We make a conquest of a place from a perfon.

None of the northern con. querors, though they over. ran the fouthern provinces like a mighty torrent, made fuch devaitations in the conquered territories, or were inflamed into fo violent an animofity.

-(the fame.)

He fhould have faid-" though, like a mighty torrent, they over-ran," &c. We fay, "inflamed with rage," but "not indo a rage."

&c. &c. &c.

We have noticed these defects in the style and ftructure of his fentences, because duty impofed on us the unpleasant task, and not from a wifh to depreciate his labours, or fhade his reputation for notwithstanding all its blemishes, the HISTORY OF ENGLAND is a fource of useful information to the ftatefman, a noble monument of its author's talents, and an invaluable béqueft to his country.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

No. I.

ESSAY I.

OF IMPUDENCE AND MODESTY,

I HAVE always been of opinion, that the common complaints against Providence are ill-grounded, and that the good or bad qualities of men are the caufes of their good or bad fortune more than what is generally imagined. There are, no doubt, inftances to the contrary, and these too pretty numerous; but few in comparison of the inftances we have of a right diftribution of profperity and adverfity: nor, indeed, could it be otherwife from the common courfe of human affairs. To be endowed with a benevolent difpofition, and to love others, will almost infallibly procure love and efteem, which is the chief circumftance in life, and facilitates every enterprize and undertaking; befides the fatisfaction which immediately refults from it. The cafe is much the fame with the other vir

tues. Profperity is naturally, though not neceffarily attached to virtue and merit; and adversity, in like manner, to vice and folly. Bb

I must,

I must, however, confefs, that this rule admits of an exception with regard to one moral quality; and that modesty has a natural tendency to conceal a man's talents, as impudence difplays them to the utmost, and has been the only cause why many have rifen in the world, under all the disadvantages of low birth and little merit. Such indolence and incapacity is there in the generality of mankind, that they are apt to receive a man for whatever he has a mind to put himself off for; and admit his overbearing airs as proofs of that merit which he affumes to himself. A decent affurance feems to be the natural attendant on virtue, and few men can diftinguish impudence from it: as, on the other hand, diffidence, being the natural refult of vice and folly, has drawn difgrace upon modefty, which in outward appearance fo nearly resembles it.

[I was lately lamenting to a friend of mine, who loves a conceit, that popular applause should be bestowed with fo little judgment, and that fo many empty forward coxcombs should rise up to a figure in the world: upon which he said there was nothing furprising in the cafe. Popular fame, fays he, is nothing but breath or air; and air very naturally preffes into a vacuum *.]

As impudence, though really a vice, has the fame effects upon a man's fortune, as if it were a virtue; fo we may observe, that it is almost as diffi

*This paragraph is not in the edition of 1760%

cult

cult to be attained, and is, in that refpect, diftinguifhed from all the other vices, which are acquired with little pains, and continually increase upon indulgence. Many a man, being fenfible that modesty is extremely prejudicial to him in making his fortune, has refolved to be impudent, and to put a bold face upon the matter; but it is obfervable, that fuch people have feldom fucceeded in the attempt, but have been obliged to relapse into their primitive modefty. Nothing carries a man through the world like a true genuine natural impudence. Its counterfeit is good for nothing, nor can ever fupport itfelf. In any other attempt, whatever faults a man commits and is fenfible of, he is fo much the nearer his end. But when he endeavours at impudence, if he ever failed in the attempt, the remembrance of that failure will make him blush, and will infallibly difconcert him; after which every blufh is a caufe for new blufhes, till he be found out to be an arrant cheat, and a vain pretender to impudence.

If any thing can give a modest man more affurance, it must be fome advantages of fortune, which chance procures to him. Riches naturally gain a man a favourable reception in the world, and give merit a double luftre, when a person is endowed with it; and they supply its place, in a great measure when it is abfent. It is wonderful to ob ferve, what airs of fuperiority fools and knaves, with large poffeffions, give themselves above men of the greatest merit in poverty. Nor do the mea Bb 2

of

of merit make any strong oppofition to thefe ufur pations; or rather seem to favour them by the modesty of their behaviour. Their good fenfe and experience make them diffident of their judgment, and cause them to examine every thing with the greatest accuracy. As, on the other hand, the delicacy of their fentiments makes them timorous left they commit faults, and lofe in the practice of the world that integrity of virtue, fo to speak, of which they are fo jealous. To make wisdom agree with confidence,is as difficult as to reconcile vice and modefty.

These are the reflections, which have occurred. upon this fubject of impudence and modefty: and I hope the reader will not be displeased to see them wrought into the following allegory.

Jupiter, in the beginning, joined Virtue, Wisdom, and Confidence together; and Vice, Folly and Diffi dence; and thus connected, fent them into the world. But though he thought that he had matched them with great judgment, and faid that Confidence was the natural companion of Virtue, and that Vice deferved to be attended with Diffidence, they had not gone far before diffention arofe among them. Wifdom, who was the guide of the one company, was always accustomed, before fhe ventured upon any road, however beaten, to examine it carefully, to inquire whither it led, what dan gers, difficulties, and hindrances might possibly or probably occur in it. In thefe deliberations fhe ufually confumed fome time; which delay was

very