PART III. defign of the first part of this y was to fhew the utility of the Antiquities in its connection with elegant as well as the moft ufeful learning: And of the Second, to more largely and minutely on fome Antiquities, in order to apply to a ticular fubjects the general Obferof the First Part. To the topics troduced many others might be But as the name of ANTIQUARY long subject to the ridicule of vulgar e, while the nature and object of ours have been generally ill underthe last part of this Effay fhall be to the fame fubject as the first, and fhall 1 The first and proper object in this Study is the examination of Monumental Antiquities, the venerable relicts of remote Ages, which preserve fome of the first specimens of Art, and exhibit productions, which bear testimony to the gradual progress of good tafte, and refinement of the human Mind. And while the Antiquary investigates the origin of the Arts, he is led back to the first dawnings of Society, the earliest openings of civil life, and the progreffive rise of political institutions. It is obvious therefore how wide a compass of human learning is subject to the researches of the Antiquary. From this variety of his Inquiries, the advantages are great, which he derives, and are abundantly fufficient to recommend a ftudy which is productive of fuch utility. By comparing the various parts of science in their origin he is better able to judge of their connexion and mutual dependence; and from such a knowledge of their several relations he ac quires a liberality of fentiment, which excludes the prejudices of partial learning, and teaches him to place a juft value on the different branches of Science. He is capable also of forming a truer eftimate of human nature, and of the real extent of the human understanding. In tracing the origin and progrefs of the Arts, the vanity of human wit, accustomed to view the accumulated experience of many Ages, which is included in the perfection of its works, as the voluntary efforts of its own inventive faculty *, is mortified to find from *The power and extent of human art is defcribed by SoPHOCLES in the Antigone v. 332, &c. ed Brunck: which I will take the liberty to introduce here and compare with an imitation of the paffage by Mr. HARRIS in his Dialogue on Art. If the reader should not think Mr. Harrises words to be an imitation of Sophocles, as they appear to me to be from the expreffion and arrangement of his thoughts, (and Mr. Harris does not make any reference to the Greek poet,) he will at least, I am perfuaded, be pleased in seeing the chorus of the Antigone illuftrated by what will answer the purpole of an elegant paraphraftical commentary, fometimes indeed. confiderably amplified and extended beyond the limits of the original, especially in the firft inftance. The chorus begins with a general obfervation on the fovereignty of human reafon: Πολλα τα δεινα, κ' ουδέν αν θρώπου δεινότερον πέλει. Multa quidem funt folertia, nibil vere Harris ( 120 ) how rude and barbarous beginnings arofe fociety and order, from what trivial and accidental circumftances, and by what flow and painful operations, all its monuments were perfected. The Antiquary, by withdrawing his eyes from the fplendor, which illuminates the great fabric of human Art, and which dazzles the partial judgement of the incurious, is enabled cooly and difpaffionately to decompofe its conftituent parts, and to trace them feverally to their original Harris: "O! ART, thou distinguishing attribute and honour "of human kind, who art not only able to imitate nature " in her Graces, but, what is more, even to adorn her with graces of thy own. Poffeffed of thee, the meanest Genius grows deferving, and has a juft demand for a portion of our esteem. Devoid of thee the brightest of our kind lie "loft and ufelefs, and are but poorly diftinguished from the "most despicable and base. When we inhabited forests like "the brutes, nor were otherwise known from them than by "the figure of our Species, thou taughteft us to affert the fover 66 86 eignty of our Nature, for which Providence intended us. "Thousands of utilities owe their birth to thee, thousands "of elegancies, pleafures, and joys, without which Life "itfelf would be but an infipid poffeffion." Sophocles then proceeds to exemplify in particular inftances the power of art over inanimate fubjects. Τουτο και πολίου πέραν ΠΟΝΤΟΥ χειμερία νοτῳ Πέρων επ' οίδμασι Θέων |