express their Conceptions the more easily and naturally, they are no wifer than an Artificer, that mistakes his Tools for what they only serve to work upon. For those, who propose Wit and Fancy for their End, and take in Senfe and Reason only as circumstantial and on the Bye, judge as extravagantly as those who believe themselves rich, because they can caft up ever fo great Sums of Money, but have not one Peny. And that is one Reason, why fuch Men are commonly the most unapt in Things, that require Judgment and Reason. For those, who mistake their Ends, do but fhoot Powder that makes a Noife, but aims at nothing, fequitur corvos teftaque lutoque.

Reason and Understanding can only preserve a Man from being impofed upon by the various Cheats of the World, but will not cure him when he is fick; nor protect him against Misfortunes; nor enrich him when he is in Want, and out of Employment.

If Reason be the only Note of Diftinction between the Immortality and Mortality of the Souls of Men and Beafts, it is strange that this Reason should be of no Ufe to Men in the

Concernments of their eternal Being, but that all should be managed by the Imagination, with which Beafts are not unfurnished, and therefore may feem capable of Immortality, fince they only want that, which Man has no Advantage by, Reason.

AN

OCCASIONAL REFLECTION

ON

Dr. CHARLTON's feeling a Dog's Pulfe at Gresham-College. By R. B. Efq.

D

TO LYNDA MORE.

O you obferve, Lyndamore, that domestic Animal, the Vaffal and menial Servant of Man, on whom he waits like a Lacquey by Day, and watches like a Conftable by Night,

It is fcarcely neceffary to inform the Reader, that by R. B. Efq; is meant Robert Boyle Efq; and that this little Sally of Wit was intended by Butler for a fatirical fneering Imitation of that Gentleman's Manner of Writing, and a Banter upon the Royal Society and Dr. Charlion.

The Title- An occafional Reflection, is the fame that Boyle has given to a little Rhapfody of his printed with his Seraphic Leve; and the Name Lyndamore, to which this is addreffed, is the fame that is made ufe of in that Book, which begins - My dearest Lyndamore.

It is great Pity but Mr. Boyle's Merit, which, it must be owned, was very great both in his learned and moral Capacity, had pleaded his Excufe for any little Defects in his manner of Writing; but, as my Lord Orrery juftly obferves, the Sword of Wit like the Scythe of Time cuts down Friend and Foe, and attacks every Object, that accidentally lies in its Way. However, in Juftice to the Wit of our Satirift we must acknowledge, that he has hit upon the weak Side of

how quiet and unconcerned it stands whilst the industrious and accurate Dr. Charlton with his judicious Finger examines the arterial Pulsation of its left Foreleg; a civil Office, wherein both Doctor and Dog, Phyfician and Patient with equal Industry conteft, who shall contribute most to the experimental Improvement of this learned and illuftrious SocietyLittle doth the innocent Creature know, and as little feems to care to know, whether the ingenious Dr. doth it out of a fedulous Regard of his Patient's Health, or his own proper Emolument; 'tis enough to him that he does his Duty; and in that may teach us, to refign ourfelves wholly to advance the Interests and Utility of this renowned and royal Affembly.

Boyle's Character as an Authour, fince his greatest Admirers must confefs, that his Stile is rather too copious, diffufive, and circumftantial; and that his Reasoning and Reflections are fometimes too puerile and trifling. Whoever will take the Pains to examine his Writings with this View, will find that Butler has very archly imitated him both in the flimfy longwinded turn of the Sentences, and in the too pompous Manner of moralizing upon every Occasion that offers.

It is fomething very fingular, that Dean Swift fhould have attempted the fame Thing, and in the very fame Manner too, in his Meditations upon a Broom-Stick. Butler and Swift were, indeed, Geniuses pretty much of the fame Turn, and might poffibly be led by that into the fame Vein of thinking and writing; but I think it is more probable, that Swift took the hint from having either feen, or heard of this Performance of our Authour's. What led

Do you obferve how generously he exhibits his Leg; and though a Dog's Leg, in the Language of the Vulgar, fignifies a thing worth nothing; yet even that may teach us, that there's nothing fo contemptible, but may, if rightly applied to, contribute fomething to the public Good of Mankind, and Commonwealth of Learning.

But if a Dog be a Logician, as the learned hold, and in his fagacious Perfuits does use to make Syllogifms, we could not have made a better Choice than of this Animal, to perfue and chafe this experiment through all its Operations, till we have run it down to Demonstration.

Nor is the diligent and folert Dr. lefs proper for this Administration, as having so natural

me into this Conjecture is the certain Information I have received, that these Manufcripts were communicated to Bishop Atterbury, whofe well known Intimacy with Swift, would give him Opportunities of mentioning the Nature and Subjects of them.

Dr. Charlton Phyfician in Ordinary to K. Charles II. and well known to the learned World by his many Writings, both in natural and moral Philofophy, was a great Admirer of the Method of philofophifing which then began to be in Fashion, and was admitted a Member of the Royal Society upon its firft Inftitution, where, no doubt, h male the Experiment which our Satyriit alludes to. What furnished Butler with this Opportunity and manner of rallying Byle, &c. was a philofophical Fancy, which prevailed at that Time, for trying the Force and Operation of Poyfons, especially

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