ship is providing only for, what comes of itself, a prodigy.

AND now, my Lord, with this preparation, I think myself enabled to reply dif tinctly to the several arguments you alledged for the expediency of foreign travel. It is very clear, that the most solid advantages are loft by it. But perhaps we shall find a recompenfe for this lofs, in the fhewy and ornamental accomplishments, which travel promifes; and which your Lordship fuppofes the world will readily, and with reafon, accept instead of them.

up

THESE accomplishments are fummed

in the BENEFITS of an enlarged fociety and converfation; which, again, branch out into many heads; and under different names, furnished, I think, the substance, as well as governed the method, of your vindication.

THIS was the polite and popular theme, which you chofe to drefs out in all the colours of your eloquence. To make way for these, and to lay them on with more effect, your Lordship was pleased to tell us a very melancholy ftory. England, it feems, is over-run with barbarism and ignorance; its inhabitants are rude and uncivilized; and nothing can be learnt among them, which is fit to appear in good company.

IF this had been faid of our forefathers in CÆSAR's time, or even in good King EDGAR'S, when the land, they say, was over-run with wolves (by which, I fuppofe, the monkish mythology means men, as favage); I could have found but little, it may be, to oppofe to the accufation. But at this time of day, when arts and letters have at least made fome progrefs among us; when commerce has extended our acquaintance

with

with the rudeft parts of the globe, and policy ftrengthened our connexions with the most civilized; when our country is filled with large flourishing towns, and even prides itself in a vaft, opulent, and fplendid metropolis; I could not but think the charge was a little aggravated, or that your Lordship had forgotten to fpeak of England, as it now fubfifts, in the clofe of the feventeenth century. It feemed to me as if the English might now, at least, deferve to be confidered as men; and that in our courts and camps, if not in our colleges, we might stand a chance of finding what your Lordship would not difdain to qualify with the name of gentlemen.

BUT the other reprefentation was more favourable to your Lordship's caufe: and out of that reprefentation arofe the feveral BARBARITIES, with which you thought fit to mortify and alarm us.

THE first fire of your zeal is fpent on that swarm of PREJUDICES, with which our English, or at least provincial, youth are commonly over-run.

PREJUDICES, my Lord, is an equivocal term; and may as well mean right opinions taken upon truft, and deeply rooted in the mind, as falfe and abfurd opinions, fo derived and grown into it.

THE former of these will do no hurt; on the contrary, perhaps, the very best part of education is employed in the culture of them,

BUT admit, they are of the latter fort: ftill they may be only the exceffes of right principles and notions. And in that cafe, I fhould doubt whether the evil be of confequence enough to deferve your indignation. Perhaps no man has enough of certain virtues, that does not

carry

carry them fomething too far. The juft. degree, the precise mean, is a nice point to hit. The condition of our common nature is such, that we either overshoot the mark, or fall fhort of it; and your Lordship easily apprehends which is the more convenient as well as more generous part, in this moral archery.

BESIDES, reflexion and experience will come in, foon enough to moderate thefe exceffes. So that, for my part, though our young patriot fhould happen to entertain the extravagant conceit, you diverted yourself with, of the foil and climate of Old England, I fhould take that for no great objection to his homebreeding, and fhould, poffibly, not be over forward to difabuse him of fuch honeft errors.

SURELY, my Lord, there are certain affociations of ideas, which, however oddly formed, your Lordship would be fomething loth to undo.