On Learning and the Arts, 461 
‘Opposition to the magnified evil of a ‘polished 
language, that there is something in ingenuous 
truth and honesty, ‘which cannot ‘be counter- 
feited, and whichno artful language can convey. 
In a ‘greater degree than ‘is imagined does the 
mouth speak from the heart, and therefore along 
with what is common to ‘truth and to imposture, 
to simplicity and to art, there is something ‘which 
discriminates the one from the other; there ‘is'a 
reserve, 'a modesty, ‘a delicacy in the one; ‘a 
‘prurience, a boldness anda grossness in the other, 
which constitute a marked distinction of charac- 
ter, and tell the truth to a discerning world. 
Sure there’ must be‘an angel of detection, which 
follows the dissembler in his path, and compels 
the dishonest and designing to reveal the precious 
secret which they would hide, ‘It is certainly the 
interest of the impostor to appear to be the per- 
fect character which he assumes, but not all his 
practice in the art, not ali the cool deliberation 
of his plan, not all his knowledge of the world, 
aided by genius and by learning, can enable him 
perfectly to act the part, which it is his interest 
to personate. ‘Truth cannot betray itself, for 
having nothing to conceal, it has nothing to 
betray ; but Art has, and therefore cannot guard 
every avenue of detection; in the very texture 
of its art it cannot present any thing like the ° 
simple and beautiful work of nature. Innocence 
