Account of 
Dr Smith. 
92 HISTORY of the SOCIETY. 
ing, not for its philofophy, which I do not highly value, 
but for its agreeable compotition. I had a letter from him a 
few days ago, wherein he tells me that my name was much 
oftener in the manufcript, but that the Cenfor of books at 
Paris obliged him to ftrike it out. Worrarre has lately 
publifhed a. fmall work called Candide, ou l’Optimifme. I 
fhall give youa detail of it But what is all this to my 
book? fay you.—My dear Mr Smrru, have patience: Compofe 
yourfelf to tranquillity : Shew yourfelf a philofopher in prac- 
tice as well as profeflion: Think on the emptinefs, and rafh- 
nefs, and futility of the common judgments of men: How 
little they are regulated by reafon in any fubject, much more in 
philofophical fubjeéts, which fo far exceed the comprehenfion 
of the vulgar. ; 
Non fi quid turbida Roma, 
Elevet, accedas : examenve improbum in illa 
Cafliges trutina: nec te quefiveris extra, 
A wife man’s kingdom is his own breaft; or, if he ever looks 
farther, it will only be to the judgment of a felect few, who 
are free from prejudices, and capable of examining his work. 
Nothing indeed can be a ftronger prefumption of falfehood 
than the approbation of the multitude; and Puocron, you 
know, always fufpected himfelf of fome blunder, when he was 
attended with the applaufes of the populace. 
‘“* SupposING, therefore, that you have duely prepared your- 
felf for the worft by all thefe refleCtions, I proceed to tell you 
the melancholy news, that your book has been very unfortu- 
nate; for the public feem difpofed to applaud it extremely. It 
was looked for by the foolifh people with fome impatience ; and 
the mob of literati are beginning already to be very loud in its 
praifes. Three Bifhops called yefterday at Mitiar’s fhop in 
order to buy copies, and to afk queftions about the author. 
The 
