Senfe. Thefe daughters Experience had by dif ferent mothers. The elder is the offspring of Reason, the younger is the child of Fancy. The elder regular her in features, and majestic both in fhape and mien, is admirably fitted for commanding efteem, and even a religious veneration; the younger careless, blooming, fprightly, is entirely formed for captivating the heart, and engaging love. The converfation of each is entertaining and inftructive, but in different ways. Sages feem to think that there is more inftruction to be gotten from the just observations of the elder; almoft all are agreed that there is more entertainment in the lively fallies of the younger. The principal companion and favourite of the first is Truth, but whether Truth or Fiction fhare moft in the favour of the fecond, it were often difficult to fay. Both are naturally well-difpofed, and even friendly to Virtue, but the elder is by much the more fteady of the two; the younger, though perhaps not lefs capable of doing good, is more eafily corrupted, and hath fometimes bafely turned procurefs to Vice. Though rivals, they have a fifterly affection to each other, and love to be together. The elder, fenfible that there are but few who can for any time relish her fociety alone, is generally anxious

anxious that her fifter be of the party; the younger, confcious of her own fuperior talents in this refpect, can more eafily dispense with the other's company. Nevertheless, when the is difcourfing on great and ferious fubjects, in order to add weight to her words, the often quotes her fifter's teftimony, which the knows is better credited than her own, a compliment that is but fparingly returned by the elder. Each fifter hath her admirers. Thofe of the younger are more numerous, thofe of the elder more conftant. In the retinue of the former you will find the young, the gay, the diffipated; but these are not her only attendants. The middle-aged, however, and the thoughtful, more commonly attach themselves to the latter. To conclude; as fomething may be learned of characters from the invectives of enemies, as well as from the encomiums of friends, those who have not judgment to difcern the good qualities of the first-born, accufe her of dulnefs, pedantry, and ftiffness; thofe who have not tafte to relish the charms of the fecond, charge her with folly, levity, and falfenefs. Meantime, it appears to be the univerfal opinion of the impartial, and fuch as have been beft acquainted with both, that though the attractives of the younger be more irresistible

Trrefiftible at fight, the virtues of the elder will be longer remembered.

So much for the two qualities, probability and plaufibility, on which I have expatiated the more, as they are the principal, and in fome refpect, indispensable. The others are not compatible with every fubject; but as they are of real moment, it is neceffary to attend to them, that fo they may not be overlooked in cafes wherein the fubject requires that they be urged,

PART III. Importance.

THE third circumftance I took notice of was importance, the appearance of which always tends by fixing attention more clofely to add brightnefs and ftrength to the ideas. The importance in moral fubjects is analogous to the quantity of matter in phyfical fubjects, as on quantity the moment of moving bodies in a great measure depends. An action may derive importance from its own nature, from thofe concerned in it as acting or fuffering, or from its confequences, It derives importance from its own nature, if it be fupendous in its kind, if the refult of what is uncommonly great, whether good or bad, paffion or invention, virtue or vice, as what in

refpect

refpect of generofity is godlike, what in refpect of atrocity is diabolical: it derives importance from thofe concerned in it, when the actors or the fufferers are confiderable, on account either of their dignity or of their number, or of both: it derives importance from its confequences, when these are remarkable in regard to their greatnefs, their multitude, their extent, and that either as to the many and diftant places affected by them, or as to the future and remote periods to which they may reach, or as to both.

ALL the four remaining circumftances derive their efficacy purely from one and the fame caufe, the connexion of the subject with those occupied, as speaker or hearers, in the discourse. Self is the centre here, which hath a fimilar power in the ideal world, to that of the fun in the material world, in communicating both light and heat to whatever is within the fphere of its activity, and in a greater or a lefs degree, according to the nearness or remoteness.

PART IV. Proximity of time.

FIRST, as to proximity of time, every one knows, that any melancholy incident is the more affecting that it is recent. Hence it is be

come

come common with story-tellers, that they may make a deeper impreffion on their hearers, to introduce remarks like thefe; that the tale which they relate is not old, that it happened but lately, or in their own time, or that they are yet living who had a part in it, or were witneffes of it. Proximity of time regards not only the paft but the future. An event that will probably foon happen, hath greater influence upon us than what will probably happen a long time hence. I have hitherto proceeded on the hypothefis, that the orator roufes the paffions of his hearers, by exhibiting fome paft tranfaction; but we must acknowledge that paffion may be as ftrongly excited by his reafonings concerning an event yet to come. In the judiciary orations there is greater scope for the former, in the deliberative for the latter; though in each kind there may occafionally be fcope for both. All the feven circumstances enumerated are applicable, and have equal weight, whether they relate to the future or to the paft: The only exception that I know of is, that probability and plaufibility are fcarce diftinguishable, when used in reference to events in futurity. As in these there is no access for teftimony, what conftitutes the principal diftinction. is quite excluded. In comparing the influence

of