"The stars shall fade away, the fun himself Grow din with age."

Shakespeare introduces Henry VI. thus addreffing Cardinal Beaufort, in his dying mo

ments:

"Lord Cardinal, if thou think'ft on heaven's blifs,
Hold up thy hand, make signal of that hope."

If an actor should repeat this pathetical ad drefs with the leaft degree of negligence, loudnefs, or rapidity, we fhould be fhocked at his abfurdity. Nature tells us, that he should address the dying man in a calm, soft, and sympathetic tone; and that he should wait fome time, before he starts back with concern and affliction, and pronounces this awful fentence,

"He dies, and makes no fign!"

Would the SPEAKER in the HOUSE conde fcend to follow the dictates of Nature, we fhould not see so many parliamentary orators, assuming a formal aspect, using a vociferous tone, or fwinging their arms, like a peasant brandishing his flail.

If the PREACHER, in his difcourfes to the people, would obferve the rules of propriety and decorum, which Nature prefcribes, he would

not

not appear like an affected coxcomb; nor addrefs his audience, like fome fanatical declaimers, with a rueful countenance, a clamorous voice, a canting tone, or a puritanical formality. The air of levity and the gloomy afpect are equally abfurd. The christian orator should deliver his arguments and exhortations, with a gentle deportment*, a fober dignity, and a manly freedom.

Every man therefore, who either writes for posterity, or speaks in public, should pay a ftrict attention to this excellent maxim: FOLLOW NATURE.

*Behold my fervant, whom I have chofen: he fhall not ftrive nor cry, neither fhall any man hear his voice in the ftreets. Mat. xii. 18. 19. 20.-In the words of Dr. Clarke, " he shall preach true religion, in all meekness, gentleness, and humility." Paraphrafe on the place.

FINIS.

LONDON: Printed by LUKE HANSARD,
No 6, Great Turnftile, Linclon's-Inn-Fields.

By the fame AUTHOR."

1. The Subverfion of ancient Kingdoms confidered: a Sermon preached at St. John's Weftminster, Feb. 13. 1761, the Day appointed for a General Faft. 8vo.

2. Sidney's Difcourfes on Government, with hiftorical Notes. 4to. 1772.

3. A Letter to Mr. Sanxay on the Profecution of Mifs B. 8vo. 1775.

4. Obfervations on the Cafe of Mifs B. 8vo. 1776.

5. An Effay on Culinary Poisons. 1781.

8vo.

6. An Introduction to the Study of Polite Literature. 12mo. 1782. 1785. 1799.

7. An Effay on Punctuation, 12mo. 1785. 1786. 1791. 1796.

8. The Parian Chronicle, or the Chronicle of the Arundelian Marbles, with a Differtation on its Authenticity. 8vo. 1788.

9. Telemachus, with Notes, and the Life of Fenelon. 2 Vols. 12mo. 1795.

io. Obfer

To. Obfervations on the Curates Act. 8vo. 1797.

11. An Effay on the Education of young Ladies. 8vo. 1798.

12. An Effay on the Nature of the English Verse. 12mo. 1799.

13. Near 3000 Articles in the Critical Re view, on theological, hiftorical, poetical, claffical, and miscellaneous Subjects, forming a confiderable Part of 42 Volumes, from Aug. 1764, to Sept. 1785, inclufive, &c.

These fugitive pieces are not mentioned in this place, out of any oftentatious motive; but merely to obviate those miftakes, which are frequently made in Catalogues, and the Memoirs of literary men.