of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences-第5章

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to　those　undertakings；　in　which　those；　who　have　succeeded；　have

fixed　the　admiration　of　mankind。　If　his　own　nation　be　already

possessed　of　many　models　of　eloquence；　he　naturally　compares　his

own　juvenile　exercises　with　these；　and　being　sensible　of　the

great　disproportion；　is　discouraged　from　any　farther　attempts；

and　never　aims　at　a　rivalship　with　those　authors；　whom　he　so　much

admires。　A　noble　emulation　is　the　source　of　every　excellence。

Admiration　and　modesty　naturally　extinguish　this　emulation。　And

no　one　is　so　liable　to　an　excess　of　admiration　and　modesty；　as　a

truly　great　genius。

　　　　　Next　to　emulation；　the　greatest　encourager　of　the　noble　arts

is　praise　and　glory。　A　writer　is　animated　with　new　force；　when　he

hears　the　applauses　of　the　world　for　his　former　productions；　and；

being　roused　by　such　a　motive；　he　often　reaches　a　pitch　of

perfection；　which　is　equally　surprizing　to　himself　and　to　his

readers。　But　when　the　posts　of　honour　are　all　occupied；　his　first

attempts　are　but　coldly　received　by　the　public；　being　compared　to

productions；　which　are　both　in　themselves　more　excellent；　and

have　already　the　advantage　of　an　established　reputation。　Were

Moli妑e　and　Corneille　to　bring　upon　the　stage　at　present　their

early　productions；　which　were　formerly　so　well　received；　it　would

discourage　the　young　poets；　to　see　the　indifference　and　disdain

of　the　public。　The　ignorance　of　the　age　alone　could　have　given

admission　to　the　；　but　it　is　to　that　we　owe　：　Had　　been　rejected；　we　had　never

seen　。

　　　　　Perhaps；　it　may　not　be　for　the　advantage　of　any　nation　to

have　the　arts　imported　from　their　neighbours　in　too　great

perfection。　This　extinguishes　emulation；　and　sinks　the　ardour　of

the　generous　youth。　So　many　models　of　Italian　painting　brought

into　England；　instead　of　exciting　our　artists；　is　the　cause　of

their　small　progress　in　that　noble　art。　The　same；　perhaps；　was

the　case　of　Rome；　when　it　received　the　arts　from　Greece。　That

multitude　of　polite　productions　in　the　French　language；　dispersed

all　over　Germany　and　the　North；　hinder　these　nations　from

cultivating　their　own　language；　and　keep　them　still　dependent　on

their　neighbours　for　those　elegant　entertainments。

　　　　　It　is　true；　the　ancients　had　left　us　models　in　every　kind　of

writing；　which　are　highly　worthy　of　admiration。　But　besides　that

they　were　written　in　languages；　known　only　to　the　learned；

besides　this；　I　say；　the　comparison　is　not　so　perfect　or　entire

between　modern　wits；　and　those　who　lived　in　so　remote　an　age。　Had

Waller　been　born　in　Rome；　during　the　reign　of　Tiberius；　his　first

productions　had　been　despised；　when　compared　to　the　finished　odes

of　Horace。　But　in　this　island　the　superiority　of　the　Roman　poet

diminished　nothing　from　the　fame　of　the　English。　We　esteemed

ourselves　sufficiently　happy；　that　our　climate　and　language　could

produce　but　a　faint　copy　of　so　excellent　an　original。

　　　　　In　short；　the　arts　and　sciences；　like　some　plants；　require　a

fresh　soil；　and　however　rich　the　land　may　be；　and　however　you　may

recruit　it　by　art　or　care；　it　will　never；　when　once　exhausted；

produce　any　thing　that　is　perfect　or　finished　in　the　kind。