s 7f BENEFIT OF 
travellers, who feldom return home laden with 
any thing, but fine founding, and empty words 
colle&ed put of the European languages, What 
do they learn, but to prate about theatres, and 
plays, and the modes of drefs amongft the Ita- 
lians, the Spaniards, the Germans, and above 
all the French ? If they were well advifed they 
would not ftir a foot Out of their own coun- 
trey ; that they might not deftroy their for- 
tunes, their time, their health, nay their very 
life itfelf by luxury, and voluptuoyfnefs. They 
would not then return, as too frequently hap- 
pens, entirely ufelefs to themfelves, and coun- 
trey, and a burthen upon the face of the earth, 
But whither am i hurried ? 
My defign v/as, in the little time allotted me, 
to fpeak to you, gentlemen, not of the peculiar 
advantages of univerfities, or of fojourning at 
this, rather than any foreign one ; but chiefly 
of travelling in one’s own countrey, tfyro’ its 
fields, and roads 5 a kind of travelling, i con- 
fefs, hitherto little ufed, and which is looked up- 
on as fit only for amufement. I once more, moft 
honorable auditors, beg your patience, and that 
i may not forfeit all right to your favor, and 
benevolence, i promife to be as fhort as poflible. 
You know what the poet fays, 
