of the Sciences and Arts. 243 



ter. In order to accomplilh this end, it is ne- 

 ceffary to keep one grand objeft in view, and 

 never fufFer ourfelves to be drawn from it by too 

 minute an attention to lefs important parts ; for 

 though thefe may be in themfelves commendable, 

 yet, if the principal objed has been negleded, in 

 order to bellow more affiduity on thefe inferior 

 parts, it betrays a deficiency in judgment and 

 true tafte, which it will be impoffible any other 

 merit can fully compenfate. 



It is however much to be apprehended, that 

 many perfons have pad through the world, not 

 only without difcovering, but without once re- 

 fledling on the proper objefls of their purfuit ; 

 and the number is not lefs, perhaps, of thofe who, 

 having formed clear and determinate ideas of 

 their duty, have in the courfe of their condufb 

 loft fight of them ; and fuffered thofe things 

 which required their immediate exertions totally 

 to fuperfedfr the higher ends, to which they 

 otrght only to have been auxiliary. 



In general life, what is more common than to 

 fufFer the laudable defire of acquiring indepen- 

 dence to degenerate into an eagernefs for accu- 

 mulating riches, without a reference to any fur- 

 ther end. But can we avoid pitying the man 

 who employs his time in gilding the frame, when 

 he Ihould be finifhing the picture ? 



In the purfuits of fcience, this error continually 



occurs ; we fuflfer fome particular ftudy, which, 



R 2 perhaps. 



