42 LIVE OF SIR JAMES STEUART. Sept. 21, 



ries, fuited to the exalted ambition of his cultivated 

 imderftaiiding, while he turned the charms of conver- 

 fation to the permanent delight of his aflbciatesj and of 

 pofterity. 



The motto of Apelles, " Nulla dies fine I'wea" was 

 the emblem of Sir James's employment, and it is ama- 

 zing what may be done by daily attention for improve- 

 ment, without appearing to abftraft any extraordinary 

 time from the common offices and rational pleafures of 

 fociety. This is the art of idlenefs which I admire, 

 and have endeavoured to praftife and explain. 



In the beginnin,!! of the year 1755 Sir James wrote 

 his Apology, or Defence of Sir Ifaac Newton's Chro- 

 nology, which at that time he intended to publifh, but 

 was prevented by other engagements. It was com- 

 municated to feveral perfons of eminence in France 

 and Germany in MS. and produced, in the month of 

 December that year in " the Mercure de France" an 

 anfwcr from Monf. DeJJjouliereSy to which Sir James 

 foon after replied. 



The great Newton, applying aftronomical and fta- 

 tiftical principles to the ancient chronology of Greece, 

 had challifed the vanity of nations, and arrefted the 

 progrefs of infidelity, in delineating the hiftory of the 

 world. 



That wonderful man, whofe fame will embalm the 

 reputation of England, to remain long after it fhall 

 have funk politically among the nations of Europe, has 

 fixed the land-marks of hiftory where they had been 

 overturned or removed by the carelefTnefs of the old, 

 or the vanity of the new, recorders of antiquity. 



Loft in the (yjnfufion of exceftive pretenfions to an 

 antiquity beyond all meafure, and difgufted by the fu- 

 perftitious aids that were alTumed to fupport thefe pre- 

 tenfions among ancient nations, the revivers of learning 

 in our Europe, during the laft and the preceding cen- 

 tury, turmoiled themfelves with controverfies between 

 the comparative merits of the ancients and moderns, 



