EIZ 
Milton alfo, notwithftanding the feverity 
ef his learning, appears to have been at- 
tached, in no inconfiderable degree, to the 
perufal of romances. And what is the 
ftory of ‘* The admirable Critchton, who 
was— Lam Marti, quam Mercurio 3? 
and is faid to have poflefled powers, ap- 
parently beyond all human attainment, 
but a rereee or, at leaft, a true ftory 
romantica! ly embellifhed ? 
Frem thefe remarks, I would not be 
underftood as wifhing to make invidious 
comparifons between the learning of dif- 
ferent ages, or to depreciate that of our 
own. Unpen a fair inveftigation, there 
e2n be no doubt, I think, to which fide 
the {cale of general literature would in- 
cline. My object fimply is, to thew the 
different direStion which letters take, and 
the different patronage which they obtain, 
iy different periods of fociety. Indeed, 
learning may move properly be faid to 
fead than to fellow the courfe of the 
world: fince, though it may, at firft, 
bend to-the fpirit of the age, it will.in 
the end affuredly dire&t, and govern it. 
‘Phe general ftock of genius is, perhaps, 
always pretty equal: “the opportunities 
of improving it, and the fupport it re. 
celves, vary with the times. Petrarch 
and Erafmus were carefled by popes and 
princes: Butler, Otway, and.Chatterton, 
not much inferior in merit, were abfo- 
lutely ftarved ; and Johnfon, whofe moral 
works were ealeulted to delight and 
pepe the age, lived tong in diftrefs, 
and at length received a f{canty pention. 
In fome ages, and upon fome occaiicns; 
at muft be admitted, a genius darts upon 
the world with sntelicstoal powers, that 
no indufry, in: the common courfe of 
things, can hope to equal: but this is 
a particuler cafe, and. is generally. com- 
peniated fome other way. If former 
times have enjoyed works of more fancy, 
and fublimity of imagination, than are 
given to us, we, in return, pofiefs more 
ufeful acquifitions. If they have had 
their Spencer, Taffo, and Shak{peare, we 
boaft Newton, Locke, and Johnfon.— 
Science, tafte, and correction, are indeed 
the charatteriftics of the prefent day. 
Every thing is refined; every thing is 
grand. We are actually mifers in Sie 4 
and tafte, and have left nothing for pol- 
terity. “ Venimus ad fummum fortune’ — 
We learn our Greek from the Purfuits 
pt Literature, and our morality from Pa- 
rifiot: and I do not fee how we are to 
be outdone either in Jearning or in drefs. 
I remain, Sir, &c. &c. 
AUSONIUS. 
Wells, Nerjolk, O8. 24, 1798.4 
Errors in the Walpoliana. 
And darted forth 
[Feb. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Maganine 
SIR, 
6 the laft number of your Walpoliana, 
there is an egregious blunder, into 
which one would hardly have thought 
that fuch 2 man as Lord Orford could 
have fallen. His Lordfhip’s obferva- 
tions on the profound {tudy of mathema- 
tics will only excite a {mile in thofe who 
are well verfed in that {cience. But upon 
‘¢ hiftorical faét,’’ Lord Orford cer- 
oe ought to have been more ‘exaét. 
Speaking of Dr. South’s opinion of com- 
mentators on the Revelations, he calls 
him aBifhop. But that ingenious divine 
Hever role higher in the church than toa 
prebeadal fall in Weftminiter Abbey: 
If he had been a man of lefs note, there 
would } have been the leis reafon to notice 
this inaccur racy but the church of Eng- 
land has produced few divines of greater 
celebrity than South. His fermons are a 
treafure of wit and found reafoning. He 
was educated at Weftminfter fchool, under 
the great Bufby, who treated him with 
uncommon feverity, for which he al- 
ledged this as a reafon: * TI fee great ta- 
lenis in that obftinate boy, and I am de- 
termined to flog them into action.” In 
his latter days, D Dr. South became a very 
zealous Calviniit, but he retained his 
animofity againft the Puritans, from a 
remenibrance of their conduét in the civil 
wars, to the lait period of his life. His 
ftatue in Weftminiter Abbey is exquilitely 
done. 
Few of your readers, I believe, will ac- 
quiefce in Lord Ortord’s judgment of Sir 
Ifaac Newton’s book on Daniel-and the 
Apocalypte, or that on Chronology. I 
much ae whether his lordfhip ever 
read either. Iam, Sir, your’s, &c. 
Fan. 10, 1799. J. W. 

For the Mouthly Magazine. 
PERSONIFICATIONS IN PoETRY. 
(Continued from Page 434.) 
(Ganceere NESS, an affection of all 
the moft friendly to the mind, has 
excited few efforts of the imagination 
among poets, 2 race feldom much under 
her influence. Spenfer has merely fketched 
the countenance of.a cheerful perfon. 
And her again, fweet Cheerfulnefs was 
plac’d, 
Whofe eyes, like twinkling ftars in evening 
clear, 
Were ceck’d with fmiles that all fad humours 
chac’d, 
delights, the which her 
goodly grac’d. F. Q. iv. 10. 
