much distinguished by their Discretion, as natural Modefty, and furpaffing the rest of the World not only in Beauty, but in Elegance of Manners, amiable Conversation, and every Female Accomplish

ment.

DIALOGUE

DIALOGUE XI.

EUGENIO told us the other Night, that he

had been reading a School-Book, from which he thought he had learned more useful Knowledge, than could be acquired by turning over great Volumes of Philofophy. For, added he, I was wonderfully amufed, at the fame time that I was instructed in the deepest Maxims of Wisdom and good Conduct.

WE were all curious to know what inftructive Book Eugenio had been reading; when Conftant asked him, if Homer or Virgil had been his Moral Teachers.

You

No truly, Conftant, replied Eugenio, I was content to take up with a humbler Teacher than any of those poetic Heroes. It was a plain StoryTeller of Antiquity, who not daring to rife fo high as the Wars of Gods and Men, tells us ftrange Tales of the Adventures of Birds and Beasts, and delivers Oracles from the Oaks and Trees. may perceive I mean fop, that renowned Liar and Fable-wright of ancient Times; who, they fay, carned a Livelihood, and got into the Favour of the Great, by making and retailing his Fables. This, Conftant, was my Moral Instructor, and I was perufing him in his Mother-Tongue, in plain Greek; in which I think he tells his Tales with more Sprightlinefs and ingenious Turns, than any of his Tranflators or Commentators have done for him in their new-fashion'd Compofitions.

WAS

WAS then the polite Eugenio, faid Conftant, content to be entertained with fuch a homely Teller of Tales? I thought fome fashionable modern Romance, the Travels of Cyrus, or a Marianne, or fome other celebrated Novel would have better fuited one of fo refined a Taste. But I perceive

You may perceive, Sir, if you will, faid Eugenio, interrupting him, that you judge a little hastily—that the polite Eugenio has not quite so modern a Taste as you fancied, nor is so over-run with the Love of French Tinfel, but he can likewife admire some of the rough Ore of Antiquity, Know then, my grave Friend, that the fame polite Eugenio, whofe Tafte you fo highly value, can not only relish what is Greek and Roman, but prefers an Ancient Story-Teller, or Mythologist, to all your Modern Novellifts; and thinks that they convey better Senfe and profounder Inftruction than even the most elaborate Syftems; and, I am fure, in a much more engaging and agreeable Manner.

HERE Philander perceiving that the Discourse was like to grow perfonal, interpofed between. the two Antagonists, and faid, Without enquiring, Gentlemen, into your refpective Taftes, I have often wondered, "How, or by what strange Dif"ference of Genius and Tafte, or by what different

Difpofition of Things it has happened, that "the Ancients and Moderns have used fuch different Ways of Inftruction; that the one delighted "fo much in Fable, Allegory and Mimicry; and "the others have so much employed the way of

Syftem,

System, Precept and methodical Instruction." Did the Ancients understand Human Nature bet ter than the Moderns? Or were their Scholars more ignorant and stupid, that they found it neceffary to use those Baits of Tales and Fables to catch as well as to inftruct the rude Multitudes? Ör were there better Poets then, and more artful Liars than now? Or is our Genius so improved in these later Times, that we love Truth, pure Truth, and admit it more easily in its naked Simplicity, than the Ancients did, when it was cloathed with all the Ornaments and Graces of Fiction? I have scarce yet been able thoroughly to fatisfy myself to which of these, or to what other Caufes, we are to afcribe this Difference of Taste and Practice,

I THINK, faid Conftant, we fhould first be fure of the Truth of the Fact. If the Ancients abounded in Fable and Fiction, methinks we fuperabound. Every Age brings forth fome new Species of it. Books of Chivalry were once in the highest Vogue, and wonderful Feats of martial Prowess, as Giant-killing and Monster-taming were formerly the Way of making love. To them fucceeded Arcadian Scenes, and Reprefentations of a more indolent and fighing kind of Love. These have, at length, improved into all the Warmth and Wildness of modern Gallantry: Polite Romance and Novel are now the darling Entertainments of the Age. Nothing will go down, if it be not feafon'd with a Tale: So that, I believe, for one Fiction among the Ancients, we have a thoufand among us Moderns. Our polite

Neighbours have led us the way; and if British Brains are not fo prolific of Romances, we swarm with Tranflations, which are no fooner caft off than fwallowed, without any Difguft at our manner of dreffing them.

I SHALL readily confefs, replied Philander, that modern Times have not been barren of romantic Fiction; but then it is generally pure Fiction, without either Truth or Refemblance to it. If the Ancients told Lies, they were probable Lies, founded on Nature, and copied from it. I do not remember to have read of any Romances in the ancient Times of Greece or Rome, or of any of thofe tender and gallant Scenes which are the main Hinges upon which our romantic Vifions turn. These illuftrious Productions foar beyond Nature, or they give us Nature inverted, or clfe fo over-charged, that we cannot distinguish her. Nor can I have the Charity to believe that they are calculated to inftruct, or make us better; they rather ferve to enflame a wanton Fancy, and enervate the Mind. Whereas ancient Fable and Allegory are evidently framed to teach us Wisdom, to fet human Life to view, to paint the Paffions and their Effects, to recommend Virtue, and make Vice horrible. Every thing, both in Verfe and Profe, was informed and full of Life. Their Dialogues were Pictures of ordinary Converfation, and reflected Images of Men and Manners. Now, muft we not often pore upon Commentaries, dig in Systems, and fweat thro' many a dull Effay or formal Treatife, without Life and Spirit, before we can pick up any Knowledge at all?

I