DIALOGUES

UPON THE USEFULNESS OF ANCIENT MEDALS.

DIALOGUE I.

CYNTHIO, Eugenius, and Philander, had retired together from the town to a country village, that lies upon the Thames. Their design was to pass away the heat of the summer among the fresh breezes that rise from the river, and the agreeable mixture of shades and fountains, in which the whole country naturally abounds. They were all three very well versed in the politer parts of learning, and had travelled into the most refined nations of Europe: so that they were capable of entertaining themselves on a thousand different subjects without running into the common topic of defaming public parties, or particular persons. As they

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were intimate friends they took the freedom to dissent from one

Mr. Addison's great reputation is chiefly owing to what he wrote in prose. This part of his works, then, will deserve to be studied with care. It is scarce possible to examine a writer of this class, without admiring sometimes. But I shall do it sparingly. It will be more useful to point out his defects, which, in such a crowd of beauties, may be overlooked, or may themselves be mistaken for beauties. Nor let the presumption of this attempt give offence to any, even though they should dissent from me, in the instances alleged: for, to be at the pains of inquiring whether such a writer have any faults, is, in effect, to pay the highest compliment to his merit. And for the rest, I commit myself to the candour of all capable judges. Nam etiam cum judicium meum ostendero, suum tamen legentibus relinquam.

Defaming public parties, is not a topic, but a mode of treating it. It had been more exact to say, "into the common practice of defaming public parties," &c.