( *37 ) 



Any perfon who has once infinuated himfelf in- 

 to a confiderable fliare of their efteem, will find 

 them fufficiently docile and ready to do any thing 

 he defires ; but it is no eafy matter to gain their 

 efteem to fuch a pitch. This they give to merit 

 only, and that to a fuperior degree of it, of 

 which they are full as good judges as thofe amongfi: 

 us, who pique themfelves mo ft on their difcern- 

 ment. They form their notions of this by the 

 phyilognomy, and there is not perhaps in the world 

 a fet of men who are better judges this way : this 

 is owing to their having none of thofe prejudices 

 in favour of any perfon which miflead us, and 

 that by ftudying nature alone they know her per- 

 fectly well. As they are neither Haves to am- 

 bition nor intereft, as it is thefe two paflions only 

 which have weakened in us the fentiments of hu- 

 manity, which the author of nature has engraven 

 in our hearts, the difference of conditions is un- 

 neceffary for the maintenance of fociety amongfl 

 them. 



Thus Madam we never, or at leaft very feldom, 

 meet with thofe haughty minds, which rilled with 

 a notion of th>:ir own grandeur and merit, imagine 

 themfelves almoft a fpecies apart who difdain the 

 reft of mankind whofe love and confidence they 

 therefore never obtain ; who never converfe with 

 their equals, becaufe the jealoufy which prevails 

 amongft the great, will not permit them to culti- 

 vate a very near acquaintance; who know not 

 themfelves becaufe they never ftudy themfelves, 

 but are conftantly blown up with feif applaufe ; 

 and laftly, who never once reflect, that in order 

 to acquire the affections of men, they muft firft 

 ftoop, and in fome fort, condefcend to be their 

 equals y fo that with all this pretended fuperiority 



