522 
“ ing, that this difference of proficiency 
may arife from the difference of in- 
telleétual powers, of the choice of 
books, or the convenience of informa- 
‘tion.’ In many cafes, it is apparent, 
that this difference has not arifen from 
any.deficiency refpeéting the ufe of 
good authors, or the conveniency of in- 
formation, and appeared only to arife 
from the difference of intelleétual powers. 
Rouffeau, fpeaking of himfelf, fays, “I 
** am not made like any one I have feen. 
I dare believe I am not made like any 
one exifting. If [ am not better, at 
leaft, I am quite different. Whether 
Nature has done well or ill, in break-. 
ing the mould fhe caft me in, can 
be determined only after having read 
“ me.’ Without adopting the ideas of 
Rouffeau, a man muft have a great deal of 
faith, who can believe, that fuch very 
fingular men as Voltaire, Rouffeau, and 
Dr. Johnfon, had nothing in them or1- 
ginally different from the generality of 
men; and that whatever difference af- 
terwards -appeared, was merely the re- 
fult of education, fituation, or accidental 
circumftances. 
The powers of memory in different 
men are certainly very different; and 
what reafon can be aifigned why other 
intelleétual powers fhould not alfo be 
different? Helvetius, indeed, fays, that 
“¢ the memory is nothing more than the. 
“ effeét of the faculty of fenfation.”’ 
But this is an affertion, of the truth of 
which no real evidence has ever been 
produced. The powers of the human 
memory have never yet been fatisfac- 
torily explained by the faculty of fen- 
fation. 
nan an 
~ a“ 
“6 
6 
se 
M. H. fays, ‘¢ Thar virtue; as well as, 
. talents, are the produét of education, 
Is a propofition for the truth of which 
we may appeal to univerfal experi- 
ence.” Univerfal experience would 
certainly prove nothing lke it. ‘That 
education produces very confiderable ef- 
feéis ; that a good education may greatly 
rend te improve a man’s talents, and to 
Jead him, to a virtuous courfe of aétion ; 
that particular fituations and circum- 
fances often operate ftrongly in the for- 
mation of human characters; all this 
may be readily admitted, but it amounts 
to no proof that man’s talents and virtues 
are merely the effect of education. 
‘The ftatements of Helvetius appear 
fometimes to be inconfiftent ; and it ‘is 
difficult to reconcile fome of his obfer- 
vations to his general fyftem. He fays, 
‘* J thall prove, by the aid of facts, that 
: i 
a 
Anfwer te MM. A, on Helvetiuse 
[ Aug 
“ it is to the moft trifling incidents the 
© moft illuftrious citizens have fome- 
~ 
ww 
times owed their talents. From whence 
I conclude, that chance atts in a like 
manner on all mankind; and if its 
effets on ORDINARY MINDS are lefs 
remarked, it is merely becaufe MIND& 
‘“ OF THIs sORT are themfelves lefs 
‘< remarkable.’ If fome minds are or- 
dinary; and others not ordinary, and if 
there are minds originally of differeat 
forts, the fyftem of Helvetius is not true. 
Helvetius alfo fays, that, ‘* in children, | 
“the difference of underftanding and 
‘¢ character is not always very obvious.” 
But if it be ever very obvious, can the 
fyitem of Helvetius be well grounded ? 
. Speaking of different clafles of men, 
your Correfpondent afks, “« Who will 
*< look for honefty among lawyers?”’ I 
fhould not take it for granted, without 
fome proof, that even our reverend 
judges were all men of incorruptible in- 
tegrity ; but furely all lawyers are not 
all equally knaves. Sir George Jefferies” 
and Sir Matthew Hale were both edu- 
cated lawyers, and both praétifed in the 
courts of England ; and yet they were 
certainly very different characters. 
M.H. fays, ‘‘ The inftitution of the: 
‘¢ Jefuits proves, on the fureft of all 
‘¢ foundations, that of experience, the 
*< force of difcipline. A Jefuit, in 
““ every part of the world, amidft all 
‘the phyfical variations of tempera- 
<< ment and climate, was the fame cha- 
‘‘ raéter, having his views direéted 
‘“* towards the fame end.’ It is natural 
to fuppofe, that there might be a gene~ 
ral refemblance in members of the fame 
community, educated ‘in the fame man- 
ner, and trained up with the fame 
views ; but there can be no reafonable 
doubt, and the hiftory of the Jefuits will 
prove, that thofe who were intimately 
acquainted with that fraternity, difcovered 
very confiderable variations in the cha- 
raéters of individuals, with refpeét both 
to morals and intelleétual acquifitions. 
The fociety of Jefuits, theretore, can 
afford no proof of the truth of the 
fyftem of Helvetius. 
M. H. talks of “‘ the true method of 
‘ GENERATING TALENTS. ~-1 donot 
know that there is any method of; 
GENERATING TALENTS 3 though it is 
certain, that powerful motives, and. in- 
terefting fituations, will lead men to a 
vigorous exertion of their talents, amd, 
occafion actions: to be performed, and 
works td be produced, that would not, 
otherwife have had an exiftence. All 
this, 
