men keen and discriminating, must keep it more on the watch than it is apt to be in the glare and crowd of public life. It is commonly considered that knowledge of mankind is to be obtained chiefly by experience of men and conversancy with society. Much, no doubt, is gained by this; but it is not to be forgotten that something also is lost by it. "The hand "of little employment hath the daintier sense;" and it should be observed that people who have been very much in contact with the world, generally become somewhat callous in their perceptive faculties. The traveller who sets foot in a country for the first time, is more alive to its peculiarities, and sees more, than the denizen; and the fact will generally be found to be, that those who have above all others "a gift of

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genuine insight" into men's characters, are persons who, though they have seen something of the world from time to time, have lived for the most part in retirement. Men of

the world understand readily what is commonly met with amongst mankind; but they either do not see what is peculiar, or they are thrown out by it: and they profit little by slight traits; though slight traits, without being stretched too far, may often be improved by meditation into strong conclusions. Also, men in high station, from having less personal interest in the characters of others being safe from them—are commonly less acute observers, and with their progressive elevation in life become, as more and more indifferent to what other men are, so more and more ignorant of them. The same principle may be traced in private life, where governesses and servants or other dependents, and women as being most dependent, are, in proportion to their faculties and means, the most watchful observers of character. It should be the care of a statesman to keep his curiosity alive, by carrying with him into society a sense of the public wants to which it is his

duty to administer, and considering the abilities of the available men whom he meets there, as the most precious portion of the public re

sources.

In our judgment of men, we are to beware of giving any great importance to occasional acts. By acts of occasional virtue weak men endeavour to redeem themselves in their own estimation, vain men to exalt themselves in that of mankind. It may be observed, that there are no men more worthless and selfish in the general tenour of their lives, than some who from time to time perform feats of generosity. Sentimental selfishness will commonly vary its indulgences in this way, and vainglorious selfishness will break out into acts of munificence. But self-government and self-denial are not to be relied upon for any real strength, except in so far as they are found to be exercised in detail.

Plausibilities and pretensions are the most

direct index to the defects of men. Where there is a merely negative demeanour and no assumption or aim at any thing, it may be difficult to discover what is wanting and what is not. But plausibilities, when they are not so successful as to be accredited, always betray a good deal; and they can scarcely be long successful where they are met by diligence of observation and an ordinary share of discernment. And even with those who do not set themselves deliberately to observe and discern, there is often an intuitive sense of unsoundness, which, if they have due confidence in it, will

them from being misled.

preserve

The arts of plausibility would not be practised with so much assurance and so little skill and caution, if plausible men were not more deceived than deceiving: but what they pretend to be, other men pretend to take them for. For men of the world, knowing that there are few things so unpopular as penetration, take

care to wear the appearance of being imposed upon; and thus the man of plausibilities practises his art under the disadvantage of not knowing when he is detected, and what shallows to keep clear of for the future.

There is, however, one way in which plausibility may be attended with no inconsiderable success; and that is, when the practitioner contrives to make himself a little known to a great many people, and much known only to a conniving few.