs ; and that by procuring folid Praife, Efteem, and Love, they may make themfelves live in Glory, and en- able their Inferiors to live in Comfort. To forward this End , to mew the Nature and Defign of Effects of Virtue and Vice ; expofe the Fopperies' 1 * Work * of Learning, and recommend good Government and true Religion, the following Eflays are pub- lifh'd, as a Prelude to a real Syftem of Manners. But, it may be proper to remind t&eprefent Age, that, " The Accufation and Arraignment, both " of human Nature and Arts, proceeds from a " good Principle, and tends to the beft of Pur- * c pofes ; whilft the contrary Temper is odious " to the Deity, and unbeneficial to Men. For " they who break out into extravagant Praifes of " human Nature, and the Arts in Vogue, and " will needs have the Sciences to be already com- " plete, not only mew little Regard to the Di- *' vine Being, whilft they extol their own Inven- " tions almoft as high as his Perfections ; but " really become unferviceable in Life, by " vainly imagining they are already got to the " Extent of Things, and may there dream in " indolent Security. On the contrary, they who " arraign and charge human Nature home, and " are full of Complaints againft the Imperfections '* of Men and Arts, not only prefer ve a more * s juft and modeft Senfe of Mind ; but are alfo " ftirred up to frefh Induftry, and new Difco- ** veries, for promoting the Happinefs of Man. " Is not the Ignorance and Fatality of Mankind * c to be pitied, whilft they remain Slaves to the- B 2 "Arro- LITERATURE Sect. I. " Arrogance of a few of their Equals, and are *' fo doatingly fond of poor Scraps and Bits of " Philofophy, as to fancy all Arraignment and " Accufation thereof either unferviceable or ma- " licious ? The Procedure of bold Empedocles, " and modeft Democrittts, is greatly preferable " to the dogmatical, tyrannical, felf - fufficient ' Conduct of Ariftotle, and his zealous Followers. " Mankind are therefore to be admonifhed, that " the Arraignment of Nature and Art is pleafing " to the Creator ; and tends to human Advan- " tage : for the fond Opinion, that we have al- " ready acquired Knowledge enough, is the prin- " cipal Reafon why we have acquir'd fo little ; " and ft ill live in grofs Ignorance, and proporti- " enable Mifery." Verulam de Sapientia Veterum. Reflexion The S reat Failing of Mankind feems to lye in tobeim- the Want of proper Obfervation, and fuitable Re- proved. fl e fti on . f as to prepare and digeft the Materials taken in, and thence draw out and eftablifh furc Rules of Practice, for fteadily promoting particu- lar, along with general, Happinefs , and avoiding, as much as poffible, all Sorts of Miiery. This is an Art which we may improve, and even reduce to a Science, by the right Application and Exer- cife of our natural Abilities. Men cannot ex- pect to be wifer till they ufe more Reflection, and direct their Lives according to the Rules of true Knowledge and Judgment. If bad Cuftoms and abfurd Precedents are to be made, the Rules of Action, human Affairs may indeed alter, but cannot grow better. Men Sect. I. and EDUCATION. 5 Men muft therefore be taught to exert their Materials Abilities ; direct their Senfes to proper Objects , ^~ reflect upon what they fee and hear; and be fhewniiappinefs how to communicate the Refult; fo as to contri- tob ^P r ?- bute in the Promotion of found and ferviceable Knowledge, whereon the Increafe of human Fe- licity depends. And fuch a Procedure will eafe the Task of Governors, when they lhall come, in earneft, to confider of the moft effectual Ways and Means of rendering a Nation happy, Human Affairs are fluxile. Mens Minds are improveable. The innate Love of Virtue, and Defire of Happinefs can never be totally extin- guifhed in our Natures. Every Man has, at leaft an Idea of true Morality and good Government. A State was never fo corrupt, but fome Members of it wimed for a Reformation. When Matters are at the worft they muft mend. And no Man can fay how foon it may be put into the Hearts of Governors, to make the Promotion of Gene- ral Happinefs their primary Care, and Rule of Action ; or how foon unexpected Events may rouze the latent Sparks of Goodnefs, into a fober and fteady Zeal for public Felicity. Great Al- terations, and defirable Reformations frequently depend upon apparently flight and trivial Caufes, that act whilft Men are afleep. But it is the Duty of Philofophers to wake, and watch, and give Notice how human Affairs ftand; mew their public and private Tendency, and provide that all Things may be in Readinefs, both for Governors and People to fet about promoting Happinefs. At leaft it is incumbent upon Teachers to provide B 3 that 6 Of Li TER ATURE Stft. I. that the Manners of a People may not grow quite depraved : for, Corruption of Manners muft, by neceflary Confequence, introduce Mifery, defeat the very End of Society, and change the Blefling of Government into the heavieft Curfe ; whilft the weak, the wicked, and mod odious part of the Species fhall opprefs and trample upon the Virtu- ous, Wife, and Good ; and Vice ride triumphant over Virtue. Such mifchievous Effects may, in fome Degree, be prevented by private Care to Spread and ripen Knowledge among a People : for whilft Knowledge prevails, and Virtue keeps in Countenance, a State cannot be wretched. But the great Bleffings of Society can never be enjoyed, till the Majority of the People, or at leaft their Governors, are wife and virtuous ; or till Mo- rality is generally underftood and publicly prac- tifed. Philofophers therefore, and private Perfons, ftiould, with their utmoft Efforts, endeavour to im- prove Morality ; and raife it, at leaft, to the Dignity of a Science : fo that its Influence may dif- perfe among the People, and produce the Fruits of Felicity. Perhaps this Language is not univerfally intelligible ; or may appear like aiming at ideal Perfection to thofe who confider human Nature only in a felfifh groveling State, and not as it may be improved. Morality, Jn order to improve Morality, we might per- noveabie ^ a P s d WCl1 t0 imitate the Procedure of Aftro- " nomers and Natural Philofophers, who firft note the Motions, Phenomena, and Properties of Bodies, in the Way of careful Obfcrvation ; fo as to fix and determine the Fa&$ and Laws of Nature, Sect. I. Mid E D u c A T i o .$. Nature, by Senfe and repeated Experience ; till thefe Facts and Laws are thoroughly eftablifhed as Truths to build with. By reflecting, reafoning upon, and comparing thefe Faets and Laws together, illuftrating them with farther Exam- ples and Proofs, or by Analogy from other Sei- nces, Natural Philosophers extend their Dodrine, and, by degrees, form a found and ferviceable Theory ; from whence they deduce Rules, and lay out Plans, for fupplying the Wants, and pro- moting the Knowledge of Mankind. Thus in Morality, the Phenomena of Men are firft to be duly obferved ; the general Proper- ties and Laws of the Species to be difeovered ; and then the lefs general, down to each Individual, as they come in review before us. Whence, at length, general and particular Laws of the Species may be found j and a kind of Theory erected, in conformity with Nature : by which Means we (hall be enabled to know ourfelves better, underftand the Moral World as well as the Natural, and learn the amiable Art of pro- moting Happinefs, and avoiding Mifery. To know the Natural World and remain igno- rant of the Moral, is a Difgrace to human Nature. That this Method is pra6licable, appears by the Example of the Lord Verulam ; who had a particular Turn to k ; and fometimes ufed it with fuch Effect, as to rife above other Men. When this great Man condefcends to work intirely with vulgar Notions, his Buildings are flight and ordi- nary $ yet as good as the Materials will afferd: B 4 for 8 Of LITERATURE Sed. I. for the Skill of the Architect is not to be quefti- oned. But his Fountains of Equity are dry Cif- terns, and a lean Sacrifice to the Common Law of England. His Sketch of Government fkulks behind the SubjecT: ; tarnimes the Dignity of the Author ; and ends in a barren Compliment to King James. His Rules for the Conduct of Statef- men are like the tinftl Praife beftowed upon wrong Things eftablim'd, or authorized only by Cuftom. But his Sketch for the Art of rifing in Life, is conducted in his own natural, deep, and fagacious Manner ; and {hews how he could have performed in the Science of Morality, if he had pleafed. Indeed, he frequently mines in his Moral Effays, and Sapientia Veterum ; but we perceive his Caution, even whilft he profefTes to Ihew the Interiora Rerum. The beft Bowl may have its Biafs. A good Head may be too attentive to Court- Favours ; and grow too de- licate for public Service. Bacon judged it fafer to attack and clemolifh the dronifh Admirers of Arijlotle^ than to provoke the Hornets of the Law, the Wafps of the Court, or fearch the fweet Hives of the Clergy : having here barely content- ed himfelf to drop jbme Seeds of Reformation fo fecretly, that few Readers perceive them. But when this Author is unreftrain*d by Fears and Forms , when his Shackles are off, and his Mind at Liberty to follow Nature and her Laws ; it is then he appears in his Glory, and outftrips the reft of Mankind in Teaching. It is then he plans out fuch Works, and delivers fuch Rules and Precepts for promoting the Sciences, and human Sect. I. and EDUCATION. human Happinefs, as no Man can read without Aftonimment and Gratitude. The Foundation of Morality, as a Science, muft be laid in fuch a Hiftory of Man, as may manifeft his Nature from his Actions , (hew, what a Kind of Creature he is, in Fact ; determine his little Sphere of Action ; his Obligations to the Creator ; his Powers and Defects ; his improve- able Gifts and Talents ; his Appetites and Paf fions ; his Wants and Weaknefies ; the Advan- tages he receives, and may farther receive from Society ; demonftrate how his focial Ties oblige him to act as a rational Creature, and promote his own Happinefs along with that of his Species. If fuch a Hiftory were to be attempted, it might perhaps be proper to collect and range the Ma- terials for it, under the general Heads of Litera- ture^ Intercourfe, Government, and Religion. Under Literature would come the whole Pro- vince of Education, and the Cultivation of the Sciences ; including the feveral Methods of pre- paring and fitting Men, from their early Youth, for the feveral Pofts and Profeflions -, fo as to furnifh States and Kingdoms with proper Perfons, in all Capacities, for carrying on the Scheme of human Felicity, in all its Branches. Under the general Head of Intercourfe, Men muft be defcribed in their common Occurren- ces, Dealings, and Tranfactions, exactly as they are ; with all their Virtues and Vices, Follies and Abfurdities about them ; and the Ways be fhewn, of correcting our Errors and Frailties, fo as to make Virtue and Beneficence predominate over Vice 10 Of LITERATURE Seel. I. Vice and Mifchief ; enable the Good to check the Bad, and thus prepare the Way for true Go- vernment ; without which the Sources of human Felicity cannot be kept open. The hurtful Follies and Vices of Men are to be reftrained by Laws. Good Manners, ufeful Fafhions, and laudable Cuftoms cannot be introdu- ced and followed, unlefs countenanced and prac- tifed by Superiors. Hence it requires the great- eft Care and Prudence to provide, that the Nature, Defign, and Ufe of Government and Laws be un- derftood -, and the Rules thereof applied ; as upon this Foundation human Happinefs, in Society, muft ever depend. Nothing can be well regulat- ed in Society without good Government. Religitin recommends this great Work ; and not only prefcribes the Rules for promoting Hap- pinefs here , but has alfo a tender Regard to Mens Happinefs hereafter : and therefore we ought to be extremely folicitous to have our Religion found and pure. The Order of the Heads, as here laid down, might indeed be inverted ; and thefe Memoirs begin with Religion, and the Works of the Creator ; fo far as we know them, by the direct Evidence of Senfe ; or can make them our own by reflecting on the Nature of Man, and the Re- lations he (lands in ; whence every Point of Mo- rality is directly and immediately deducible, with the utmoft pofllble Efficacy, Energy, and Im- preffion ; fo as to command and enforce Obedi- ence, even if Gratitude and Love to the Au- thor of our Being, were wanting. But before Men can . I. and E P u CATION. II can be properly addrefs'd in this Manner, we feem to require more civilizing, and a larger Ra- fis of Natural Philofophy, and Moral Theology, to act upon. The Underftanding muft be opened, and informed by Degrees, in order more effectually to comprehend the amazing Syftem of the Uni- verfe; wherein Man makes fofmall a Part, and, if he could fee himfelf, fo ftrange a Figure, for want qf that Knowledge and Virtue which he might attain to. For the prefent, let us take the Out- lines of a Syftem, confiding, like our Globe, of its four Quarters, Literature, Intercourfe, Go- vernment, and Religion ; in each of which it is every Man's Intereft, and may be his Pleafure, to make Difcoveries, for his own and the World's Advantage. The more any Man's Endeavours are directed to fuch an End, the wifer he wall be in this Life ; and, if we believe Revelation, the more blefled in the next. II. Of Writings defigned to improve Morality. MO R A L Writings are of two Kinds, fcri- . ous, and jocofe. The ferious we find, Writings. under the Title of Ethics, in thofe Works. of the Ancients, which treat of Virtue aad Vice in the Abftract : whofe Ufefulnefs cannot be queftioned, jf Men could be brought to delight in them. But I* 0/* LITERATURE Sed. I. But as the Moral Characters, and Social Duties, are there nakedly defcribed, thefe Writings do not pleafe in proportion *to their Dignity. Other Philofophers, therefore, in order to recommend Virtue, have ingenioufly endeavoured to allure the Reader, awaken his Attention, and excite his Curiofity. In this View, feveral have cloathed Morality with Fiction, or drefled it in Fable : and we fee, from feveral PaiTages of the Old Te- ftament, that fuch Inventions are ancient ; hav- ing been in Ufe, with the People of God, from the earlieft Ages. Fables. ^Efop 9 the celebrated Phrygian^ was the firft who made a Collection of fuch Moral Fables ; which are ftill read with Pleafure and Advantage. Many have followed his Example : and, not only the facred Writers of the New Teftament, but even our Saviour himfelf, made Ufe of Pa- rables and Similitudes, under which to convey and enforce Morality. Dialogues. Others have chofe the Dialogue Way of Writ- ing, or that Method of inftructing which goes by the Name of Socratic ; becaufe Socrates was the firft who, as Plato informs us, -rightly cm- ployed it. Many have attempted to imitate So- crates in this Method of inftructing ; which ftill remains in full Ufe. For as Dialogue keeps up the Reader's Attention, and affords a full Op- portunity for Illuftration and Proof, it has been ufefully employed in teaching not only Mora- lity, but Natural Philofophy, Divinity, Hiftory, Mathematics, &c. Hence Sect. I. and EDUCATION. 13 Hence alfo proceeded the Art of Romance- Romances writing, at prefent fo much in Vogue ; an Inven- tion which, according to Verdere^ was owing to the Normans of France ; thefe Fictions being originally written in the old Norman Language ; and the Writings themfelves intitled Normances ; tho* the Name was afterwards altered to that of Romances : for the Spaniards, who took them from the French^ call'd them Romanzes ; and fo , do the Italians. This Kind of Writing has alfo its Advantage. The Greeks made Ufe of it: and we have ftill remaining two ancient Greek Ro- mances , one by Achilles ^Tatius, and the other by Heliodorus. The Met amorphous of Afuleius^ is the beft ancient Latin Romance; and Barclay's Argenis^ the beft of the modern Sort in that Lan- guage. But, moft of thefe Romances appear to be written by Perfons of Leifure, in the Way of A- mufement. Some of them however, under the fictitious Appearance of Hiftory, contain weighty Matter, both in Civil Policy and Morality ; fo that the reading of them proves as profitable as pleafant. Among the modern Moral Romances, the fa-Telema- mous Archbimop of Cambray's 1'elemacbus is i greateft Efteem ; and held as a Mafter- piece. But I mud frankly profefs, that I cannot difcover all thofe Excellencies which moft People find in this Work. Its florid Style, tho' excellent in Po- etry, feems very unfuitable in Profe ; and the In- ftructions, tho' in themfelves ufeful, are to be found in moft of the Waitings which treat of Virtue, ;J ^ Of L I T E R A T U R E Seft. I, Virtue, and Government : whereas, to make a Book a Mafter-piece, it fhould be an Original - 9 and not wholly contain fuch Matters as are vulgar- ly known already. But the Rules and Maxima laid down in this Romance are common, trite, and not always the bed ; fo that the Author i$ more to be regarded for his Style, and Conduct, than for the Subftance of the Work. Pamela. There are Swarms of Moral Romances. One, of late Date, divided the World into fuch oppo- fite Judgments, thar fomc extolled it to the Stars, whilft others treated it with Contempt. Whence arofe, particularly among the Ladies, two different Parties, Pamelijis and Antipame- lifts. This Book defcribes a poor young Cham- bermaid, with whom a Gentleman of Fortune falls in Love, and endeavours, by Power and Subtilty, to corrupt; but her Virtue and Chafti- ty prove fo great, that me could not be prevailed upon to grant unwarrantable Favours. Hence, after fome time, his impure Love turns to Eft- cern ; infomuch, that,, without regarding the In- equality of their Conditions, he marries her. Some look upon this young Virgin as an Exam- ple for Ladies to follow -, nay, there have been thofe, who did not fcruple to recommend this Romance from the Pulpit. Others, on the con- trary, difcover in it, the Behaviour of an hypocri- tical, crafty Girl, in her Courtfhip ; who under- ftands the Art of bringing a Man to her Lure. Both thefe Judgments, I think, are in the Ex- treme. For we cannot entirely rely upon the Conduct Seft. I. and EDUCATION. -| j Conduct of fuch a Girl ; becaufe we frequently find, that Men are impofed upon by pretended Virtue : and yet every Inftance of Virtue muft not be deemed Hypocrify. Women of real Re- ligion may be found, who have no fuch finifter Views. I comply fo far with the Ladies, whofe Friendship I always cultivate, as to reckon Pame- la of this laft good Sort; efpecially as, in her Profperity, her Conduct is (imilar to what it was before ; fo that me pleafes every body by her Ci- vility, Modefty, and obliging Behaviour. Her * Hiftory, indeed, would have been more exem- plary, and her Conduct Icfs exceptionable, if this Heroine, after fuffering fo many Perfccud- ons, had continued in her low Condition ; for, thus fhe would have avoided the Cenfure now pafs'd upon her. At leaft, me might have made her Admirer wait a few Years, before me concluded the Match. Neverthelefs, I approve of this Romance, fo far as it contains juft Senti- ments, and holds out an Example of Virtue and Honour. At the fame time, I cannot allow it to be a Mafter-piece ; and by no Means think it deferves to be recommended from the Pulpit. For tho* there are fome inftru&ive Parts in this Work ; yet there are others too licentious. And certainly the Images it draws of a beautiful Wo- man, her Shape, Air, Neck, Breads, &c. which are all fully difplay'd, cannot furnim a proper Text for a Sermon. The fame Judgment may be pafs'd upon many Romances other Moral Romances-, wherein the Characters in general, arc ufually rais'd fo high, that they rather feem drawn *6 O/" LITERATURE Se&. I. drawn for Angels, than to (hew what Men really are, or might be made. Courage, Conftancy, Love, &c. are here fo fublimed and abftracted, that the Reader, inftead of found Senfe, gets nothing but abfurd, drained, Chara&ers, and un- natural Reprefentations. The Reading of fuch Books cannot be recommended ; efpecially fmce there is fomething in them capable of giving a wrong Turn, not only to particular Perfons, but even to a whole Nation. This induced Cervan- tes to write his admirable Don Quixote, in order to cure the perverted Tafte, and monftrous Ro- domontade, wherewith Spain, by the reading of wild Romances, was ftrangely infatuated. Feigned We Moderns have found a particular Pleafure Voyages. j n tno f e moral Performances, publifhed under the fictitious Titles of Voyages, Travels, Letters, Spec- tators, &c. Feigned Voyages may be well adapt- ed to improve Morality ; and many Pieces of this kind have already fucceeded. An Abufe, how- ever, is crept into this kind of Writing alfo ; for there are fome, who, under Pretence of defcribing imaginary Countries, have vented various deteft- able Notions, both againft Religion and Mora- lity, too (hocking to be mentioned. Some of thefe Voyages are wrote in the fame Man- ner with Lucian's ; which contains nothing but Raillery: and of this kind Bidder nUafs Euto- pia, with others that refemble it, are mod in Efteem. The feigned Voyages wrote by Dr. Swift, are a Mixture of Jeft and Earned ; but Jed has the upper Hand. In Klim's Subterrane- ous Voyage is alfo a Mixture of Jed and Earned ; but Seft. I. and EDUCATION. 17 but more of the Serious. This Piece contains fo many Jiving Characters, as might afford Materials for a little Syftem of Morality. Other Moderns deliver their Morality in thepiftitious Way of fuppofed Lettets j and among thefe, the Le ^- moft celebrated are the well- wrote Letters of the Wntl "S- Turkifh Spy. And of late, this kind of Writ- ing has greatly prevailed ; fo that we fee every Year productive of Letters, under the Title of Perfian, Cbinefe, Indian, Jewijh^ and Egyptian. The firft Perfian Letters are juilly admired j as containing much good Matter, of new and ori- ginal Invention. I call them the firft Letters ; becaufe there have been others, fmce publiihed, under the fame Title. Some Years ago, certain Perfons of good Tafte Spe&i- and Genius, joined in writing Papers upon dif- tors * ferent Parts of Morality. Thefe Papers were firft publilhed fingly, and afterwards collected into Volumes, under the Title of the Spectator. This Collection being not the Work of one Au- thor, the Papers are very diffimilar. Some of them are new, and labour'd with fo much Grace and Strength, that they may juftly pafs for Matter- pieces ; whilft others are but middling, and the greateft Part of little Value at prefent. Whence the French Tranflator thought proper to drop feveral of them ; and it were to be wilhed he had omitted more. Many Authors have unfuccefsfully imitated this Work j for the new Spectators are no way com- parable to the beft Papers o the old one. Moft of the foreign Spectators are, like the Englijb, a C Collection i8 Of LITERATURE Sect. I. Collection of Efiays by different Hands : and fome of them juftly deferve the Preference to the French Speftator ; wherein the Morality appears much more mining than folid. The modern French Moralifts, in general, have more regard to Shew than Reality. A polite Style appears to be their principal View. Their Thoughts and Reflections are commonly beftowed upon paint- ing the favourite Paflions, and the Bsnt of the Ladies; which makes one principal Part, both of their jocofe and ferious Writings ; their Morality, and their Plays : whence a Play with them, is no Play at all, unlefs it turn upon Love, and end in a Wedding. They affect to mew a cer- tain external Gentility ; and look upon other Writers as grofs, who in the reprefenting of Vices go to the Point, and directly apply to the Cure : whilft thefe polite Authors are content to blazon and difplay certain Foibles and Levities, with a fuperficial gloffy Morality, that goes no deeper than the Skin. The ^ ut l *" s * s on ty to ke underftood of the later French French Moralifts ; for as to Montagne^ Charrcn, Moralifts Moliere, Boiteau, U Noble, and others of the laft Century. Century ; they treated Morality after the Model of the Ancients; and therefore their Writings will remain immortal. But every Age has its particular Tafte; and it happens with the French Writings as with their Cloaths, which change their Fafhion fo much, that the Drefs of one Year (hall appear comely and decent, but that of another phanta- ftic or odious. Many judicious Perfons com- plain of this bad Tafte in France ; and their Au- thors Se, which, on the other hand, may have fome dif- agreeable Blemifhes, and yet be a Matter- piece. No One can deny that Plautus 9 s Aidularia has its Faults , yet it ftands at the Head of all the Co- medies, both ancient and modern. A fingle Moliere may, in this Refpeft, prove a better Judge than a whole Univerfity. Moliere thought proper to imitate Plautus exactly , and was at the Trouble of tranflating fome of his Come- dies for the French Stage. He could not pro- mife himfelf the fame Succefs with the Come- dies of 'Terence, and therefore never meddled with them ; notwithftanding their Elegance and Regularity. Some of Plautus's Plays, as par- ticularly the Aulularia, Amphitruo, Men^ecbmi^ Pfiudclus, Mofidlcria, &c. Hill continue in full Vogue , and are acted with fuch Succefs, as never to tire the Audience. And hence ap- pears what the Soul of Comedy is , which no Writer can pofiefs, unlefs Nature has form'd it in him. Others, by Labour, Di- ligence^ Sect. I. and EDUCATION. 21 ligence, Obfervation, and a diftinguifliing Geni- us, may produce regular, terfe Comedies, equal to thofe of Terence , whofe correct Style is his principal Beauty, and procures him Efteem : but 'Terence certainly wants Invention, the Vis comica, the Wit and Raillery, which are the Soul, and Lite, and Spirit, of Comedy. The Plays of Plautus have been the Support of the European Stage j whilft thofe of Terence^ tran- flated, will not bear acting. The Art of writing Moral Plays died with Moliere. Plautus and Terence ;' infomuch that Moliere may be reckon'd the firft who revived departed Comedy, and brought it again upon the Stage, by copying after the Model of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It may juftly be faid of him, that he did not only happily follow, but even excelled his Matters ; fo as, on that Account, to claim a Place amongft the greateft modern Philofophers. And, certainly, no Modern has better ftudied the human Appetites and Paffions ; which he defcribes in fuch a jocofe and pleafing Manner, as to be more entertaining and inftructing than I'heophraftus. Under whatever Form, or Man- ner of Writing, this is performed i it becomes a Work worthy of a Philofopher. That Mo- rality is the moft ufeful, which produces the beft Effect : and I queftion whether the moft folid Exhortations of Philofophers have pro- duced greater Effects, in curbing the Follies, and reftraining the Fopperies of Mankind, than the Comedies of Moliere ; notwithftanding he writes in the Way of Pleafantry : and it may be C 3 doubted, 22 O/* LITERATURE Sect. I. doubted, whether the moft laboured Sermon can be fo capable of converting a Hypocrite, as the ^artuffe j or any Funeral Oration have fo great an Effect, as the Feftin de Pierre. Paradoxes. This may appear paradoxical ; but, I hold it to be the Duty of a Writer to combat Errors, and diftinguifh Reality from Appearance. To fpeak or write upon Subjects, which have already been treated of, in the fame Manner, a thoufand times over, is neither ufeful nor entertaining. To ha- rangue upon the bad Effects of Extravagance, Covetoufnefs, and other common Vices, is no more than declaiming in the Manner of Orators : but to difcover, and manifeft, how the Shadow comes to be miftaken for the Subftance ; and how Vices come to be confounded with Virtues, is per- forming the Part of a Teacher. And in this Light it is, that I value paradoxical Opinions ; which being once fundamentally explained, and ufefully illuftrated, maybe looked uponasnewDifcoveries. Paradoxi- But inftead of explaining fuch Paradoxes upon cal Writ- p rO p er Principles, certain Writers have appeared, who, proud of their own Wifdom, and fublime Underftandings, broach and propagate pernicious Opinions, tending to degrade and debafe Man- kind. Mr. Bayle. Among fuch Writers I reckon Mr. Bayle -, who feems to have combated certain Opinions, mere- ly becaufe they were generally received. In this Clafs I alfo rank another ingenious Gentleman, who pretends that all Virtues Ipring from wicked and immoral Sources ; which is certainly going too far, and deftroying Morality at once. For tho' Seel, I. and EDULATION. 21 tho' we mould allow, that many ufeful Things proceed from bad Motives , and that " Pride *' and Vanity have erected more Hofpitals, than