ed to the purpoies of elegance and He percieves, that MAN has been disciplined pupil of habit and ex that few of the conveniences and of life, were owing to his boasted f Invention; and how much his ngs, his ideas, and fentiments were custom, and moulded by external -Of the flowness and mediocrity Θεων τε ταν ὑπερταταν ΓΑΝ, Αφθιτον, ακαματον, Αποτρυεται ιλλομενών αρότρων Γένει πολεύων. 1 extenfive is the reach of thy dominion. No is there either fo violent or fo fubtle, fo yeilding gif, as by the powers of its nature to be fuperior ection. Thou dreadeft not the fierce impetuofity but compelleft its violence to be both obedient 1. By it thou fofteneft the stubborn tribe of mias to be formed and moulded into fhapes innuHence Weapons, Armour, Coin; and previous to d other, thy Works and Energies; hence all thofe ools and inftruments, which empower thee to profurther ends more excellent. Nor is the fubtle AIR ient to thy power, whether thou willeft to minifter leafure or utility. At thy command it giveth birth s, which charm the foul with all the powers of har ( 122 ) of the inventive faculty in Man there are many inftances given in the first Volume of the Origin and Progress of Language; and it is also inculcated by that great Antiquary the Comte de CAYLUS in a discourse on the Study of Antiquities prefixed to the fifth Volume of his valuable collection of claffical. Antiquities, intitled Recueil d'Antiquités Egyptiennes, &c. which difcourfe is here tranflated and tranfcribed for the convenience of the reader. mony. Under they inftruction it moves the fhip over Seas, "while that yielding Element, where otherwife we fink, "even WATER itself is by thee taught to bear us; the vast "Ocean to promote that intercourse of Nations, which Ig"norance would imagine it was destined to intercept. To say "how thy Influence is seen on EARTH would be to teach the meaneft, what he knows already. Suffice it but to men"tion fields of Arable and Pafture; Lawns and Groves, "Gardens, and Plantations; Cottages, Villages, Caftles, "Towns; Palaces, Temples, and fpacious Cities." Mr. HARRIS has introduced here, what the Poet has more judiciously, I think, reserved for the enumeration of the refined Arts of polifhed life, (και φθεγμα, και ηνεμοεν φρονημα ;) not to mention that the power of Art is rather feen in the inftrument by which, than in the Air through which, found is communicated. The poet next defcribes the power of Art over animals, whofe ferocity is refifted and conquered, or whofe ftrength and "THE STUDY of Antiquities, I have often thought, and cannot reftrain myself from faying, does not, in any refpect, resemble the idea, which is generally entertained of it. It is confidered much too fuperficially; and is feen only one fide, which it is easy to make ridiculous. I wish the reader to be perfuaded, that no one can view in a more ridiculous light, than I do, the man whose attention is employed folely in the examination of an old pot, or mutilated statue. and fagacity is made fubfervient to the conveniences of mankind, or who are used for their fubfiftence: Κουφονιών τε φύλον OP- ΘΗΡΙΩΝ τ' αγρίων έθνη, Ποντα τ' ΕΙΝΑΛΙΑΝ ΦΥΣΙΝ Σκειραισι δικτυοκλωσοις Περιφραδής ανηρ Κρατει δε μηχαναίς αγραυλου Θηρος ορεσσίβατα, Λασιαυχένα θ' ΙΠΠΟΝ ὑπαξεται αμα φιλόφον ζυγόν, ουρείον Αδμητα ΤΑΥΡΟΝ "Nor does thy empire end in fubjects thus inanimate. Its 66 power alfo extends through the various race of ANIMALS, "who either patiently fubmit to become thy Slaves, or are "fure to find thee an irrefiftible foe. The faithful Dog, the "patient Ox, the generous Horfe, and the mighty Elephant, 1 ( 124 ) My criticism should even be pointed with the ridicule of more than common pleafantry, if I saw that he regarded the monuments of Antiquity only with his natural eyes, and with the frivolous diligence of an σε are content all to receive their inftructions from thee, and "readily to lend their natural Instincts or Strength, to perform * thofe offices, which thy occafions call for. If there be " found any fpecies, which are ferviceable when dead, thou "fuggefteft the means to investigate and take them. If any "be fo favage as to refuse being tamed; or of nature fierce enough to venture an attack, thou teachest us to fcorn their "brutal rage; to meet, repel, purfue, and conquer." The power of Art is then defcribed as applied more peculiarly to the arts of civil life, and to the establishment of political inftitutions. Και φθέγμα, και ηνέμοεν Φρονημα, και αστυνόμους Όργας (mores et infituta) εδιδάξατο, και Δυσκυλων παγων αιθρία, Και δυσομόρα φευγειν βέλη. Παντοπορος, άπορος Επ' ουδεν έρχεται Το μέλλον αϊδα μονον Φευξιν ουκ επάξεται· Νόσων δ' αμηχανών φυγάς Συμπέφρασται. Δείνον τι το μηχανσεν Τέχνας ύπες ελπιδ' έχων, Ελον έρπει· νομους παρειρών " And lophy, the icience of manners, vil hiftory of Mankind. For he to be deceived with regard to the of this Study, which, (I fpeak fect conviction,) must be very ill 1, when it does not improve the mind by whom it is cultivated. illustrate a truth, which will no prize the generality of readers, and the injuftice of the common opinion, nfider this Study in a Phyfical, and view; and I hope to convince the f their different utility, and to make ch, O ART, is thy amazing influence when thou loyed only on these inferior fubjects; on Natures te, or at best irrational. But whenever thou choosest t more noble, and settest to the cultivating of mind hen it is thou becomeft truly amiable and divine; flowing fource of thofe fublimer beauties, of which ect, but mind alone is capable. Then it is thou art I to exhibit to mankind the admired tribe of Poets Orators; the facred train of Patriots and of Heroes; like lift of Philofophers and Legislators; the forms tuous and equal Polities, where private welfare is he fame with public; where crowds themselves prove rested and brave, and virtue is made a national and ar characteristic." him |