258 THE EEE, OR Feb. 16, 



It is fomewhat difficult to fettle the exact limits be- 

 twixt genius and talle : that genius cannot exill without 

 tafte, that is, without a relifli for its peculiar exercilesi 

 cannot be called in queftion f ; but whether we can com- 

 pletely difcern the excellencies of an author, without 

 pofl'elting an equal portion of his genius, is perhaps a 

 matter of doubt. There is however a pleafure which 

 attends the invention or fiibrication of a work, dillincl 

 from an after furvey of its beauties ; and the firft of 

 thefe, one would think, is peculiar to the author alone; 

 the laft, in common with his readers. It may indeed 

 be replied, that we cannot be faid completely to enter 

 into the views of an author, if we cannot follow him 

 in all his progrefs ; if we do not go back with him in 

 his effort, view along with him the materials as they 

 lie rudely fcattered through nature, and arrange them 

 with him into that goodly fabric which we mutually 

 furvey with fo much delight. But whether we can 

 follow him in this progrefs, and enter fully into his 

 conceptions, without that force, that grafp, and that 

 aftivity of mind which the author polTefles, is not fo 

 evident : certain it is that we cannot do juftice to any 

 work of merit, without completely comprehending it ; 

 and that we can be. faid completely to comprehend it, 

 without viewing it in every refpecSb, as the author has 

 done, I do not fee ; and this operation we know can- 

 not be performed without the fame powers of mind, 

 and the fame fenlibllities of enjoyment. 



As a very concluiive proof of what has been men- 

 tioned above, it may be obferved, that the number of 

 eminent critics has been as few, perhaps fewer, than 

 the number of eminent poets : the reaion is obvious ; 

 to that fenfibillty and ardour, which is i-equifite to catch 

 the flame of high genius, there mult be fuperadded dii- 



* Wc fufpeft ^he author here r\iay be in a miftalte. Great conipafs oi 

 mental jower, which we ihould imagine conftitutes the effence of ge- 

 nius, may certainly exift, where that pccv.liar modification of it called 

 ujie is not to "be found. Ectit. 



