272 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



fèntiment of humility not often to be found, and^ 

 in my opinion, altogether unfounded, that he was 

 not fit to take part in converfation of a fuperior 

 ftyle. *^ The leaft appearance of argument," faid 

 he to me one day, " is fufEcient to overfet me. 

 ** My underftanding comes to my affiftance, half 

 ** an hour later than to other men. I know what 

 " the reply ought to be, precifely when it is out 

 « of time." 



That tardinefs of refledion did not proceed 

 from '* a maxillary depreffion," as is alleged, in 

 the " Profpedtus of a new Edition of the Works 

 " of John-James^* by a Writer, in other refpefts 

 highly eftimable : but from his ftrong fenfe of na- 

 tural equity, which permitted him not to give a 

 decifion on the moft trifling fubjedl, till he had 

 examined it; from his genius, which turned it 

 round and round, to get a view of it in every di- 

 redion; and, finally, from his modefty, which 

 reprefTed in him the theatrical tone, and the ora- 

 cular fententioufnefs (8) of our converfations. He 

 was in the midfl of a company of wits, with his 

 fimplicity, what a young girl, in the glow of natu- 

 ral colours, is amidft women who put on arti- 

 ficial red and white. Still lefs would he have fub- 

 mitted to exhibit himfelf as a fpedacle among the 

 Great; but in a tête-à-tête^ in the freedom of in- 

 timacy, and on fubjeds which were familiar to 



him. 



