244 On the comparative Excellence 



perhaps, accident rather than choice firft fuggeft- 

 ed, to claim the continual facrifice of our tinie, 

 and the full' exertion of our talents ; whilft fub- 

 jecls remain neglected of far more importance, 

 and, perhaps, in faft more fuited to our tempers 

 and abilities. 



The difficulty of divefting ourfelves of parti- 

 culars, and looking on things in a general view, 

 will, however, decreafe in proportion as we habi- 

 tuate ourfelves to fuch employment -, and it is 

 rather for the purpofe of illuftrating the pro- 

 priety of the pradice, than with the expedlation 

 of facilitating it, that I beg the attention of this 

 refpeclable Society, whilft I enter more fully into 

 the fubjedl. 



Man, in his original conftitution, is endowed 

 with a variety of faculties, different in their ends 

 and nature ; but, I conceive, they may be reduced 

 to the three following, viz. the moral fenfe, or 

 that which diftinguifhes virtue and vice; the ra- 

 tional faculty, diftinguifhing truth and falfehooxJi 

 and thefentimental faculty, or, as it is ufually 

 called, tafte, which diftinguifhes beauty from 

 deformity. To the acquifitions made in improv- 

 ing the rational and moral powers we give the 

 name of Science ; whilft the fentimental faculty 

 is the foundation of thepleafures we receive from 

 the ftudy of the polite arts. 



As thefe faculties may be improved by exer- 

 cife, fo they may ^e injured, and decay by neg- 



left. 



