case, my intention is contentedly to take up my abode in some verdant valley at the base of the mountain watered by a pure stream from the sacred height, which may allay my burning thirst, and invigorate my wearied spirits; and I shall feel perfectly reconciled to this delay by two considerations; first, that my past travels and labors would be well rewarded, if they had answered no other end than that of rectifying the mistaken ideas formed by those who never proceed far on this pilgrimage, with regard to the extent of the journey, and the actual situation of the edifice; each one supposing it to be reared on some spot within the limits of his bounded horizon. And secondly, the full persuasion I entertain, that whenever I am summoned to ford the deep and dark stream which it is generally supposed surrounds the base of the mountains, I shall obtain easy and direct access to the most sacred recesses of the temple.

MR. W

XXX.

A LIBERAL TASTE.

-, a gentleman of affluent fortune, who resided in the neighborhood of a populous city, took a benevolent pleasure in encouraging young persons of merit and genius, by his attentions and assistance. He kept a hospitable table in the true sense of the word: that is, one that was oftener surrounded by deserving individuals rising from obscurity, or struggling with difficulties, than by persons of his own rank and consequence, from whom he might receive the same again. In addition to the generous motives which chiefly influenced him in so doing, he was glad of the opportunity of introducing his children to the society of persons from whom he rightly judged they would be more likely to learn something useful, and to be stimulated to exertion, than by the desultory discourse which commonly prevails in more polite parties.

One day, a small company, consisting chiefly of young men of the above description, was assembled at Mr. W- -'s house. One of these had lately returned from a tour on the Continent, whither he had accompanied a young nobleman in the capacity of tutor. In the course of the excursion, he had made a collection of fossils and

ren.

exhibit this eveW-'s childdevoted to his

minerals, which he promised to ning for the entertainment of Mr. The young man, who was favorite study, expatiated on the various names, families, and properties of his specimens with a genuine enthusiasm, which prevented his perceiving that all the spectators were not equally interested. There was a pale youth, looking on from motives of complaisance, who evinced, sometimes by suppressed yawns, and sometimes by a half concealed smile, his entire distaste for, if not contempt of, the exhibition. This was a young poet.

"Is it possible," thought he to himself, "that a man of education should have gazed on Alpine scenery have trod the classic ground of Italy. and Greece-visited the very abodes of the muses, and wandered amid the magnificent ruins of antiquity-amid all that is immortalized by history and consecrated by poetry, to no other purpose than that of collecting a few shining pebbles, and pieces of crumbling chalk!"

These reflections were interrupted by the inquiries of another of the party, a rising artist, who when the geologist was showing a particular species of marble, found near the ruins of the Coliseum at Rome, inquired whether he had visited the Vatican; and whether he was not infinitely gratified by the rare specimens of ancient and modern art, by which he was surrounded. The 20

VOL. II.

geologist replied, that he certainly was highly gratified, but added, that having for his own part little acquaintance with the arts, he could not, of course, derive that degree of gratification from what he saw, which others might have done; as well as that his time was so much occupied by that, which he confessed was his favorite pursuit, that he was unable to pay the attention to those things, which he was conscious they merited.

Here the poet and the artist exchanged a look; and when the exhibition was over, they entered into discussion on the comparative merits of painting and poetry; each warmly maintaining the superiority of his favorite study. The geologist took no share in the argument; but he looked chagrined that the conversation was so soon diverted from the subject most interesting to himself. One of the company, a gentleman who had been lately making some curious and successful experiments in chemistry, availed himself of a momentary pause in the discussion, to suggest the superior claims of scientific studies, compared with literature and the fine arts; observing, that science must ever take the precedence, in point of utility, of those pursuits whose object is merely to address the imagination; and that a single discovery in natural philosophy must conduce more to the real benefit of mankind, than all the admired productions of wit and genius.

Upon this, the poet and the artist, forgetting their late disagreement, united their forces against the man of experiment; who, whatever might be the justness of his argument, was soon defeated by the eloquence of the poet, and the enthusiasm of the artist; each expatiating with more warmth than good breeding, on the very inferior kind and degree of genius (if genius it might be called) exercised in the patient researches of the naturalist, than is displayed by one masterly touch of the pencil or the pen.

Mr. W, who was repeatedly appealed to on both sides, withheld any decided opinion, only occasionally interfering when the laws of fairness and candor seemed to be infringed. At a rather late hour the party broke up, each one, according to the common result of controversy, confirmed in his opinion, and strengthened in his prejudices.

was sur

The next morning, when Mr. W rounded by his children, the subject of the preceding evening was thus renewed by Edward.

66

Papa, why did you not say, last night, who you thought in the right about poetry and philosophy?

FATHER. I wished rather to hear my young friends discuss the subject without restraint.

CHARLES. Well then, tell us now what you really think, for we have been arguing about it