conquests, or without receiving the perpetual incense of flat- 

 tery : they are ever to be found in ball-rooms, and at mm- 

 queradesy where they, of course, meet with the most excel- 

 lent,, saperlatively wise^ and accomplished husbands, whom^ 

 notwithstanding,, these discerning fair-ones do not unfre- 

 quemtly select ft-ora a knot of illiterate rakes. Nor should 

 we forget: the uncommon share of personal beauty, that sel- 

 dom fails to accompany their other perfections, which, beside 

 teaching, a young lady to set an immoderate value upon itj 

 eauses her to form in her mind inseparable associations be- 

 tween personal graces and moral aincl intellectiral endow- 

 ments— assoeiations which are as likely to be injurious to 

 happiness and good morals, as tbey are inconsistent with 

 truth and experience. * 



Many other evik arising from fictitious history (considered 

 in this point of view) might be enumerated, but as they have 

 been already touched upon by so able and elegant a writer 

 as Professor Stewart, I will content myself, for the most part, 

 with referring to his chapters " on the influence of imagina- 

 tion upon human character and happiness," -f- but shall be 



* Vbow very diflferent in this respect, the impression is, which authentic, and fictitious 

 history is calculated to produce, may be agreeably illustrated by a reference to Lord 

 Clarendon's History of his own Life, vol. i. and iii. where, in the character of Lord ■ 

 Falkland, he has finely contrasted the disadvantages of his person with the excellencies - 

 of his mind; and in that of Sir Charles Cavendish, he has afforded a lesson, adoiirably 

 ealculated to counteract the prejudices iu favour of these false associatiens. 



t Philosophy of the human mind. 



