2^6 On the comparative Excellence 



Although thefe arts feem on the firft view to 

 be contributary only to our gratification ; yet it 

 fhould feem that Providence, in endowing us with 

 propenfities and abilities to inveftigate and im- 

 prove them, meant that they fhould become, in 

 fome degree, the objefts of our inquiry: and 

 indeed we fee throughout the whole creation, 

 that the ends of beauty, amufement, and pleafure 

 have never been negledted ; otherwife we might 

 afk, in the language of Shenflone, 



" Why knows the nightingale to fing? 



•' Why flows the pine's neftareous juice? 



•* Why Ihines with paint, the linnet's wing ? 



'• For fuftenance alone? For ufe ? 



•' For prefervation ? Every fphere 



*• Shall bid fair pleafure's rightful claim appear. 



•' And fure there feem of human kind, 



" Some born to fhun the folemn llrife ; 



" Some for amufive talks defign'd 



** To footh the certain ills of life, 

 " Grace its lone paths with many a bluihing rofe, 



" New founts of blifs difdofe, 

 " Call forth refrelhing Ihades, and decorate repofe." 



The cultivation of the polite arts feems then to 

 be conducive to the happinefs of man, and con- 

 fiftent with the true end of his nature : but there 

 is a flill higher purpofe to which they fhould be 

 applied, the confideration of which will tend 

 to afcertain the rank they ought to hold, and to 

 determine their relative claims upon our time 

 and abilities. 



In 



