ad 



** For man loves knowledge, and the beams of trutli 



More welcome touch his understanding's eye. 



Than all the blandishments of sound his ear. 



Than all of taste his tongue. Nor ever yet 



The melting rainbow's vernal tinctured hues 



To me have sliewn so pleasing, as when first 



The hand of Science pointed out the path. 



In which the sun-beams, gleaming from the west,. 



Fall on the wat'ry cloud, whose darksome veil 



Involves the Orient, and that trickling shower. 



Piercing thro' every crystalline convex 



Of clustering dew-drops to tlieir flight opposed-. 



Recoil at length, where, concave all behind. 



The internal surface of each glaiisy orb 



Repels their forward passage into air. 



That thence direct they seek the radiant goal. 



From which their course began; and as they strike- 



In different lines the gazer's obvious eye. 



Assume a different lustre, through the breed 



Of colours changing from the splendid rose 



To the pale violet's dejected hue.'.' 



Akenside. * 



Thus even in questions of a nature completely abstracted 

 and mathematical, the mind is capable of enjo3nng a pure 

 and serene satisfaction. It 4s- true that at first the difficulty 

 attending the investigation will preponderate over any gratifi- 

 cation that the beauty or utility of the^conclusion is naturally 

 calculated to produce, but his susceptibility of emotion will; 



* I have taken the liberty of inserting this passage at full length, not only ou account 

 of the force with which the beginning of it bears upou the argument, but also because 

 the remainder of it may be considered as a fair specimen of the manner in which sub- 

 jects so decidedly mathematical should be treated by a poet. 



