nounce all regard for religious truth, both natural and revealed. Jupiter and his kindred gods may pafs for machines in an an- 1 cient Epic poem; but in a modern one they would be ridiculous, even in that capacity: a proof, that in fpite of the enchanting ftrains wherein their atchievements are celebrated, they have loft all credit and confideration in the world, and that the idolatrous fables of claffical poetry can never more do any harm. From the fcepticism of Pyrrho, and the Atheism of Epicurus, what danger is now to be apprehended! The language of Empiricus, and the poetry of Lucretius, may claim attention; but the reafonings of both the one and the other are too childish to fubvert any found principle, or corrupt any good heart; and would probably have been forgotten or defpifed long ago, if fome worthy authors of these latter times had not taken pains to revive and recommend them. The parts of ancient science that are, and always have been, studied moft, are the Peripatetic and Stoical fyftems; and thefe may undoubtedly be read, not only without danger, but even with great benefit both to the heart and to the understanding.

The finest treatifes of Pagan morality are indeed imperfect; but their authors are entitled to honour, for a good intention, and for having done their beft. Error in that fcience, as well as in theology, though in us the effect of prejudice and pride, was generally

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rally in them the effect of ignorance thofe of them, whofe names are moft renowned, and whofe doctrines are best understood, as Socrates, Ariftotle, Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and Antoninus, have probably done, and still may do, service to mankind, by the importance of their precepts, by their amiable pictures of particular virtues, and by the pathetic admonitions and appofite examples and reafonings wherewith their morality is enforced. Love to their country; the parental, filial, and conjugal charities; refignation to the Divine will; fuperiority to the evils of life, and to the gifts of fortune; the laws of justice, the rights. of human nature; the dignity of temperance, the bafenefs of fenfuality, the proper direction of fortitude, and a generous, candid, and friendly behaviour, are enjoined in their writings with a warmth of expreffion, and force of argument, which a Christian moralift might be proud to imitate. - In a

word, I think it may be affirmed with confidence, that the knowledge of ancient philofophy and hiftory muft contribute to the improvement of the human mind, but cannot now corrupt the heart or understanding of any perfon who is a friend to truth and virtue.

But what have you to fay in vindication of the indecency of the ancient poets, of Ariftophanes, Catullus, Ovid, Martial, Petronius, and even of Perfius, Juvenal, and Ho

race?

race? Truly, not a word. I abandon every thing of that fort, whether modern or ancient, to the utmost vengeance of Satire and Criticism; and fhould rejoice to hear, that from the monuments of human wit all indecency were expunged for ever. Nor is there any circumftance that could attend fuch a purification, that would make me regret it. The immoral paffages in most of the authors now mentioned are but few, and have neither elegance nor harmony to recommend them to any but profligates:

fo ftrict is the connection between virtue and good tafte; and fo true it is, that want of decency will always in one degree or other betray want of fenfe. Horace, Perfius, Martial, Catullus, and Ovid himself, might give up all their immoralities, without lofing any of their wit:- and as to Ariftophanes and Petronius, I have never been able to difcover any thing in either, that might not be configned to eternal oblivion, without the leaft detriment to literature. The latter, notwithftanding the name which he has, I know not how, acquired, is in every respect (with the referve of a few tolerable verses scattered through his book) a vile writer; his style harth and affected; and his argument fuch as can excite no emotion, in any mind not utterly depraved, but contempt and abhorrence. The wit and humour of the Athenian poet are now become almoft invisible, and feem never to have been very confpicuous.

The

The reception he met with in his own time. was probably owing to the licentioufness of his manners, and the virulence of his defamation, (qualities which have given a temporary name to more bad poets than one); and for his reputation in latter times, as a claffic author, he must have been indebted, not to the poignancy of his wit, or the delicacy of his humour, nor to his powers of invention and arrangement, nor to any natural difplay of human manners to be found in him, (for of all this merit he seems to be deftitute), but folely to the antiquity of his language. In proof of one part of this remark, it may be obferved, that Plato in his Sympofium defcribes him as a glutton, drunkard, and profligate and to evince the probability of another part of it, I need only mention the exceffive labour and zeal wherewith commentators have illuftrated certain Greek and Latin performances, which if they had been written in our days would never have been read, and which cannot boast of any excellence, either in the fentiment or compofition.

But do you really think, that fuch mutilations of the old poets, as you feem to propofe, can ever take place? Do you think, that the united authority of all the potentates on earth could annihilate, or confign to oblivion, those exceptionable paffages? I do not: but I think that those paffages fhould never be explained, nor put in the hands of children,

children. And fure, it is not neceffary that they should. In fome late editions of Horace, the impurities are omitted, and not fo much left as a line of afterifks, to raise a boy's curiofity. By the attention of parents and teachers, might not all the poets ufually read in fchools be printed in the fame manner? Might not children be informed, that, in order to become learned, it is neceffary to read, not every Greek and Latin book, but those books only that may mend the heart, improve the tafte, and enlarge the understanding? Might they not be made fenfible of the importance of Bacon's aphorifm, "That fome books are to be tafted, others

to be swallowed, and fome few to be

chewed and digested?"—that is, as the Noble author explains it, "That fome are to "be read only in parts; others to be read, "but not curioufly; and fome few to be "read wholly with diligence and attention ?” -a rule, which, if duly attended to, would greatly promote the advancement of true learning, and the pleasure and profit of the student. Might not a young man be taught to fet a proper value on good compofitions, and to entertain fuch contempt for the bad, as would secure him against their influence ? All this I cannot but think practicable, if those who fuperintend education would study to advance the moral as well as intellectual improvement of the scholar; and if teachers, tranflators, and commentators, would confider,

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