SECTION XXVIII. ON THE FEAR OF APPEARING PEDANTIC. Φιλοσοφίας ἐπιθυμεῖς ; παρασκευάζου αυτόθεν, ως και ταγελασθησόμενα, ως καλαμωκησομένων σου πολλῶν, ως ἐρουνων, ὅτι, άφνω φιλόσοφος ἡμῖν ἐπανεληλυθε, καὶ πόθεν ἡμῖν άλλη ἡ ὀφεύς ; ΣΥ ΔΕ ΟΦΡΥΝ ΜΕΝ ΜΗ ΣΧΗΣ τῶν δε βελλίσων σοι φαινομένων υλως ἔχου, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τελαγμένου εις τάθην την τάξιν" ΜΕΜΝΗΣΟ ΔΕ, ΟΤΙ ΕΑΝ ΜΕΝ ΕΜΜΕΙΝΗΣ ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ, ΟΙ ΚΑΤΑ ΓΕΛΩΝΤΕΣ ΣΟΥ ΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝ, ΟΥΤΟΙ ΣΕ ΥΣΤΕΡΟΝ ΘΑΥΜΑΣΟΥΣΙΝ. ΕΑΝ ΔΕ ΗΤΤΗΘΗΣ ΑΥΤΩΝ, ΔΙΠΛΟΥΝ ΠΡΟΣΛΗΨΗ ΚΑΤΑΓΕΛΩΤΑ. EPICTETUS. If you have an earnest defire of attaining to philofophy, prepare yourself from the very firft to be laughed at, to be SNEERED by many, to hear them Jay, "He is returned to us a philofopher all at once; .6 and, Whence this fupercilious look ?" Now for your part, DO NOT HAVE A SUPERCILIOUS LOOK INDED; but keep fteadily to thofe things which appear beft to you, as one appointed by God to this fation. FOR REM MBER, THAT IF YOU ADHERE TO THE SAME POINT, THOSE VERY PERSONS WHO AT FIRST RIDICULED, WILL AFTERWARDS ADMIRE YOU. BUT IF YOU ARE CONQUERED Αμαθία με θράσο, λογισμὸς δὲ ἔκνον φέξει. Ignorance indeed occafions audacity; but a power and habit of just reafoning, befitation. THUCYDIDES. Recta Recta ingenia debilitat verecundia, perverfa confirmat audacia. Modefty debilitates a good genius and difpofition; audacity gives affurance to the perverfe. PLINIUS. IN mon. N this age, true pedantry is not very comMen of learning have extended the objects of their purfuit. They usually study to accommodate themselves to the external manners, if not to the fentiments, of those with whom they daily converse. They willingly throw off the folemnity of wifdom, and affume that airy gaiety, which has formerly distinguished the profeffed men of the world. They find it an advantageous exchange, to resign something of the diftant veneration which they might juftly claim, for the pleafures of an eafy and familiar intercourfe. The ridicule which has been thrown on the character of the pedant, has contributed to effect this revolution. The ridicule was often just; but dunces have availed themselves of it unjustly. They have injured by derifion the modeft ftudent, who, while his mind is engaged in ftudy, can scarcely avoid expreffing, in conversation, fome of thofe ideas with which he is animated. A feeling and ingenuous mind is often hurt by the derifion of thofe whom it ought to defpife; and the name of pedant, given by a blockhead to his fuperior, has greatly injured the cause of true learning *. None *The last maim given to learning has been by the fcorn of pedantry." Sir W. TEMPLE. None, indeed, but very weak perfons, can fall into very ridiculous pedantry. Converfation*, on fubjects of literature in liberal and well-educated company, is by no means pedantry +. Learning and books conftitute a very pleafing, as well as rational topic of converfation . It is agreeable, and is expected that a fcholar It is faid, that the fashion of throwing ridicule on learning, by giving it the name of Pedantry, owed its origin to the Jefuits in France, who feeing gentlemen begin to acquire that learning of which they had fo greatly availed themselves, were afraid they fhould lofe fomething of the influence which their fuperiority in learning gave them, and therefore exerted their well-known arts in fixing on every learned gentleman the name of Pedant. * See fome good remarks on fashionable converfation, and on feveral other fubjects of the highest importance to perfons juft entering into life, in Mrs. Chapone's Mifcellanies. I will alfo recommend the Letters on the Improvement of the -Mind, by the fame ingenious Lady, to boys as well as to girls; for the latter of whom they were indeed chiefly defigned. + Indeed I cannot help thinking, that one of the most valuable effects of polite learning, or a knowledge of morals, history, eloquence, and poetry, is, that it furnishes inexhauftible matter for ELEGANT CONVERSATION. They who cannot partake in fuch converfation are glad to exclude it, by giving it the name of pedantry; and they too often fucceed. Nothing more improving. Nothing more truly delightful. They are the luxury of the foul, and its beft employment, next to acts of benevolence and piety. Thould fometimes talk on fcholar-like fubjects; nor is he in the leaft more culpable or ridicuJous than the military man, the merchant, the ingenious artist, who naturally love to expatiate on thofe things which claim their daily attention. Yet the fear of the imputation of pedantry, has prevented many a young man, not only from difplaying, but acquiring knowledge. As I wish to remove every obftacle which can impede the improvement of the ingenuous ftudent, I cannot help exhorting him to affume a fufficient degree of courage*, to defpife the ridicule. of those whofe praise would be fatire +. Such is that of thofe unfortunate perfons who have little tafte for any gratification but the grofler pleasures of the fenfes, and who have malignity enough to wish to reduce all others to their own level 1. 'HOR. *Sapere AUDE. Dare to be wife. Quæfitam meritis fume fuperbiam. Affume that confidence which your merit justifies. 66 And whether there be any fuch or no, I cannot well tell yet I heare-faye, fome young gentlemen of ours, count it their fhame to bee counted learned; and perchance they count it their fhame to bee counted honeft.alfo. For I heare faye, they medle as litle with the one, as with the other." ASCHAM. I hope the Author of the Eftimate of the Manners, &c. of the Times, was under the malignant influence of fpleen, when he told the world, that among the great, "all knowledge and learning, except in gaming, wagers, good-eating, borough-jobbing, and intrigue, is ridiculed under the name and mafque of PEDANTRY." He He who profeffes learning, must be conscious. of it, and it is blameable pufillanimity, not to affume a proper degree of modest confidence. It is to give the illiterate and the vain an advantage which they cannot deferve. Boldness is feldom among their defects; and where a proper fpirit is wanting to oppose them, they will feldom hefitate to trample on genius, and put modest merit out of countenance *. I do not recommend an unfeasonable difplay of learning. No; I prefuppofe that the poffeffor of it is not deficient + in good fenfe, and with that he will feldom be guilty of a real indecorum. I am not fingular in thinking, that men of great merit oftener injure themselves and others by too little, than by too much confidence. With respect to external behaviour, a fubject on which fo much has been lately faid, I will advife the ftudent, who values the approbation of his own heart, to let SINCERITY be the principle of his converfation. Notwithstanding what has been faid on the ART of pleafing, a behaviour void of art or fincerity, in word and deed, will ultimately best please the poffeffor of *Gl'huomini SCACCIATI poffedono la metà del mondo. Bold and shameless men poffefs half the world. Adag. Italicum. † Ὡς ουδέν η μάθησις ἦν μὴ νοῦς παγής MENANDER. Since learning is nothing without a NOYE, or pru dence. Sapere eft principium et fons. Good fenfe is the fource and principle of all. O 2 HOR. it, |