s 
N O V 
U O V 
Novelty is of a very powerful, and a moft extenfive, 
influence. Moralifts have long fince obferved it to be the 
i'ouree of admiration, which lefiens in proportion to our 
familiarity with objects; and, upon a thorough acquaint¬ 
ance, is utterly extinguilhc-d. But it has not been fo com¬ 
monly remarked, that all the other paflions depend con- 
fiderably on the fame circumftance. What is it but no¬ 
velty that awakens delire, enhances delight, kindles an¬ 
ger, provokes envy, infpires horror ? To thisjcaufe we 
inuft afcribe it, that love languilhes with fruition, and 
friendfhip itfelf is recommended by intervals of abfen.ce ; 
hence monfters, by ufe, are beheld without loathing, and 
the moft enchanting beauty without rapture. That emo¬ 
tion of the fpirits in which paflion confifts, is ufually the 
effebt of furprile; and, as long as it continues, heightens 
the agreeable or difagreeable qualities of its object; but, 
as! this emotion ceafes, (and it ceafes with the novelty,) 
things appear in another light, and aft'eft us even lei's 
than might be expected from their proper energy, for 
having moved us too much before. 
“ It may not be a ufelefs enquiry, how far the love of 
novelty is the unavoidable growth of nature, and in what 
refpefts it is peculiarly adapted to the prefent ftate. To 
me it feems impofllble that a reafonable creature fhould 
reft abfolutely fatisfied in any acquifitions whatever, with¬ 
out endeavouring farther ; for, after its higheft improve¬ 
ments, the mind hath an idea of an infinity of things ItilL 
behind worth knowing, to the knowledge of which, there¬ 
fore, it cannot be indifferent; as, by climbing up a hill in 
the midft of a wide plain, a man hath his profpebt en¬ 
larged, and, together with that, the bounds ot his de¬ 
fires. Upon this account, I cannot think he detracts 
from the ftate of the bleffed, who conceives them to be 
perpetually employed in frelh fearches into nature, and 
to eternity advancing into the fathomlefs depths of the 
divine perfections. In this thought there is nothing but 
wliat doth honour to thefe glorified fpirits ; provided Hill 
it be remembered, that their defire of more proceeds not 
from their difrelifning what they poffefs ; and the pleafure 
of a new enjoyment is not with them meafured by its no¬ 
velty, (which is a thing merely foreign and accidental,) 
but by its real intrinfic value. After an acquaintance of 
many thoufand years with the works of God, the beauty 
and magnificence of the creation fills them with the fame 
pleafing wonder and profound awe which Adam felt him- 
felf feized with as he firft opened his eyes upon this glo¬ 
rious feene. Truth captivates with unborrowed charms, 
and whatever hath once given fatisfablion will always do 
it; in all which they have manifeftly the advantage of us, 
who arefo much governed by fickly and changeable appe¬ 
tites, that we can with the greateft coldnefs behold the 
ftupendous difplays of Omnipotence, and be in tranfports 
at the puny effays of human Ikill; throw afide l'pecula- 
tions of the fublimeft nature and vafteft importance into 
fome obfeure corner of the mind, to make room for new 
notions of no confequence at all; are even tired of health, 
becaufe not enlivened with alternate pain ; and prefer the 
firft reading of an indifferent author, to the fecond or third 
perufal of one whofe merit and reputation are eftablilhed. 
“ Our being thus formed, ferves many ufeful purpofes in 
the prefent ftate. It contributes not a little to the ad¬ 
vancement of learning; for, as Cicero takes notice, that 
•which makes men willing to undergo the fatigues of phi- 
lofophical difquifitions, is not fo much the greatnefs of 
objects as their novelty. It is not enough that there is 
field and game for the chace, and that the underftanding 
is prompted with a reftlel's thirft of knowledge, effectually 
to route the foul, funk into a ftate of fioth and indolence ; 
it is alfo neceffary, that there be an uncommon pleafure 
annexed to the firft appearance of truth in the mind. 
This pleafure being exquifite for the time it lafts, but 
tranfient, it hereby comes to pafs, that the mind grows 
into an indifference to its former notions, and pafles on, 
after new difeoveries, in hope of repeating the delight. 
It is with knowledge as with wealth, the pleafure of which 
Vol. XVII. No. 1176. 
lies more in making endlefs additions, than in taking a re¬ 
view of our old ftore. There are fome inconveniences 
that follow this, temper, if not guarded againft ; particu¬ 
larly this, that through a too great eagernefs of l'ome- 
thing new, vve are many times impatient of flaying long- 
enough upon a queftion that requires fome time to refolve 
it, or, which is worfe, perfuade ourfelves that we are mh-fi- 
ters of the fubjeCl before we are fo, only to be at the li¬ 
berty of going upon a frefh feent; in Mr. Locke’s- words : 
* We fee a little, prefume a great deal, and fo jump to 
the conclufion.’ 
“ A farther advantage of our inclination for novelty, 
as at prefent circumftantiated, is, that it annihilates all 
t)ie boafted diftinbtions among mankind. Look not up 
with envy to thofe above thee. Sounding titles, ftately 
buildings, fine gardens, gilded chariots, rich equipages ; 
what are they ? They dazzle every one but the poffeil'or: 
to him that is accuftomed to them, they are cheap and 
regardlefs things ; they fupply him not with brighter 
images, or more fublifne fatisfaftions, than the plain man 
may have, whole (mail eftate may juft enable him to fup- 
port the charge of a fimple unincumbered life. He enters 
heedlefs into his rooms of ftate, as you or I do under our 
poor fheds. The noble paintings, and coftly furniture, are 
loft on him ; he fees them not: as, how can it be other- 
wile, when, by cultom, a fabric infinitely more grand and 
finifhed, that of the univerfe, Hands unobferved by the 
inhabitants, and the everlafting lamps of heaven are 
lighted up in vain, for any notice that mortals take of 
them. Thanks to indulgent Nature, which not only 
placed her children originally upon a level, but Hill, by 
the llrength of this principle, in a great meafure preferves 
it, in l’pite of all the care of man to introduce artificial 
diftinftions.” Spectator, N° 626. Karnes’s Elements of 
Criticifm. Knight’s Inquiry into the Principles of Tafte, 
1805. 
NOVEMAS'TO, a town of Andrian Poland, in Galicia: 
forty miles weft-fouth-weft of Lemberg. 
NOVEM'BER, /'. [novem, nine, Lat.] The eleventh 
month of the Julian year ; or the ninth reckoned from 
March, which was, when the Homans named the months, 
accounted the firft.— November is drawn in a garment of 
changeable green, and black upon his head. Pcacham on 
Drawing. 
The Saxons called November Wint-momt, or Wind- 
month, on account of the prevalence of high winds in 
this month. It afterwards obtained the name of Blot- 
mount, from the Saxon bloian, to facrifice or daughter; to 
denote that it was ulual at this feafon to daughter oxen, 
lheep, hogs. See. for the fervice of the enfuing winter; 
artificial, padurage, drying of grafs into hay, and other 
important circuinftances in agricultural purfuits, having 
been then unknown. The dock of falted meat prepared 
was to lall throughout the whole of the winter-months, 
until vegetation again became lufficientiy forward to ena ¬ 
ble them to relume the ufe of frelh provifions 5 and we 
may form an idea of the vaft extent to which the opulent 
provided themlelves and their retainers, by the larder of 
the elder Spencer in 132,7, which, fo late as in the month 
of May, contained “ the carcalfes of 80 falted beeveo, 
500 bacons, and 600 muttons, mere reliques of his. winter 
provifions.” 
The cuftom of falting meat at this feafon, for winter- 
confumption, was univerfal in this idand, and throughout 
all the nations on the continent of Europe ; in Scotland, 
it was generally in ufe within the memory of man, and is 
Hill p radii fed in the Highlands. We have yet our Martlc- 
viafs or Martinmafs beef, or beef cured about the feltival 
of St. Martin, on the 11th of this Blot-monat. And the 
Spanilh proverbs of “ His Martinmafs will come, as it 
does to every hog and “ Martinmafs is coming, when 
we lhall be all hogs alike,” that is, meet the fame 
fate; emphatically allude to the daughter of fwine at this 
period. To the change from the ufe of falted to that of 
frelh meat, joined to the advantage of the vegetable pro- 
4 A dilutions, 
