- - 
240 
or caprices to ‘gratify, thofe virtues cof 
him fo little, that he deferves no praife for 
them; for they are rather a diminution of 
vice than an increafe of goodnefs. 
As there are but few perfons whom he 
truly regards, and as fo thofe féw he 
makes no parade of affection ; thofe ie 
do not thoroughly know him fuppofe hi 
to be incapable of friendthip. No aut 
however, takes a more lively interett i in the 
happineis or the misfortunes of his friends. 
Their interefts deprive him of fleep, and 
on their account he thinks no facrifice too 
great. 
His foul, naturally fenfible, loves to 
entertain agrecable fentiments, and hence 
i is at once Seu ned to be gay and melan- 
choly. To this laf jmpreffion, indeeds 
it furrenders itfelf with a fort of delight ; 
and this natural bias of his mind toa pen- 
five mood very much qualifies him for 
writing on meurnful and pathetic fub- 
jects. > 
With fuch a difpofition it 
pear furprifing, that in his youth M, 
D’Alembert was fufceptible of the eee 
lively, the moft tender, and the moft de- 
Memoirs of D? Alembert. 
will not BP: 
[OGober rj 
lightful of all the “paffions; but folitude 
and different purfuits for a long time kept 
him a ttranger to its impreffions. The 
fentiment flept, fo to fpeak, in the bot-. 
tom of his foul; and its refufcitation was 
terrible. Love has been his bane, and 
the torment he has fuffered from ~ it 
long made him fick of the world, of life, 
and even of ftudy itfelf. pi, having con= 
fumed the early years of his life in medita- 
tion and lite: rary labour, he has feen, likethe © 
ancient fage, the vanity of human know- 
ledge, w hich cannot fill the capacity of the 
foul, and has exclaimed with Amyntas in 
Taffo, <¢ T have loft the time, which I have 
paffed without love |”. But as he was not 
eafily fubdued by love; he was not eafily 
perfuaded that he was himfelf the object 
of that paffion. _Too long arefiftance dif= 
couraged him, not by offending his felf- 
- love; “but becaule the fimplicity and cans 
dour cf his mind would not ajlow him to 
believe that a continued refiftance could 
be only apparent. His foul requires te be 
replenifhed, not tormented ; to be foothed: 
with agreeable emotions, ade to be works 
out with mortifyi ing agitation. 

ExiraGs from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. 
—L 
ELECTIONS. 
HE following is a remarkable fpeci- 
men of electing members for parlia- 
ment in the Jaft century. It was“teken 
from a memorandum MS of J. Harring- 
ton, Efq. of Kelfion, in Somerfetfhire. 
Dated 1646. 
«| A note of my BatTue bufineffe 
aboute the parliament. Saturday, De- 
cember 26, 1646, went to BaTHE, and 
dined withe the maior and citizens; con- 
ferred about my election to ferve in parii- 
ament, as my father was helplefs, and ill- 
zble to go any m sore.— Went to the 
George-inn at night, met the bailiffs, and 
defired to be difmifjed fram ferving 5 drank 
ftrong beer and metheglin ; expended about 
three fhillings.; went home late, but could 
not get excufed, as they entertained a good 
epinion of my father. 
_ Monday, December 28, went to BATHE ; 
met Sir John Horner 5 we were chofen by 
the citizens to ferve for the city.. The 
maior and citizens conferred about pailia- 
ment bufinefs. Whe maior promifed Sir 
John Hurner and myfelf a borfe a-piece, 
when we went to London to the parlia- 
‘ment, wi hich we accepted of ; and we talk- 
ed about the fynod, and ecclefiattical dif- 
miffions. D am to go again on Thurfday, 
and meet the citizens about all fuch mat- 
ters, and take advice thereon.” 
‘© Thurfday 31, went to BATHE ; Mr. 
Athe preached. Dined at the George-inn, 
with the maior and four citizens ; {pent at: 
dinner fix fhillings im wine. 
Laid out in victuals at the George 
inn - = IIs. 4de 
Laid out in dvinbine ~1 my , eg 
Laid out in tobacco and drink- 
‘ing veflels - - A 4 : 
«¢ Jan. 1, my father gave me four 
pounds. to bear my expences at Barue. 
Mr. Chapman, the maior, came to Kel- 
fton, and returned thanks for my being 
chofen to ferve in parliament, to my father, 
in name of all the citizens, My ifather 
gave me good advice, touching my {peak- 
ing in Parliament as the city fhould dire 
me. Came home late at night from 
BaTueE, much troubled hereat concerning 
my preceeding truly for man’ s good re- 
port, and my own fafety..”” 
“¢ Note. I gave the city meflenger two 
fhillings for bearing the maior’s letter to 
me. Laid out in all three pounds feven 
fhillings for vi€tuals, drink, and horfe= 
hire, together with divers gifts.” . 
BIBLES 
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