fo abfurd, if they do not affect the good of fociety. This then is the great advantage of the Silver-Age, and is a broad foundation on which to build our hopes of what the Golden-Age may accomplish.

The hiftorians of the last fifty years in England, and the last seventy in France, are much superior to all others who preceded them. We are so accustomed to treat many ancient authors with respect, that we still continue our praise, although they have ceased to delight us. Yet the style of Habington has little of the ruft of antiquity. The History of the Rebellion by Lord Clarendon is the work of a man of information and genius, and Whitlock's Memorials may be trusted for their honesty. This catalogue might be much increased, but there is fuch a hoft of moderns to match against them, that they fink almost to nothing. The value of Hume, Robertson, Henry, and Watfon, will encrease daily—the mention of foreign

foreign writers would open too great a field; but I cannot forbear to express my high opinion of Voltaire, who must not be thought deficient in truth because he abounds in vivacity. Were I difpofed to depreciate one of our famous moderns, it would be an hiftorian whose reputation is much too great to be hurt by so feeble an opinion as mine-but in Gibbon the affectation of elegance is always fo apparent, as to prevent us from feeing his learning, impartiality, and other great and good qualities.

The many discoveries in arts and fciences, the vaft extenfion of commerce, and numberlefs other caufes, have occafioned fuch new combinations in society, that every year requires fome regulations unknown to our ancestors. A multitude of laws, without fuch circumstances to produce them, might be justly confidered as a grievance; but when they are the natural effects of good caufes, they

are

are rather proofs of the progress of society. There will alfo new crimes arise which must be punished; and old ones by being still committed, call for additional severity. Although the penalty for the breach of fome ftatutes is encreased, yet, there is a general mildness in those of the last seventy years, and in the administration of juftice, to preceding times unknown. The profeffors of the law in the last century had a rudeness of behaviour and cruelty of difpofition perfectly unfuitable to the present times: of which the trial of Sir Walter Ralegh, and indeed all other trials for treafon, are melancholy proofs. No advocate would now use fuch language as Noy did, or fuch as paffed current for many years after. Both the laws themselves, and the profeffors are tinged with the mild character which the progrefs of philofophy never fails to establish.

The

The art of phyfic, until lately, seemed to confift in an affemblage of every horrid substance that ignorance and superstition could jumble together; which was formed into bolufes, draughts, and pills, and forced down the throat of the miferable patient. Every new difpenfatory finds fomething nugatory, if not hurtful in those before published, and the materia medica will, by degrees, be reduced to a few powerful medicines, which will be administered for the affiftance of nature, and not to counteract her efforts. Let us be thankful that in these disorders which occafion fo ardent a defire for fresh air and water, we are not now ftifled in a clofe room, nor heated with cordials. Let us rejoice that phyficians begin to think themselves only the fervants to nature. Formerly her dictates were held in fovereign contempt perhaps by degrees they may addrefs her like Edmund in Shakespeare, "Thou nature art my goddefs." Already a phyfician has had

the

the courage to write, that a person labouring under a diforder is like a pond of water ruffled by fomething caft into itthe way to have it ftill, is not by forcing the waves to fubfide; but to do nothing, and permit gravity to produce its neverfailing effects. It is impoffible for the knowledge of medicine to advance, and that of chirurgery to be stationary-they must proceed and improve together. The modern anatomifts have partaken of the improvements of the present Age, and carried their art to a degree of perfection unknown in times preceding. Reason and true philosophy, as already remarked, being the principles upon which our present system of arts and sciences is founded, it cannot be supposed that modern furgery should prefer theory to experiment. If the physicians addrefs themselves to nature, the furgeons obey the dictates of the fame all-healing power.