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Thus it feems that fome information, both with refped to an 

 nuthor's intelledlual and moral charadler, is always to be colleded 

 trom his writings. In fome cafes it may be more difficult to col- 

 led it than it may in others. In fome works the inference may 

 more nearly approach to certainty, in others the degrees of 

 probability may be flight, but in all fome information will re- 

 ward the refearch, and the refearch itfelf is above all other em- 

 ployments of the mind interefting and inftrudtive. To difcover 

 charader, to trace out the caufes of literary excellence and defeds, 

 to explain the efficacy and operation of habits, to exhibit the 

 influence of the morals on the underftanding, will afford a dig- 

 nified exercife to the critic, an ufeful one to the metaphyfician, 

 and an agreeable one to the moraliil. 



The iirfl objed of every author's attention is the choice of his 

 fubjed. The choice of this is an ad direded by the habits and dif- 

 pofitions of the author, and therefore indicative of thefe. From the 

 infinite variety of fubjeds that one is feleded, which either ij mofl 

 pleafing to the fancy of the author, or in which he thinks he is 

 mofl likely to excel ; in either cafe it is that which befl fuits his 

 habits, difpofitions and powers of mind. Achilles was known at 

 the court of Lycomedes by his preferring the armour to all the 

 toys brought by UlyfTes ; and, from the fubjeds they chofe for 

 writing on, we may certainly infer that Virgil loved peace, and 

 that Milton had an high refped for religion. The Englifh Garden, 

 is the work of a poet viewing fcenes of extern il nature with the 

 eye of a painter; the Botanic Garden, of a poet ftudying her in- 

 ternal operations with the abflradion of a philofopher. The latter 



could 



