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and ufelefs difquifition, feem to be preferred in the infancy of 

 letters to the more folid and profitable faiences, as the attention 

 of children is captivated and fixed rather by fupernatural and 

 romantic tales than by fober and ufeful hiftory ; and the fubtleties 

 of metaphyficks will prevail among the half-enlightened in the 

 fame manner, and for the fame reafons, as the abftrufe follies 

 of magic and of aftrology. When the mind firft feels its powers, 

 and finds itfelf aflifled and borne up by the wings of literature, 

 it feems to think that it never can foar too high. Exulting in its 

 newly difcovered energy, it fondly fuppofes that nothing can 

 arreft its progrefs, ignorant as yet of thofe impaffable bounds 

 which nature has fet to its flight. The blind man, fuddenly 

 reftored to fight, would naturally firft fix his eyes on the fun as 

 the moft glorious objed of contemplation, till experience ftiall have 

 taught him that he is dazzled by its beams ! 



But if, in the infant dawn of learning, the mind is apt to 

 bafilc and lofe itfelf in thefe ufelefs and preternatural excurfions, 

 fo do we alfo find it in the decline and decrepitude of letters. 

 The ftate of infancy and that of dotage arc equally imbecile, and 

 produce nearly the fame effeds. 



Another caufe of the early preference given to metaphyfical 

 enquiry may perhaps concur with thofe already mentioned. As 

 the Being of a God is believed and acknowledged even by the 

 moft unlettered favages, it is no wonder that the nature of that 

 Being, with whom all hopes and fears are intimately conneded, 



fhould 



