ciety, but some of his Writings. But methinks, in this one Man, I do at once find enough Occasion, to admire the Strength of human Wit, and to bewail the Weakness of a mortal Condition. For is it not wonderful, that he, who had run through all the Degrees of that Profession, which usually takes up Men's whole Time; who had studied, and practis'd, and govern'd the common Law; who had always liv'd in the Crowd, and born the greatest Burden of civil Business; should yet find Leisure enough for these retir'd Studies, to excel all those Men, who separate themselves for this very purpose? He was a Man of strong, clear, and powerful Imaginations; his Genius was searching and inimitable; and of this I need give no other Proof than his Style it self; which as, for the most part, it describes Men's Minds, as well as Pictures do their Bodies, so did his above all Men living. The Course of it vigorous, and majestical; the Wit bold, and familiar; the Companions fetch'd out of the Way, and yet the more easy: In all expressing a Soul, equally skill'd in Men, and Nature. All this and much more is true of him; but yet his Philosophical Works do shew, that a single and busy Hand can never grasp all this whole Design, of which we treat. His Rules were admirable; yet his History not so faithful, as might have been wish'd, in many Places; he seems rather to take all that comes, than to choose, and to heap, rather than to register. But I hope this Accusation of mine can be no great Injury to his Memory; seeing, at the same time, that I say he had not the Strength of a thousand Men, I do also allow him to have had as much as twenty.
