110 



the more limited but absolute physical necessities 

 of man influence his conduct in his uncivilized 

 state. 



Our artificial wants may indeed be said to 

 have put the whole range of science and the arts 

 into requisition, to minister to their indulgence, 

 and to furnish us with the elegances and the lux- 

 uries of life. We all feel and admit that there is 

 something delightful in the acquisition of know- 

 ledge ; and yet how few would ever taste the 

 superior pleasures arising from intellectual grati- 

 fication, if no external causes existed to bring 

 the faculties of the mind into action. 



It is one of the advantages of large towns, 

 that they frequently draw together, in friendly 

 collision, men of genius and information, who, 

 by their example and encouragement, afford 

 incitement to mental industry and exertion 

 among the rising generation, by which they 

 may be led on to endless rational enjoyment. 

 These reflections will assist us in solving the 

 question, whether any alteration can beneficially 

 be made in the order and management of our 

 proceedings. To me, I freely confess, it does 

 not appear that any essential change is requi- 

 site : the reading of essays is evidently so 

 conducive to the well-being, if not to the ex- 

 istence, of a society like ours, that every en- 

 couragement should be given to this part of 



