exact, and suitable to the fubtility of philosophy, shows a turn of mind, little adapted either to poetry or to eloquence; even his critical works difplay more of cool judgment, patient attention, and deep reflection, than of that ardor of tafte, which never fails to attend genius for the fine arts. On the other hand, the greatest geniuses for the arts, have generally betrayed a want of that precision and depth which are neceflary for scientific inveftigations.

SOME have fuppofed a diftinctive peculiarity fo ftrongly impressed by Nature, on every man of genius, as to affert, that the fame perfon can scarce excel in two different arts, however analogous; that no writer, for example, ever almoft fucceeded both in verfe and profe; nay, that the fame person cannot excel in both the fpecies of dramatic poetry, tragedy and comedy (d). In fupport of fuch affertions it is remarked, that none of the ancients undertook both thefe fpecies of the drama; and with the fame view, the wretchedness of the Roman orator's poetry is often mentioned. It would be unjust, however, to eftimate the compafs of human genius

(d) RAMBLER, No. 169.

from

from fuch inftances. Homer, the father of the epic poem, hath left a work wholly of the ludicrous kind. It would perhaps be difficult to deter whether Shakespear poffeffed greater excellence in tragedy or in comedy; that he poffeffed very great excellence in both, is unquestionable. In both, feveral other moderns have shown real genius. Many have likewise been both orators and poets. But after all, it must be owned that, in most cases, a man's genius fits him not only for science alone, or for the arts alone, but also for one science, or for one art. Many have shown genius either in mathematics, or in natural philosophy, or in the philosophy of the mind, who have discovered none in the rest of these branches. It appears from Pope's letters, that he applied to painting with confiderable eagerness, it does not appear that he difcovered any great degree of genius for painting; for music, it is faid that he had not even a confiderable capacity, though he shows the quickest sense of the harmony of verse; if it be true, it would appear that, among the arts, his genius confined him almost wholly to poetry. In humorous painting, Hogarth was unrivalled; he attempted portrait-paintFf

ing,

3

ing, it is faid, with the moft wretched fuc

cefs.

Ir feems then to be the common, though not strictly the univerfal, law of human nature, that genius fits the perfon who is endued with it, for invention in fome one particular art, or particular fcience. Still, therefore, there is room for enquiring, by what minuter varieties of the powers combined in genius, thefe fubordinate differences of its form are fixt. The enquiry would be laborious and intricate, but it would be curious, and, per haps, not without utility.

THE END.

!

ERRATA:

In the Text.

Page 76. line 19. for conftructing, read inventing. P. 84% 1. 14. for altogether, read all together. P. 125. L. 8, 9. read in making them to fuggeft one another. P. 252. L. 9. for bring, read brings. P. 409. 1. 14. for Sarts, read Sarto P. 410. 14. for principle, read principles.

In the Notes.

Page 11. 1. ult. read magnumque, P. 20. 1. 8. for (i), place (,) after yaraşı. Ib. L. 9. for run, read L. P. 240 1. 6. for videre, read videri. P. 29. 1. 2. for åder, read awdnow. 1. 5. for praporivw, read ponumívum. 1. 6. for divismoden read & imirnodai.