My. Henry on the Confifiency of Literature , &c. 7 
On the Advantages of Literature and Philoso¬ 
phy in general, and efpecially on the confifiency of 
Literary and Philosophical with Commer¬ 
cial Pursuits. By Thomas Henry, F. R. S. 
Read October 3, 1781. 
To either India fee the merchant fly, 
Scar’d at the fpeftre of pale poverty ! — 
See him with pains of body, pangs of foul, 
Burn thro’ the tropic, freeze beneath the pole! 
Wilt thou do nothing for a noble end, 
Nothing to make philofcphy thy friend ? 
Pope’s Imitations of Horace, Epift. I. Book I« 
T HE purfuit of knowledge, when properly 
directed, and under due influence, is of 
the greateft importance to mankind. In propor¬ 
tion as a nation acquires fuperior degrees of it, 
her ftate of civilization advances, and (he becomes 
diftinguifhed from her lefs enlightened neigh¬ 
bours by a greater refinement in the manners of 
her inhabitants, and a departure from thofe fero¬ 
cious vices, which mark the features of favage 
countries. Vices Ihe will, indeed, ftill be addict¬ 
ed to, but of a different complexion from thofe 
of her more uncultivateddays. For, wherever alove 
of learning and the arts makes any confiderable 
progrefs, even crimes themfelves lofe fomething 
of their atrocioufnefs, and, though ftill offenfive, 
are divefted of thofe ftrongj marks of brutality, 
which generally accompany ignorance. The 
B 4 horrors* 
