26 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



" else that may be beneficial to many, and can be preju^ 

 '* clicial to none.'* — Small, indeed, is the number of those 

 who, in the course of five thousand years, have employed 

 themselves in the advancement of useful knowledge. 

 Mankind have been blest with but one Titus, that we 

 know of i and, it is to be feared, he has had but few imi- 

 tators. Days and years fly away ; nor is any account 

 taken of them : 'and how many may reasonably be supposed 

 to pass, without affording even amusement to others, or 

 satisfadion to ourselves? Much more, I think, might be 

 s- id in favour of the Wimbles; but it must be confest, 

 that the man who spends his whole time in trilles, passes 

 it contemptibly, compared with those who are employed 

 in researches after knowledge useful to mankind, or in 

 professions useful to the state. 



I AM glad to find that you approve of the plan I pro- 

 pose to observe in the course of these Letters ; wherein it 

 shall be my endeavour not to omit any thing which it may 

 be necessary for you to know ; at least, as far as my own 

 observation and experience will give me leave. The ex- 

 perience that I have had may be of use to you at present : 

 others, perhaps, hereafter, may write more judiciously and 



