cf Charles de Toller . 9 
What rich (lores of knowledge did he difplay ; 
what facility in the ufe, what judgment in the 
application of them ! Few have been the fubje&s 
of difcuffion in this Society, which his obferva- 
tions have not enlightened: and what he could 
not himfelf elucidate, he has enabled others to 
do, by t-he pertinency of his queries, and the 
fagacity of his conjectures. So quick was his 
penetration; fo enlarged his comprehenfion ; fo 
exact the arrangement of his intellectual trea- 
fures ! Learning, with fome, is the parent of 
mental obfcurity ; and the multiplicity of ideas, 
which have been acquired by fevere ftudy, ferves 
only to produce perplexity and confufion. But 
Mr. de Polier’s thoughts were always ready at 
command. And he engaged with perfpicuity, 
on every topic of difcourfe; becaufe he faw, atj 
one view, all its relations and analogies to 
thofe branches of knowledge, with which he 
was already acquainted. With fuch felicity of 
genius, he was continually making large ac- 
cefTions to his (lock of feience, without laborious 
refearches, or feclufion from the focial enjoy* 
ments of life. 
Of his abilities as a writer, he furnifhed us 
with a ftriking proof, in the DifTertation he 
delivered, laft winter ; which is equally diffin— 
guifhed by the juftnefs of its fentiments, and the 
purity of ifs diCtion ; and fully clifplavs his per- 
Vol. I. U 
