SECT. IV. Reflections on the Principles of Affociation SECT. V. The two Kinds of Genius farther compared Published by the fame Author, An ESSAY on TASTE, WITH Three DISSERTATIONS on the fame Subject, by Mr. De VOLTAIRE, Mr. D'ALEMBERT, F. R. S. and Mr. De MONTESQUIEU. THE SECOND EDITION, Printed for T. CADELL in the Strand. AN I A N ESSAY O N GENIUS. T is remarked by those who have confidered the state of human knowlege with greatest attention, that the subjects of men's enquiries have been, in moft cafes, determined by accident, and not pursued with regular application, according to their dignity or their natural connexion. On this account, fome fubjects of the greatest importance have been totally neglected, and many more have been imperfectly examined, and profecuted no farther than fuperficial obfervations spontaneously occurred, and cafual inclination difposed men to attend to them. This has happened in all the sciences, but especially in the science B fcience of human nature. It has feldom been explored with that care which is requifite in a subject fo fubtile and abftrufe. Far from taking a complete furvey of this curious region, men have fatisfied themselves with fome random incurfions, vifiting only a few tracts which happened to engage their curiofity, and penetrating even into these, only fo far as fome prefent view required. ALL the fame caufes which produce fuch a fuperficial and fortuitous method of investigation with regard to other fubjects, produce it likewife with regard to the human mind: and fome circumftances render our enquiries on this fubject, flight and accidental, which do not extend their influence to the others. The phenomena of the mind have not fo great teddinefs of exiftence, as the qualities of bodies. It is impoffible to make experiments fo purposely on the understanding or the paffions, to purfue them fo deliberately, or to repeat them fo eafily, as on material things. It is neceffary to catch appearances as they happen to discover themselves, either immediately to a man's own consciousness, or by their effects in the conduct or conversation of |