thing ftrikes fome people as more unaccountable than that a man of rank and wealth fhould quit his fplendid manfion, his extenfive domains, rich and variegated park, and all the happinefs which furrounds his establishment, for lodgings, narrow and confined, at a place where he meets with the refuge of the metropolis, the idle, the diffipated and the affected; where time either hangs with an oppreffive weight, or must be killed by the moft frivolous and ridiculous amufements. All this appears wholly unaccountable to certain people; but may we not, without any very deep reafoning on the fubject, refer it to a principle very predominant in our minds-Variety? If, indeed, we examine moft of the pursuits of those who are not confined to that regular rotine of business, which is fubject to viciffitudes, and finds conftant employment to the mind, we fhall be able in no other way to account for the frivolity of one of their amulements, the danger of another, or the wickedness of a third, than that they cannot, by the conftitution of their minds, dwell long upon one fubject, and that there being but a fmall catalogue of pleasures within the reach of human power and skill, they are obliged to go through the whole, whether good or bad-for the fake of variety.

Perhaps it will be faid that, after all, this is explaining, obfcurum per obfcurius, one unaccountable thing by another, and that when we fay variety is the cause of many feemingly unaccountable things, we convey no more information than the philofopher, who ́tells us that the reafon why a body thrown from a height muft fall to the ground is the principle of gravitation; or the phyfician, who informs a fine lady that her cafe is nervous. Neverthelefs, if we have attained thus far, if we have got half way on the road to perfect knowledge, we may be content to reft a while until we acquire fresh strength to complete our journey.

The exiftence of idleness is univerfally acknowledged, and as it fpreads over a greater number of human beings, in proportion must their invention be racked to difcover new modes of being idle. Many grave and fober citizens are apt to connect the idea of idleness with that of doing nothing; but that this is a mistake we all know, by obferving the great fatigue of body which follows a day of idleness. This fatigue is, indeed, exceffive, and is accompanied by the confequences of exceffive fatigue, which phyficians tell us, is a certain irritability of nerves that prevents fleep, or renders it difturbed and unrefreshing. This is expreffing the cafe in learned language; but it is a diforder perhaps better known by the vulgar name of the fidgets, and is epidemical at moft places of fashionable refort. It requires little defcription; to name it is to recollect that we all have felt it at fome time or other, and the only cure for it is Variety.

Idlenefs, therefore, being diffufed over a vaft proportion of a flourishing nation, the demand for amusement increafes. Referring to hiftory, we know that it is not a century fince what are called watering-places were known, and the early places of this kind were the receptacles of only two claffes of perfons, the difeafed, who expected a cure for their bodily complaints, or the very rich, whofe only complaint was vacuity of mind. But as wealth began to spread over a more extenfive furface, other ranks and degrees of men difcovered that they had time which they knew not how to dif pofe of at home, and to accommodate them, other places were provided; wretched fishing huts fpread into large towns, and the north, the fouth, the eaft, and the weft, difplayed London in miniature, for three or four months in each year. All this appeared wholly unaccountable to perfons who were ignorant of the demand for variety.

But there are things much more unaccountable, than that a man fhould

spend his time in idlenefs. We fometimes fee a well-informed and rational being, the heir of vaft poffeffions, who after having enjoyed them in reputation and with advantage to his neighbourhood, on a fudden diffipate the whole into thin air,' by the affiftance only of a horse, a pack of cards, or a dice-box. This, for a man of fuch a character, seems wholly unaccountable. But if we confider that a good character is a smooth even ftream, flowing in one uniform courfe; that he who poffeffes great wealth is a ftranger to all the paffions and viciffitudes of him who has none; that he is a firanger to the cravings of appetite, the fatigue of labour, the contempt of the proud, and the biting farcafms of the ingrateful and the fuc cefsful; that, in fhort, he knows only one state of human nature, namely, a ftate of profperity, who can doubt but that he has affumed the character of a practical philofopher, fcatters his riches with a ftoical contempt, and becomes mean, poor, degraded and despisedmerely for the fake of variety!

In eftimating the comparative merits of those amufements to which men are moft addicted, we find that they rife or fall in the opinion of amateurs in proportion as they afford greater variety. The huntsman, the fowler, and the angler, all contend for the fuperior advantages of their different purfuits in this way. Nay, in plear fures more intellectual, we find the fame paffion predominating. Theatrical critics affign the palm of honour to those plays, in which there is most variety.

In other affairs of common life, we meet with the abhorrence of fameness,, and the defire of variety. In fhopping, which my female readers know is a bufinefs of no fmall importance, thofe tradefmen who have the greateft quantity of goods, are fure to have the greatest number of cuftomers. As to

books, I need not ftate how fuccefsful thofe are which contain the greatest variety of matter; for I am writing in a mifcellany which is a proof of it. But I was lately not a little furprised to hear a young lady's character cenfured very much, because she had no variety in her.' Upon due confideration, however, the objection has some validity, and it is to be hoped that the ladies will lay the matter to heart, and not create prejudices against them, by that fameness of good temper, fweetnefs, affability, and other graces, which, it appears, does not fuit the taste of the lovers of variety.

Thefe feekers after the varium et mutabile, the various and the changeable, may perhaps plead antiquity in favour of their paffion; nay, they may affirm that nature has been before hand with them, and that fhe delights in variety. But, on the other hand, they ought to recollect that we should be able to account for our fickleness, and queft of amusements, in fome other way than by merely referring to theprinciple of variety. Nature abounds in variety, that man may find it in the place where he happens to be, without all that vaft trouble and expence, which our modern changeables undergo. The great bufinefs of life is not to be neglected for that childish ficklenefs, which delights in destroying its toys, that it may be indulged with others. Life is fhort and uncertain. What we wafte cannot be recalled, but what we employ in useful pursuits may be remembered with pleasure. The discharge of the duties of our relative ftations requires a fteady perfeverance, and upon that only will be found to depend the happiness which we in vain feek by change of place, or difference of amusement, and let it be remembered, that the oly variety which does not pall is the progress of the mind-in ufeful knowledge.

X 2

C.

IN this reign, fo important to the claims of liberty, perhaps no circumstance tended more to its being generally understood, than the trial of the immortal John Hampden. After the impofition of fhip-money, Charles had, in order to difcourage all oppofition, propofed to the judges, Whether, in a case of neceflity, for the defence of the kingdom, he might not impofe this tax? and whether he was not the fole judge of the neceffity?' Thefe queftions were answered by them in the affirmative; but Hampden refolved, rather than to fubmit tamely to this illegal impofition, to ftand a legal profecution, and expofe himself to all the indignation of the court. The event of this trial could not but be foreseen; four only among thefe corrupt minifters of juftice fupported the arguments against this arbitrary exaction; but the patriotic champion of freedom, obtained that, for which alone he contended: the principles of government became generally inveftigated, and the people were taught, that their rights, and liberties were fubverted, and arbitrary authority exercifed over the kingdom. A jealoufy was excited refpecting all the measures of government; and the fubfequent trials and execution, of Strafford, and of Laud, evince the ardour with which all fufpicions of this nature were profecuted.

Had the commons of England contented themselves with reforming the abuses that actually exifted, had they refpected. the juft prerogatives of the crown, as well as their own privileges, -pofterity would for ever venerate thefe illuftrious fathers of English liberty, The diforder into which the paffions, prejudices, and views of the different parties, afterward precipitated the nation, fets bounds to our reverence and efteem. Yet we cannot but advert, with grateful pleasure,

to the firft meafures of the long parliament, in which abuses were rectified, grievances redreffed, and provifions made against a return of fimilar complaints. Our lafting obligations are due to those whofe generous exertions procured an abolition of the ftar-chamber, and its arbitrary exactions, and of the high commiffion court; and who, by the bill for a triennial parliament, which could not be adjourned, prorogued, or diffolved under fifty days, without its own confent, completed the ftructure of law and liberty. The importance of this bill to public liberty was fo well understood, that, when it paffed, great rejoicings took place throughout the nation, and folemn thanks were prefented to his majesty by both houses of parliament..

This was the time,' fays Mr. Hume, when genius and capacity of all kinds, freed from the restraints of authority, and nourished by unbound-` ed hopes and projects, began to exert themfelves, and to be diftinguished by the public. Then was celebrated the fagacity of Pym, more fitted for ufe than ornament, matured, nor chil led, by his advanced age and long experience. Then was difplayed the mighty ambition of Hambden, taught difguife, not moderation, by former constraint, fupported by courage conducted by prudence, embellished by modefty. Then, too, was known the dark, ardent, and dangerous character of St. John, the impetuous fpirit of Hollis,-the enthufiaftic genius of young Vane. The lively and animated Digby displayed his eloquence on this occafion,-the firm and undaunted Capel,-the modest and candid Palmer. In the lift of patriotic royalifts are found too the virtuous names of Falkland and of Hyde.

Thefe characters of the hiftorian, though concise, are so just, that little

more is neceffary to be added. To their speeches in parliament, and their perfonal exertions, pofterity has been much more indebted for the extenfion of freedom, than to their abilities as writers. Their talents were exerted in the fenate and the field. Indeed, religious opinions were fo entirely the avowed bafis of every speech, and of every act under this reign, that every queftion of civil right became blended with theological difcuffion; and under this head we have, therefore claffed many of thofe who labcured the most ftrenuously for the extenfion of freedom. After the death of fir Dudley Digges, a difcourfe of his was printed, concerning the rights and privileges of the fubject, which contains many excellent obfervations, in favour of liberty. Sir Henry Wotton wrote The State of Christendom,' a work which throws fome light upon the tranfactions of that time, and the actors concerned in them. Few, however, of the political writings of this reign have equal pretenfions to eloquence, with the memorials published in the name of his majesty, but, in reality, composed by the lords Falkland and Clarendon. The first regular definition of the conftitution is contained in one of these declarations; and three species of government, monarchical, aristocratical, and democratical, blended together, are stated as the component materials of the government of England.

Mr. Hume mentions the Icon Bafilike' as the beft profe compofition which could at that time be found. in the English language; and after weighing the claims of Dr. Gauden to this work, fully afcribes it to the pen of the unfortunate monarch; Mr. Hume's partiality is, however, fo notorious, that many will fill doubt the truth of his affertion-but this is a fubject which we shall investigate more at large in cur fucceeding volume. Few of the political writers of this period have attracted more of the notice of fucceeding times, than Hobbies. In 1647, this philofopher publifhed,

De Cive,' a work which he had long had in contemplation, and which was intended to check the rifing fpirit of democracy, by establishing the claims of monarchy, on new principles of philofophy. In 1650, he wrote ' De Corpore Politico,' and the year following his Leviathan,' in which, in establishing a fyftem of civil policy, he reprefents man as an untameable beaft of prey, and government as the trong chain by which he is to be reftrained from mifchief. This work, though learned and ingenious, adduced fuch bold and paradoxical opinions, both in philofophy and policy, that the clergy took the alarm, and the author was reprefented to be, in religion, inimical to revelation, and in policy, an advocate for the cause of tyranny. That his temper was foured by beholding the exceffes into which the enthufiafm of liberty had betrayed the popular party, and his understanding fhocked by the fanatical cant of the puritanical clergy, is, we think, evident from his writings. In religion, however, he appears rather to have been a fceptic than an abfolute unbeliever; and his politics contain many found obfervations on the principles of government. In comparison with fuch men as Hobbes, the pretended philofophers of France are puny fciolifts, and their English imitators below contempt.

Of the diftinguished lawyers of this period who have not been noticed under the preceding reign (for fir Edward Coke lived to the year 1634) 'we shall first name Bradshaw, who has been principally celebrated on account of his fitting as prefident on the trial of Charles I. Prynne, befide the

Hiftriomaftix,' which exposed him to a fevere and unjuft profecution and punishment, published as many works, chiefly in the law, as amounted to forty volumes, which he prefented to the library of Lincoln's Inn. His principal performances are Records,' in three volumes folio, and Parliamentary Writs,' in quarto. Cotton's Abridgment of the Tower Records,'

folio, and Obfervations on the fourth part of Coke's Inftitutes,' folio. Lord Clarendon ftiles him learned in the law, as far as mere reading of books could make him learned; but he is regarded in general as rhapfodical and confufed. The immortal Selden was distinguished during this period as a lawyer, but his principal works must be claffed under other heads. He had been defired by James I, to make collections for demonftrating the right of the crown of England to the dominion of the fea; but after having made fome progress in the work he laid it afide in refentment for the affront he received from Charles, in being committed to prifon for fome of his parliamentary fpeeches. This work was however refumed in 1634, on the difpute arifing between the English and Dutch, concerning the herring fishery upon the British coaft; and the Mare Claufum,' appeared in 1636, which was received with peculiar ap. probation. The lord keeper Lyttleton is diftinguished as a law writer by his Reports,' in folic, which were however not published till 1683, and by fome leffer works. Noy, who in the reign of James had been a ftaunch oppofer of prerogative, was converted from his patriotifm by being invested with the office of attorney-general by Charles in 1631. That extenfive knowledge of the laws of his country, which, previous to this period, had enabled him to fupply the parliament with precedents on which they might ground their claims, was afterward directed to the support of the prerogative. The works of this author are not very numerous, but have acquired him fome reputation. The most diftinguished lawyer of this period, however, was the celebrated fir Matthew Hale, the pupil of Noy and of Selden, by whom he was directed in his fludies, and who, to great legal knowledge, united confiderable kill in mathematics, experimental philofophy, and other banches of philofophical learning, together with the fashionable fcience, theology. The great in

tegrity and impartiality of his character engaged the efteem of every fect and every rank; and his refolution to follow the two maxims of Pomponius Atticus-to engage in no faction, nor meddle in public bufinefs, and conftantly to favour and relieve those who were loweft,'-appears to have been religiously adhered to, in times where the temptations to take a part in public affairs, and to aflift in depreffing the falling party, must have been continual. His life extended many years beyond the period of which we are now treating, and his utility continued till within a fhort time of his death. None of his legal works were published during his life, but have fince been printed from the original manufcripts which he bequeathed to Lincoln's Inn.

The metaphyficians of this period do not appear to have been very numerous, or very eminent. From this cenfure we must however except Mr. Hobbes, who opposed the doctrines advanced by Des Cartes in his Philofophical Meditations.' About 1647, he entered into a controverfy with bishop Bramhall on the fubject of liberty and neceffity, in which he fupported the doctrine of predeftination, 'founded on the abfolute power and irrefiftible will of God. In 1658, he wrote his Differtation on Man,' in which, according to his ufual mode, he advanced many fingular and some erroneous and paradoxical opinions concerning the intellectual and moral powers of human nature, and in 1650, his Human Nature,' which has been confidered by many as his beft performance. Barlowe, bishop of Lincoln, who, in 1635, was appointed metaphyfical reader at Oxford, delivered a course of lectures on metaphyfics, which were much approved and afterward published. This prelate was further diftinguished by his skill in the civil and canon law, his adherence to the Ariftotelian philofophy, and to the doctrines of Calvin, the latter of which engaged him in a public oppofition to fome of the works