The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-12
ENOTIR ER
RICHMOND, FEBRyARr lc, 1905.

~ ~ Letter Srd dei;rsofst ths Portraii 81 Mr..
*t%S* from *&**@.
LITTER 9Th FROM MEMBER orTRE ASSEM-
BY TO HIS FRIEND IN *&%%*.
The mot hecdlefs obfrrver OF human nature.
r1uit have noticed in fome pcrlon or other the
want ofttat equable proportion which fllould
fubGrt between the faculties. of the mind and
the BODY. The powers OF the ftnriy plough
man and he fckiy fage, are perfectly oppohte
- each other; vet each of them may be highly
fnnhsd - the;nfclyes, and each is feeby affited
by Tx Improvement of the other. In the phi
ol17tcT we fee a fhadGwy and hckly form,
pi7ing under the labours Of cultivated mind |:
whit tbs pioughnlau, urconicious of the intel
leStGa ruin which he bears about him, inhales
the bs!ny air of health, and difclofes to your
view the brnwn, the veins, the fwelling linea
mcnts of the Falernian Hercules Bring each
Of thoie men before the pcrfe0 itandard of ma
ture; examine whether the attributes by which
they are feparately dtinguifhed, are precifelv
thofe which they ought to be: and the obvious
defect of proportion will at once arref your
notice, and at once you will perceive that here,
rs III every other cafe, the want of natural pro-
portion is the abfence of beauty and exqui(ite
enjoyment. Each oft hofe men will appear TO
Re o::; &c ia!s ace Up - each f them
iecm thorn ofhalf the attractions of Ills nature /.
and neither will appear to have realized that
perfect character, which the moralilt wifhes to
attain, and which the poet delights TO delineate.
Unfortunately, my dear friend, this is not the
only proportion between our powers, which
nature has taught us to maintain, and from,
which if we dcyilte, even for moment, we
hnd our plcafurcs and our interets become the
victims of our errors. Man is made ND of too
vatt combination ofpowers; of too MANY lit
tie iyiiems acting and Reaching upon cacli other
z each thof- competed of too manyconuetfed
parts he is too much like thofe complicated
and delicate machines, in which the leaf touch.
The leat irregular action, is apt to derange its
moyeme is for him 10 expect an eternal bar-
mony among his powers, never-ceaiing flow of
delightful lenfatiouS. This mind and this bo.
dy, between Which there mutt exit a certain
proportion CT energy jl order TO produce Ger
tam degree ofenioyment ; 10 each of them COM
poied OF different powers. Perfection is only
TO arife from &c tain law OF proportion. which
ought to exit between them and vet the i'm
prriiions OF nature, or the lef7ons Of education.
are continually triying to diGurh this delightful
equipOiic. While our reafon io neditating and
creeping upon the furflce, the fearing wing of
fancy rei1xcs III its vgour. Whit we ave ga
thcring the ludicrous diverftes among objefls.
and pouring forth the eXquilite efuGons Of wit.
the nerve Of reaion is loting its inimitable fen
dbilisy. The cold mathematician will turn
from the 6net descriptions ofgerir,s, to dream
amongft his diagrams Whit the poet enrapt
ured by the beauties Of nature and dwelling a.
mongft her graceful forms, her glowing colours,
and her melodious Pounds, has Ion All His tate.
as well rs all bis capacity for abarae fDecuIati-
ors about quantity and ratios. II is thus. INV
dear friend, that the fubdivifion of labour, which
tamps 70 many diyerfties upon the pbyGcal
powers OF man, extsnds its influence even into
the fuht'e regions ofintellca moulds the verv
Faculties oil tie mind itfelf: and defroys that
delightful equipoife among them, which is the
principal perfection of orr nature.
Let us no longer thcnform our iudgmentsbv
our ab0raSt {andard ofmerit let usfeek more
accommodated TO the varying. purfuts of civil
zer ioccty. Let VS. no longer decclare that
ttat man IS moi accomplished. who prcferVes
al the powers Of his fytcm in their happien
propor:ion 70 each other, who combines the
erestea family Of body with the higheh vigour
Of the mird, and difPlays at the fame time the
richcft imagination, the mott poliihed wit, and
The mott comprehensive understanding. II be-
cornes us, my friend, 20 lof- fight Of foch bhn-
FpI yih0ns Of perfection. In Judging of the me-
rits Of any particular cbarat9er, we mua con6ne
our ingeaigation within narrower circle.
We mue examine tbofe endowr nts, which
are connected with his purfuits We muir ex-
an:de how sar this man pofieaes them and