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of Capacity, or greater and leffer Powers, and Philofophy becomes barren and unimportant; but when we diftinguish Animals by their Instincts, the varieus Defigns of Providence appear full in View, and the all-governing Spirit acts, directs and rules thro' the Profpect of Nature, and gives their feparate Code of Laws to every Species on Earth, from which there is no Appeal. From the human Inftincts it is, that we may expect to discover, by the Light of Nature, and by the Teftimony of Analogy, the End and Purpofe of that great, miferable, and complicated Creature, Man. I fhall only add to what I have faid concerning Mr. Locke's Arguments against innate Ideas and innate Principles, that he has not advanced one Syllable againft unacquired Inftincts, and that his Reasonings on thofe Subjects conclude nothing against what I have contended for in this laft Section.

V

14. Upon the Whole, I flatter myfelf that I have in the foregoing Tracts proved, with fufficient Evidence, that the Syftem which supposes Self-intereft to be the Parent of the Paffions, and the ultimate Mover of human Actions, is a Figment and a Deception, formed by fubftituting general Expreffions which have no Ideas or Reality annexed to them, for the particular Inclinations and Averfions which are the real Sources of our Defires. That the Mind is not moved, or impressed as Matter is; that thefe Expreffions which are borrowed from material Objects, are metaphorical and improper in the highest Degree when applied to the Mind, and afford no Sanction to the ufual Reafonings of the Materialifts; on the contrary, that the Mind obeys Laws wholly different from, and inconfiftent with the Laws of Matter; and that the human Mind hath, in Embrio, Difpofitions, Sentiments, and Taftes, prior to the Impreffions of Senfe, which determine and form the human Character and

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Courfe of Life, and that we are by an invifible Power enlightened and led by the Hand, whofe Directions we always feel with fufficient Clearness.

Having difplayed the Errors of thofe Systems that distorted modern Philofophy, the Way at leaft is cleared to the facred Springs of Morality and Virtue, and a Path opened to the human Plan, which it concerns us fo much, in this Age of Infidelity and Enquiry, to be perfectly acquainted with.

P. S. Every one who is acquainted with Mr. Locke's Effay on the Human Understanding, will readily fee that no two Syftems can be more oppofite than his, and this I have juft sketched out. When it is proved that the Judgments and common Senfe of Men are directed by Instincts, then the Design of Mr. Locke's Chapters against innate Ideas and innate Principles is overturned, as well as his whole fubfequent System, as far as it is founded on the Principles begun in thofe celebrated Chapters, and carried on throughout the whole Body of his Effay; Self-Intereft, which, agreeable to his general Plan, forms every Law that binds Mankind, which directs their Judgment, and moves them to Action, falls to the Ground; and Virtue and Morality must appear under a very different Character, and different Laws from those which his Plan admits. Senfible of the prodigious Authority that lies against me, and of the general Affent given to Mr. Locke's Scheme, I would not venture to oppose it, if I had not the strongest Asfurance of the Truth of the Opinions I advance, and a Conviction that the Cause of Virtue and Morality is deeply interested in the Dispute. With fuch Reflections I thought proper to communicate my Thoughts to the Public, that they may have a fair Trial, notwithstanding any Authority upon Earth: This is a Freedom of Examination that

Mr.

Mr. Locke himself has taken, and ftrenuously contended for.

My intelligent Reader will eafily forefee, that in the Profecution of this Subject, the next Attempt should be to enquire what are the Inftincts peculiar to Man, that distinguish him from the other known Animals who share this Earth with him; whether, amongst the human Inftincts, there be any that form fixed and univerfally-felt Fountain-heads of Religion and Duty: and if it appears that we really have such, then it is evidently of the greatest Importance to point them out, and to examine what they plainly infer, and what they teach us concerning the End and Destination of Man.

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TH

By Dr. GOLDSMITH.

HE Life of a Scholar feldom abounds with Adventure. His Fame is acquired in Solitude. And the Historian who only views him at a Distance, must be content with a dry Detail of Actions by which he is fcarce diftinguished from the rest of Mankind. But we are fond of talking of those who have given us Pleasure, not that we have any Thing important to fay, but because the Subject is pleafing.

Thomas Parnell, D. D. was defcended from an ancient Family, that had for fome Centuries been fettled at Congleton in Cheshire. His Father, Thomas Parnell, who had been attached to the Commonwealth Party, upon the Restoration, went over to Ireland; thither he carried a large perfonal Fortune, which he laid out in Lands in that Kingdom. The Estates he purchased there, as alfo that of which he was poffeffed in Cheshire, defcended to our Poet, who was his eldest Son, and still remain in the Family.

Thus

Thus Want, which has compelled many of our greatest Men into the Service of the Muses, had no Influence upon Parnell; he was a Poet by Incli

nation.

He was born in Dublin in the Year 1679, and received the first Rudiments of his Education at the School of Doctor Jones in that City. Surprising Things are told us of the Greatness of his Memory at that early Period, as of his being able to repeat by Heart forty Lines of any Book at the first Reading; of his getting the third Book of the Iliad in one Night's Time, which was given in order to confine him for fome Days. Thefe Stories, which are told of almoft every celebrated Wit, may perhaps be true. But for my own Part, I never found any of thofe Prodigies of Parts, although I have known enough that were defirous, among the Igno. rant, of being thought fo.

There is one Prefumption, however, of the early Maturity of his Understanding. He was admitted a Member of the College of Dublin at the Age of Thirteen, which is much fooner than ufual, as at that Univerfity they are a great deal ftricter in their Examination for Entrance, than either at Oxford or Cambridge. His Progrefs through the College Courfe of Study was probably marked with but little Splendour; his Imagination might have been too warm to relish the cold Logic of Burgerfdicius, or the dreary Subtleties of Smiglefius; but it is certain, that as a claffical Scholar few could equal him. His own Compofitions fhew this, and the Deference which the moft eminent Men of his Time paid him upon that Head, put it beyond a Doubt. He took the Degree of Mafter of Arts the ninth of July, 1700; and in the fame Year, he was ordained a Deacon, by William, Bishop of Derry, having a Difpenfation from the Primate, as being under twenty-three Years of Age. He was admitted into

Pricft's

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