of the third Law of Conversation but tod plainly proved; and I have fulfilled my Plan.

One infallible Way of pleafing in Company fhall close my Difcourfe; this is, always to come into Company with the conftant Difpofition of feeming to take Part in, and be affected with whatever others tell you; to hear their Narrative with an Air of Satisfaction adapted to the Subject, never interrupting them to talk of your dear felf. At coming into Company, or at the Beginning of a Converfation with a fingle Perfon, I have fometimes put on this Refolution, and I never failed of my End. At taking my Leave, the Party expreffed the greatest Concern; and, at the fame Time, his Countenance flashed Rapture and Self-applaufe. So that whoever will keep in Mind this Maxim, may endear himself at very little Expence; and, without intermixing a great Deal of Sprightlinefs or Poignancy, fhall be better liked than the most brilliant Wit and the moft transcendent Genius. Yet I am very far from laying this down as a Precept; for, befides its not being altogether void of Diffimulation and Meannefs, to lay a perpetual Restraint on one's Self for those who, instead of making Returns, will only abuse it, is what we are by no Means obliged to. By acting fuch a Part I should, indeed, please

in Company; but should I be pleased with myself?

It is only by the unanimous Concurrence of Perfons defirous of mutual Inftruction, fcrupulous never to offend their Neighbour in their Talk, and intent on Pleafing, that we can hope to fee the Period of the Abufes above described, and a general Conformity to these so very valuable Laws of Converfation. But I check this rapturous Idea. -This is a World where it will never be realised*.

*This was written in Pruffia; and the following Lines, proceeding from a fimilar Spirit, in England; both unhappily fhew that Mankind, especially the Fair Sex, are every-where alike given up to Frivolity and Defamation:

Hail, ever-pleafing Solitude!

Companion of the Wife and Good!
But from whofe holy, piercing Eye
The Herd of Fools and Villains fly.
Oh! how I love with thee to walk,
And liften to thy whisper'd Talk ;
Which Innocence and Truth imparts,
And melts the most obdurate Hearts.
A thousand Shapes you wear with Eafe,
And ftill in ev'ry Shape you please :
Now, rapp'd in fome myfterious Dream,
A lone Philofopher you feem;
Now quick from Hill to Vale you fly,
And now you fweep the vaulted Sky,
And Nature triumphs in your Eye:
Thine is th' unbounded Breath of Morn,
Juft as the dew-bent Rofe is born;

}

And,

And, while meridian Fervors beat,
Thine is the Woodland's dumb Retreat;
But chief, when Ev'ning Scenes decay,
And the faint Landfkip fwims away,
Thine is the doubtful dear Decline,
And that beft Hour of Mufing thine.
Defcending Angels blefs thy Train,
The Virtues of the Sage and Swain;"
Plain Innocence, in White array'd,
And Contemplation rears the Head;
Religion, with her awful Brow,
And wrapp'd Urania waits on you.
Oh let me pierce thy fecret Cell,
And in thy deep Receffes dwell;
For ever with thy Raptures fir'd,
For ever from the World retir'd;
Nor by a Mortal seen, fave he
A Lycidas or Lycon be.

Dodley's Collection.

ON

ON THE

SCALE

O F

BEING S.

I

T has long fince been evident to those who are beft acquainted with the true Value of Sciences, that the Knowledge of Nature, and efpecially the Part of this Knowledge called Natural History, is to be ranked among the moft noble and advantageous Sciences. It not only gives us an Insight into Things of great Use to Society and Arts, but partly lays open to us the Laws of Nature, the Manner in which this vaft Univerfe is governed; and permits us, in fome Measure, to fee thro' the Veil which conceals the Creator of so many Wonders.

The Discoveries made, within a Century paft, in this Science, by the Spirit of true Philofophy, diffufe fuch glorious Lights,

as

as lead to discover, or to conjecture, what seems reserved folely to the Author of Na

ture.

Whether we furvey Nature in great, or defcend to the minuteft Details, ftill fhall we always find, not only what will fill our Mind with Admiration, but inftruct us in the most important Truths* ; an Obfervation I lately made from Lewenhoeck, has put me upon several Reflections, some of which are not unworthy of public Notice; the Obfervation is this:

Lewenhoeck, that affiduous Naturalist, was the first who discovered, that the whitish Substance, which gathers about our Teeth, fwarms with Animalcula : This raised in me a Curiofity to verify his Affertion by my own Experience: To this Purpofe I made a Microscope of only a Line, or the 48th of a French Inch Diameter; with it I examined the Matter which Foods leave about our Teeth, after all possible Care in cleansing them; and I exactly fol

* I cannot go

Where univerfal Love not smiles around,
Sustaining all yon Orbs and all their Suns,
From feeming Evil ftill educing Good,
And better thence again, and better still,
In infinite Progreffion-But I lofe
Myfelf in Him, in Light ineffable!

Come then, expreffive Silence, mufe his Praife.

Thompson.

lowed