genius not depending on ourselves, fortunately makes no part of my subject, for I confefs myself ignorant of the first step towards so abftrufe an investigation. I only wished to fhew, and in as few words as poffible, that genius was fomething not mechanical; that it is given, not acquired; and whether it be corporeal or immaterial, whether making part of our first existence, or afterwards imbibed, yet that it is not in the power of man to give, or take it away.

The difference of opinion on this subject may be owing to the not distinguishing between genius and talents. At first fight they may appear the fame, but upon examination we shall difcover more than a fhade of diftinction. A man of genius must have talents, but talents are poffeffed by many, without it. Genius, tho' poffeffing talents, has not always the power of fhewing them, for want of mechanical facility; and talents are frequently

O 2

quently exercised with so much excel-
lence, as to be mistaken for genius.
However paradoxical this
may appear, all
difficulty vanishes, by confidering that
the characteristic of genius is invention,
a creation of fomething not before exifting;'
to which talents make no pretence: and
although talents and genius are sometimes
united, yet they are in their nature dif-
tinct.

An actor may poffefs every propriety of speaking and action without the ability of writing a play, in which cafe, he has talents only: but, if he add to his performance the invention of a dramatic fable, he has then talents and genius.

A musician may be an exquifite performer without having one musical idea of his own-he has talents: but if he poffefs a fund of original melody, he has genius; for harmony already exists independent of invention, and that fucceffion

of

of chords, and structure of parts, termed compofition, are the fruit of information and practice by these we judge of his kill, but we estimate the invention of a compofer from his melody.

As talents are commonly mistaken for genius, and are the confequence of cultivation, it is natural to give the fame origin to both: but let the qualities of each be confidered, and they will appear, as from the above inftances, to be different things, and to arife from different fources.

A man of talents has a much fairer profpect of good fortune than a man of genius. There are few inftances of talents being neglected, and fewer still of genius being encouraged. The world is a perfect judge of talents, but thoroughly ignorant of genius. Any art already known, if carried to a greater height, is at once rewarded; but the new creations

03

:

tions of genius are not at first understood, and there must be fo many repetitions of the effect before it is felt, that most commonly death fteps in between genius and its fame. This idea is farther pursued in another place.*

I make a diftinction between talents and genius, but it must not be imagined that I wish to set them at variance; for the nearer talents can be brought to resemble genius, the stronger will be their effect; and the more genius poffeffes the ability of making its creations manifest, the lefs will its powers be confined to that mind in which they were originally conceived.

*In the Thirtieth Letter.

The

The Venetian, French Captain, and Prieft.

WHEN Buonaparte invaded the Duchy

of Milan, one of his advanced parties, not strictly attentive to the bounds of territories, encroached upon the State of Venice. The owner of a villa in the neighbourhood, perceiving a band of foreign foldiers marching up the avenue, thought it prudent to advance half-way to meet them. The Captain, in a few words, acquainted him, that they were troops of the new Republic, meant no offence to that of Venice, and would quit the territory immediately-" Not before you have dined," replied the gentleman, "enter the houfe with me-your men fhall be entertained in Fresco."