they smell of the lamp, which indicates a laboured performance. Moreover, a too great solicitude of excelling often cramps the mind, and impedes its success, like water, which being forced and pressed too violently, cannot find an outlet even in an open gutter. This disposition does not require to be rouzed by strong paffions, like the anger of Cassius, but it should be warmed and awakened by occasional occurrences, as fortunate as unexpected; by proceeding unmoved, it only languishes and becomes insipid; agitation gives it new life and grace. I owe a great deal of my vigour to chance, to occasion, to company; even the change of my voice produces more y animation than when modulated in its ordinary tone. While I am speaking, I develope the subject, without seeking for it, and find the meaning sooner accidentally than from the most laborious search. Thus I succeed better in speaking than writing, if either are to be preferred, where neither are of much value. Let us wave all ceremony, and every one speak according to his own talent. If I refine too much, I should produce no effect. I have at times so entirely lost my own powers, that I scarce knew what I wished to say, and a stranger has explained my meaning before me: at other times chance has revealed the sense to me, clearer than the sun at noon-day, and I have been astonished at my former hesitation. they smell of the lamp, which indicates a laboured performance. Moreover, a too great folicitude of excelling often cramps the mind, and impedes its fuccefs, like water, which being forced and preffed too violently, cannot find an outlet even in an open gutter. This difpofition does not require to be rouzed by strong paffions, like the anger of Caffius, but it fhould be warmed and awakened by occafional occurrences, as fortunate as unexpected; by proceeding unmoved, it only languishes and becomes infipid; agitation gives it new life and grace. I owe a great deal of iny vigour to chance, to occafion, to company; even the change of my voice produces more my animation than when modulated in its ordinary tone. While I am speaking, I develope the subject, without feeking for it, and find the meaning fooner accidentally than from the most laborious fearch. Thus I fucceed better in fpeaking than writing, if either are to be preferred, where neither are of much value. Let us wave all ceremony, and every one speak according to his own talent. If I refine too much, I fhould produce no effect. I have at times fo entirely loft my own powers, that I scarce knew what I wifhed to fay, and a stranger has explained my meaning before me: at other times chance has revealed the fenfe to me, clearer than the fun at noon-day, and I have been astonished at my former hesitation. ESSAY 10. ON ORACLE S. ORACLES, for a considerable time before the christian era, began to lose their credit, for we perceive that Cicero endeavours to find the cause of their failure. His words are, "what is the reason there are so sew oracles at Delphos, and that they are so universally despised." Concerning other prognostics, such as are drawn from the anatomy of beasts at sacrifices, the cluttering of the feet of fowls; the flights of birds; claps of thunder; the winding of rivers; and various signs on which the ancients relied for the success of most of their public and private enterprizes; they are abolished by Christianity. And although there yet remain some practices of divination from the stars, from dreams, &c. they are now considered as strange examples of the extravagant curiosity of our nature, amusing ourselves with futurity, as if we had |