they are prefumptuously ftyled, are too low to be mentioned; and foreign feminaries are likely to prejudice the unwary mind with Calvinifm. But Englifh univerfities render their students virtuous, at least by excluding all opportunities of vice; and, by teaching them the principles of the Church of England, confirm them in thofe of true chriftianity.

NUMB. 34. SATURDAY, December 9, 1758.

To one bys the

O illuftrate one thing by its resemblance to

another, has been always the most popular and efficacious art of inftruction. There is indeed no other method of teaching that of which any one is ignorant but by means of fomething already known; and a mind fo enlarged by contemplation and enquiry, that it has always many objects within its view, will feldom be long without fome near and familiar image through which an easy tranfition may be made to truths more diftant and obfcure,

Of the parallels which have been drawn by wit and curiofity, fome are literal and real, as between poetry and painting, two arts which purfue the fame end, by the operation of the fame mental faculties, and which differ only as the one reprefents things by marks permanent and natural, the other by figns accidental and arbitrary. The one therefore is more eafily and generally understood, fince fimilitude of form is immediately perceived; the other is capable

of

of conveying more ideas, for men have thought and spoken of many things which they do not fee.

Other parallels are fortuitous and fanciful, yet thefe have fometimes been extended to many particulars of refemblance by a lucky concurrence of diligence and chance. The animal body is compofed of many members, united under the direction of one mind; any number of individuals, connected for fome common purpose, is therefore called a body. From this participation of the fame appellation arose the comparison of the body natural and body politick, of which, how far foever it has been deduced, no end has hitherto been found.

In these imaginary fimilitudes, the fame word is used at once in its primitive and metaphorical sense. Thus health, afcribed to the body natural, is oppofed to fickness; but attributed to the body politick stands as contrary to adverfity. These parallels therefore have more of genius, but lefs of truth; they often pleafe, but they never convince.

Of this kind is a curious fpeculation frequently indulged by a philofopher of my acquaintance, who had discovered, that the qualities requifite to converfation. are very exactly reprefented by a bowl of punch.

Punch, fays this profound investigator, is a liquor compounded of spirit and acid juices, fugar and water. The spirit, volatile and fiery, is the proper emblem of vivacity and wit; the acidity of the lemon will very aptly figure pungency of raillery, and acrimony of cenfure; fugar is the natural representative of luscious adulation and gentle complaifance; and water is the proper hieroglyphick of eafy prattle, innocent and taftelefs.

K 4

Spirit

Spirit alone is too powerful for use. It will produce madness rather than merriment; and instead of quenching thirst will inflame the blood. Thus wit, too copiously poured out, agitates the hearer with emotions rather violent than pleafing; every one fhrinks from the force of its oppreffion, the company fits intranced and overpowered; all are aftonished, but nobody is pleased.

The acid juices give this genial liquor all its power of ftimulating the palate. Converfation would become dull and vapid, if negligence were not fometimes roused, and fluggishness quickened, by due feverity of reprehenfion. But acids unmixed will diftort the face and torture the palate; and he that has no other qualities than penetration and afperity, he whose conftant employment is detection and cenfure, who looks only to find faults, and speaks only to punish them, will foon be dreaded, hated, and avoided.

The tale of fugar is generally pleafing, but it cannot long be eaten by itself. Thus meeknefs and courtesy will always recommend the firft addrefs, but foon pall and nauseate, unless they are affociated with more fprightly qualities. The chief ufe of fugar is to temper the tafte of other fubftances; and foftness of behaviour in the fame manner mitigates the roughnefs of contradiction, and allays the bitterness of unwelcome truth.

Water is the univerfal vehicle by which are conveyed the particles neceffary to fuftenance and growth, by which thirst is quenched, and all the wants of life and nature are fupplied. Thus all the bufinefs of the world is transacted by artless and easy talk, neither fublimed by fancy, nor difcoloured by affecta,

2

tion,

tion, without either the harshness of fatire, or the lusciousness of flattery. By this limpid vein of language, curiofity is gratified, and all the knowledge is conveyed which one man is required to impart for the safety or convenience of another. Water is the only ingredient of punch which can be used alone, and with which man is content till fancy has framed an artificial want. Thus while we only defire to have our ignorance informed, we are most delighted with the plaineft diction; and it is only in the moments of idleness or pride, that we call for the gratifications of wit or flattery.

He only will please long, who, by tempering the acid of fatire with the fugar of civility, and allaying the heat of wit with the frigidity of humble chat, can make the true punch of conversation; and as that punch can be drunk in the greateft quantity which has the largest proportion of water, fo that companion will be ofteneft welcome, whofe talk flows out with inoffenfive copioufnefs, and unenvied infipidity.

NUMB.

NUMB. 35. SATURDAY, December 16, 1758.

I

Mr. IDLER,

To the IDLER.

F it be difficult to perfuade the idle to be bufy, it is likewife, as experience has taught me, not easy to convince the bufy that it is better to be idle. When you fhall defpair of ftimulating fluggishness to motion, I hope you will turn your thoughts towards the means of ftilling the buftle of pernicious activity.

I am the unfortunate husband of a buyer of bargains. My wife has fomewhere heard, that a good housewife never has any thing to purchafe when it is wanted. This maxim is often in her mouth, and always in her head. She is not one of those philofophical talkers that fpeculate without practice; and learn fentences of wifdom only to repeat them; fhe is always making additions to her ftores; fhe never looks into a broker's fhop, but the fpies fomething that may be wanted fome time; and it is impoffible to make her pass the door of a houfe where the hears goods felling by auction.

Whatever the thinks cheap, fhe holds it the duty of an economift to buy; in confequence of this maxim, we are incumbered on every fide with ufelefs lumber. The fervants can fcarcely creep to their beds through the chefts and boxes that furround them. The carpenter is employed once a

week