MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 437 
Knowledge; it is not unreafonable 
to add one, among your thoufand 
conjectures, and fay, that their fu- 
ture rivals may trace new connec- 
tions, and collect new facts, which 
may tend to annihilate the fy{tems 
of their predeceffors. Is not opi- 
nion often local, and ever difguifed 
by cuftom? Is not what we call 
truth often error? And are not 
the paflions and ideas of men of fo 
very temporary a nature, that they 
farce endure with their century ? 
This enlightened public may dif- 
cover that their notions become ob- 
folete, and that with new fyftems 
of knowledge, and new modes of 
exiftence, their books may be clof- 
-ed for their fucceffors, and only 
confulted by the curious of a future 
generation as we now examine 
Ariftotle and Defcartes, Ariftopha- 
nes and Chaucer. Our learning 
-may no more be their Jearning than 
our fafhions will be their fathions. 
Every thing in this world is fafhion. 
» It may alfo be conjeétured, that, 
-amidft the multitude of future dif- 
_coveries, the original authors of our 
.own age, the Newtons and the 
Lockes, may have their concep- 
tions become fo long familiarized, 
as to be incorporated with the no- 
vel difcoveries as truths fo incon- 
teftible, that very few fhall even be 
acquainted with their firft difcover- 
ers. It would therefore appear, 
that the juftnefs, as wellas the ex- 
travagance of our authors, are alike 
inimical to their future celebrity. 
Dedication of the Tragedy of Junius Bru- 
tus to General Wa/hington. 
From Count Alfieri’s Tragedies, ' 
HE name of him alone who 
gave liberty .to America can 
fanction the tragedy of the de- 
liverer of Rome. To you, there- 
fore, a citizen of fingular fortune 
and defert, I dedicate Junius Bru- 
tus, without reciting the praifes 
due to you; for they are all incld-- 
edin your name. So briefa men 
tion of you ought not to be deemed 
indireé& adulation.—I am perfonal- 
ly unacquainted with you; and di- 
vided, as we are, by the immenfe 
ocean, we have but one motive 1m- 
mediately in common,—the love of 
ourcountry. Truly happy are you 
who have eftablifheda fame fuch as 
yours, on a bafis firm and eternal, 
—the love of your country proved 
by your actions |! — For myfelf, I 
have abandoned my _ native foil, 
purely for the fake of writing with 
ardour on the fubject of liberty. 
By fuch a facrifice, I flatter myfelf, 
I have demonftrated what my pa- 
triotifim would have proved, had I 
been deftined to a country worthy 
of my fentiments. On this confi- 
deration alone I afpire to the ho- 
nour of uniting to the name of 
Wafhington that of Vittorio Alfieri. 
Paris, December 31/2, 1788. 
Dedication of Agis to Charles the Furft, 
King of England, 
From the fame. 
THINK that, without meannefs 
or arrogance, I may dedicate my 
tragedy of Agis to an unfortunate 
and a deceafed king. 
This King of Sparta was, like 
yourfelf, condemned to die by ini- 
quitous judges and an unjuft parlia- 
ment; but however fimilar the ef- 
feét, the caufe was widely different. 
Agis, in the eftablifament of equali- 
ty and liberty, wifhed to reftore to 
Sparta her own virtues, and her an- 
cient fplendor; his death was there- 
fore glorious, and his fame is eter- 
ke3 nal. 
