the human powers. If we except thofe gigantic and ftupendous intelligences who are faid to grafp a fyftem by intuition, and bound forward from one series of conclufions to another, without regular steps thro' intermediate propofitions, the most fuccessful students make their advances in knowledge by fhort flights, between each of which the mind may lie at reft. For every single act of progreffion a fhort time is fufficient; and it is only neceffary, that whenever that time is afforded, it will be well employed.

Few minds will be long confined to fevere and laborious meditation; and when a fuccessful attack on knowledge has been made, the student recreates himself with the contemplation of his conqueft, and forbears another incurfion, till the new acquired truth has become familiar, and his curiofity calls upon him for fresh gratifications. Whether the time of intermiffion is fpent in company, or in folitude, in necessary business, or in voluntary levities, the understanding is equally abstracted from the object of enquiry, but, perhaps, if it be detained by occupations lefs pleafing, it returns again to study with greater alacrity, than when it is glutted with ideal pleafures, and furfeited with intemperance of application. He that will not fuffer himself to be difcouraged by fancied impof

fibilities,

fbilities, may fometimes find his abilities invigo rated by the neceffity of exerting them in fhort intervals, as the force of a current is increased by the contraction of its channel.

From fome caufe like this, it has probably proceeded, that among those who have contributed to the advancement of learning, many have rifen to eminence in oppofition to all the obftacles which external circumftances could place in their way, amidst the tumult of bufinefs, the diftreffes. of poverty, or the diffipations of a wandering and unfettled ftate. A great part of the life of Erafmus was one continual peregrination; ill supplied with the gifts of fortune, and led from city to city, and from kingdom to kingdom, by the hopes of patrons and preferments: hopes which always flattered, and always deceived him: he yet found means by unfhaken conftancy, and a vigilant improvement of those hours, which, in the midst of the most restless activity, will remain unengaged, to write more than another, in the fame condition, would have hoped to read. Compelled by want to attendance and folicitation, and fo verfed in commom life, that he has tranfmitted to us the most perfect delineation of the manners of his age. He joined to his knowledge of the world, fuch application to books, that he will ftand for ever in the first rank

of literary heroes. obtained, he fufficiently difcovers by informing us, that the Praife of Folly, one of his moft celebrated performances, was composed by him on his road to Italy; ne totum illud tempus quo equo fuit infidendum, illiteratis fabulis tereretur, left the hours which he was obliged to spend on horfeback fhould be tattled away without regard to literature.

How this proficiency was

An Italian philofopher expreffed in his motto, that time was his eftate; an eftate indeed, which will produce nothing without cultivation, but will always abundantly repay the labours of induftry, and fatisfy the moft extenfive defires, if no part of it be suffered to lie wafte by negligence, to be over-run with noxious plants, or laid out for fhew rather than for use.

ANECDOTE

OF A

ROYAL VISIT TO BRISTOL,

IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE.

RINCE

PRIN

nce GEORGE OF DENMARK, the nominal King, confort to Queen Anne, in paffing through this city, appeared on the Exchange, attended only by one gentleman, a military

officer,

officer, and remained there till the merchants had pretty generally withdrawn, not one of them having fufficient resolution to speak to him, as perhaps they might not be prepared to ask such a gueft to their houfes. But this was not the case with all who faw him; for a perfon, whose name was J. Duddlestone, a bodice maker, who lived at or near where Mr. J. R. Lucas now lives, in Corn Street, went up and asked him if he was not the husband of the Queen, who informed him he was. J Duddleston told him, he had obferved, with a good deal of concern, that none of the merchants had invited him home to dinner, telling him he did not apprehend it was for want of love to the Queen or to him, but because they did not confider themselves prepared to entertain fo great a man; but he was afhamed to think of his dining at an inn and requested him to go and dine with him, and bring the gentleman along with him, informing him, that he had a piece of good beef and a plum pudding, and ale of his dame's own brewing.

The Prince admired the loyalty of the man; and, though he had bespoke a dinner at the WhiteLion, went with him; and when they got to the house, Duddlestone called his wife, who was up stairs, defiring her to put on a clean apron, and come down fairs; for the Queen's hufband and another gen

tleman

tleman were come to dine with them. She accordingly came down, with a clean blue apron, and was immediately faluted by the Prince. In courfe of the dinner, the Prince asked him if he ever went to London? He said, that fince the ladies had worn stays instead of bodicies, he fometimes went to buy whalebone; whereupon the Prince defired him to take his wife with him when he went again, at the fame time giving him a card to facilitate his introduction to him at Court.

In the course of a little time he took his wife behind him to London, and with the affiftance of the card, found eafy admittance to the Prince and by him they were introduced to the Queen, who invited them to an approaching public dinner, informing them that they must have new cloaths for the occafion, allowing them to chufe for themfelves: So they each chofe purple velvet, fuch as the Prince had on, which was accordingly provided for them; and in that dress they were introduced by the Queen herself as the most loyal perfons in the city of Bristol, who had invited the Prince her husband to their houfe; and after the entertainment the Queen defiring him to kneel down, laid a fword on his head, and, to use Lady Duddleftone's own words, faid to him, "Ston up Sir Jan." He was offered money or a place

under