have nothing to do: always endeavour to suit your employ to the circumstances of your situation. I would advise, when you are engaged with your friends, to let your pursuit be of a nature that does not require close application; as I think it a mark of ill breeding to bestow great attention on any object which does not immediately conduce to their amusement. Lady L. I suppose, as you are fond of reading, you will expect it to employ great part of our time. For Ment. You are mistaken, my dear, I am no friend to persons of your age spending much time in reading, except to those who are capable and willing to correct their errors. though by industry you may comprehend the meaning of words, you can never attain the just pronunciation but by the instruction of an intelligent mind. Lady M. I cannot yet discover, my dear Mentoria, in what you mean to differ from your usual mode of practice; are we to be detained longer with you in the morning? Ment. It is not my intention to keep you one moment longer than the usual time. It is not the number of hours, but the use you make of them, which will secure your improvement. The The mental as well as the corporeal facultics, derive the most advantage from that sustenance which is administered in small quantities; the lighter the quality, the easier it is digested, and more conducive to the support and nourishment of the whole system. Lady L. What are the peculiar advantages of industry? Ment. They are of such general utility, it is impossible to enumerate them: those who are distinguished by any extraordinary qualities, are commonly indebted to this virtue for the superior excellence they have attained. Many useful discoveries are produced by chance, which never could be brought to perfection without the aid of industry. I cannot produce a stronger instance to prove the efficacy of industry, than the advantages Demosthenes derived from this virtue. His example ought to teach us, that few difficulties are insurmountable; for by nature he was not designed as an orator, as his voice was weak and inharmonious, and his manner ungraceful. With these defects it is wonderful he applied himself to the study of eloquence, as of all others it seemed the least suited to his abilities. In order to remove the stammering articulation of his words, he used to declaim on different subjects with pebbles in his mouth when he was ascending steep places; which strengthened his powers of respiration. To accustom himself to the noise of the courts of justice, he frequently made orations by the sea-side, when the waves were most tempestuous. He was no less attentive to his action and general deportment: as he was conscious he had contracted a bad habit of shrugging up his shoulders, he caused a pulpit to be erected on such a particular construction, with an halbert hanging over it, in which he used to practise his declamations, that whenever the vehemence of his action prompted him to exceed the proper bounds, the halbert proved a useful monitor. His wisdom suggested to him the necessity of close application: he therefore had a study built under ground, where he used to seclude himself from the world, and often not appear for two or three months. Whilst he was in this retirement, he shaved but one side of his head, that he might not be tempted to appear in public. Lady L. I am astonished he had such a resolution: I dare say his friends used to laugh at him. Ment. The discouragement, my dear, he met 1 met with, enhances the merit of his perseverance; for, notwithstanding on his first appearance he was received with universal disapprobation, and even silenced by the hisses of the populace, so far from discontinuing his pursuit, he redoubled his assiduity, and at last became one of the most eloquent men of the age. Lady L. Do you think, my dear Madam, if I were to try and take great pains, I should sing as well as Signora Sestini? Ment. Try the experiment; always point out those as a model who excel; by which means you will acquire a tolerable degree of proficiency in the art you admire, though you may not be able to attain the same degree of excellence. Lady M. I am surprised more persons do not follow the example of Demosthenes. Ment. Few persons, my dear, are conscious of their own defects. It is necessary to be sensible of the weakness of our state before we can endeavour to fortify it. Those whose imperfections are so glaring, cannot be ignorant of them; but they turn their eyes from the dark side of the picture, and solace themselves that they possess some useful and agreeable quality, which serves as a counterpoise for those in B 4 which which they are defective. There is another reason, which may be alleged, why so few endeavour industriously to excel; namely, the repugnance of human nature to pursue any plan to which it has not a natural propensity. There are scarcely any who have resolution to act directly contrary to their inclination: and they urge in their defence, that the bent of the genius ought to be considered. To such persons I would reply, The initiation into all sciences and languages is tedious, and in some degree laborious. Perseverance, however, will enable us to gain the summit, which at our first view seemed inaccessible: and when we have attained thus far, we shall find the descent easy, and the path strewed with flowers, by the side of refreshing streams. I recollect a few lines I wrote the other day on Industry, which I will now repeat, as they are applicable to my present purpose. Th' industrious bee extracts from ev'ry flow'r By |