changed from the Iambic into the Hexameter kind.

Evanthius, a Critic who lived in the Fourth Century in the time of the famous Donatus, derives Satire from the very fame origin: His words are thefe: Per Prifcos Poetas, non, ut nunc, penitus ficta argue menta, fed res geftæ à civibus palam, cum eorum fæpe qui gefferant nomine, decantabantur: Ideo ipfa (fcil. Comædia) fuo tempore moribus multum profuit civitatis; cum unufquifque caveret, culpa ne spectaculo cæteris effet, et domeftico probro. Sed cum Poetæ abuti licentius ftylo, et paffim lædere ex libidine cœpiffent plures bonos, ne quifquam in alterum carmen infame proponeret, lege latâ filuere. Et hinc deinde aliud genus fabulæ, id eft, SATIRA, fumpfit exordium.*

Perhaps now the more regular way of tracing it would be this: The Greek IAMBIC appears to have originated from those scurrilous compofitions, the axa: Hence alfo the OLD COMEDY: Hence the SATIRE : The taxa without doubt gave birth to them all.

* See a Fragment of his de Tragedia & Comedia prefixed to the Delphin Edition of Terence.

Upon the whole, then, we can by no means agree with Quintilian, that the Satire was entirely theirs; but only that it was first formed by them into a regular and diftin&t Poem, and was afterwards cultivated as fuch and greatly improved.

This was the kind of Poetry which kept · its ground longest in Italy. On the death of Auguftus, Poetry and Eloquence, and indeed all the fine Arts, underwent a great change. Their growth was checked by the four reign of Tiberius; and the Vanity and Tyranny which enfued gave them the finishing stroke.*

SATIRE, however, in the hands of Juvenal, wielded its sharpest weapon against the Oppreffion and horrible Depravity of those times. But in the death of Juvenal was involved the total extinction of all True Poetical Genius among the Ancients: For after his time Poetry continued declining more and more, to the time of Conftantine, when all the liberal Arts were fo far loft, that the Romans then had scarce any thing to diftinguish them from mere Barbarians.

* See Spence's Polymetis-near the beginning.

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Let fo much have been faid, in a general way, of the Greek and Latin Poetry - And now to put an end to this long Letter. Farewell.

LETTER XXVIII.

HIT
Η

ITHERTO you have been engaged in digefting the Principles of those Arts and Sciences, which man, confidered folely as a Rational Being, might practise in some degree; inasmuch as they treat chiefly of the faculties which are peculiar to him as fuch, exhibiting the nature of these, and their different modes of operation. Paffing over to ETHICS, you come to the most important part of Philofophy, and the ultimate scope of the whole: man having been formed a Moral Agent and adapted to a Social State, and it being the business of this Science to instruct him how to behave himfelf in both

thefe

thefe capacities-to discuss and explain the various duties and relations belonging thereunto.

As it leads

It is a Science of vast extent. to the study of mankind in general and all those duties which they severally owe each other, it comprehends neceffarily whatever relates to them being formed into a Political Body; and thus it brings us to an acquaintance with the different kinds of Government, or those regulations which contribute most to the Happiness or Mifery of Society at large-Hence it was not improperly called by the Ancients поAITIKH ENIETHMH: With us it is ufually known by the name of MORAL PHILOSOPHY.

But not to speak quite so loosely and incoherently. The principal aim of this Science, confidered independently of all others, (which however is by no means the proper way of confidering it) feems to be: To investigate the various paffions and affections of the human heart; and examine the proper proper difference between Virtue and Vice, defining their peculiar qualities, and fhowing their effects both with regard to the Individual and the Community.

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Community. From hence we fhall learn the names of the different organs and impulfes of our Intellectual Frame, their various connexions and combinations, and the several fentiments resulting from these combinations: and hence become accurately acquainted with the proper definitions of the focial and moral affections of our Nature, with the immediate caufes which incite them to action, together with their good or bad effects on life and manners. And for the Moralift to be ignorant of fuch things, would be just as shameful as for the Botanist (for example) to be just able to speak of the different colours, or forms, or fragrancy of herbs. and flowers, without knowing any thing of their names, or of their beneficial and noxious qualities - Nor are we to look this Intellectual Anatomy, (if one may fo fpeak) as being neceffarily difficult and difagreeable: Speculative and even metaphyfical Inquiries, as long as they proceed on clear data, being withal conducted with modesty and fobriety, are no lefs productive of amusement, than of fome of the best fort of inftruction.

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