Literature , &c. with Commerce. 15 
ruling po.JJion be allowed to conquer reafon , to fup- 
prefs every wifh of the mind for improving and 
fitting itfelf for higher enjoyments in this life, 
and the participation of flill more exalted plea- 
lures in a future flate, it then becomes criminal, 
and ought to be refilled. 
But it may be faid, that all men are not in¬ 
tended by nature for fcholars or philofophers j 
and that there are flations in life that will not 
admit of profound lludy and invefligation. Yet 
there are few, whofe minds may not receive a bias 
to fome ufeful refearch, whereby they may be 
pleafingly and ufefully employed. And we may 
be bold to aflert, that, though it is not in the 
power o-f every man to fhine as a diftinguifhed 
literary character, yet there is lcarcely any one 
fo meanly fituated, as to renden fome fhare of 
learning inconvenient to him; or who will be 
a worfe man, or a worfe member of fociety, by 
having advanced a few fleps higher in the fcale 
of human knowledge. 
Nemo adeo ferus eft, at non mitefcere poffit. 
Si modo culture patientem commodat aurem. * 
It is one.thing to be a profejfed fcholar or phr- 
lofopher, and another, to poffefs fuch a degree of 
information on a fubjeft, as is compatible with 
our other avocations. To be a complete aflro- 
* Horatii, Epift, I. Lib. i,. ~ 
nomer 
