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Article ON THE INFELICITIES OF THE LEARNED. ← Page 3 of 3
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On The Infelicities Of The Learned.
world . It is long before men of learning become the objects of pub " lie observation . During this space much time has been spent in at--taining what may produce pleasure , but by no means brings profit . . Engaged in this occupation , worldly attentions , and what are called prudential considerations , must unavoidably be totally neglected . If the student , therefore , is destitute of a patrimonial income , or unprotected by a place or patronhis circumstances must be
embar-, rassed , the freedom of his genius will be restrained , his literary projects , however useful and promising , will be blasted or delayed , his Jove of letters will decay from spleen , his views ofthe world will cease to be impartial , his representations of life will be either caricar lures or pictures of melancholy , and it will be happy if habits are not resorted to by him , to blunt the sense of his misfortunes , which will
destroy his literary pursuits , his fame , and his life . When we read the unfortunate course and termination of any son of Genius , we are disposed to censure both him and the age in which he lived ; when , perhaps , neither deserve the reproach which we are free to bestow . Dire necesssity may have pressed upon him to such a degree as to disqualify him for any powerful exertion to extricate him from his misery . Threatened poverty may be avoided
by ingenious manoeuvres and by a sudden resolution , accompanied by active performance ; but when it falls in a full tide upon a man , pnd he finds himself harassed on all sides , that mind , which , to do any thing of consequence , ought to be cool , collected , and unperplexed , is uncommonly agitated , and peculiarly disqualified for its customary employment . In a state of absolute distress it is impossible to form any great design on consistent principlesand nearly so to execute what
, has been previously planned with judgment , and partly executed with satisfaction . Some slight literary p ieces may be produced under the severest pressure ; but that which is hastily composed , to supply prer sent necessities , must bear a character to the condition and manner in which it was performed . Works of erudition , calculated to live for ages , cannot reasonably
he expected from men under such circumstances , however vigorous may be their faculties or ardent their inclination . There is a patience requisite to the execution of such performances , which cannot well be looked for in the man who has the horrors of a prison in his eyes , and the uncertainty where he shall procure his next meal , to increase the keenness of'his appetite , and the gloomj' terrors of his mind .
If such a man has engaged and promised to bring put an elaborate work , and delays to fulfil his engagement , those who have encouraged him ( as it is called ) in his undertaking , begin to invei g h against his negligence , to question the integrity of'his principles , the morality of Jiis conduct , or perhaps the strength of ' his abilities . And yet , poor man , all this while he has been obliged to leave his favourite work xvith heart-breaking regretto compile orwritc things tmwortbof his
, y ialents , merely to supply the immediate calls of nature . His industry has not slackened ; but it has been exerted upon things , and in a way , p f which the world is properly ignorant . W f , TO BE CCNCLUCED IS CUB NJXT . ]
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Infelicities Of The Learned.
world . It is long before men of learning become the objects of pub " lie observation . During this space much time has been spent in at--taining what may produce pleasure , but by no means brings profit . . Engaged in this occupation , worldly attentions , and what are called prudential considerations , must unavoidably be totally neglected . If the student , therefore , is destitute of a patrimonial income , or unprotected by a place or patronhis circumstances must be
embar-, rassed , the freedom of his genius will be restrained , his literary projects , however useful and promising , will be blasted or delayed , his Jove of letters will decay from spleen , his views ofthe world will cease to be impartial , his representations of life will be either caricar lures or pictures of melancholy , and it will be happy if habits are not resorted to by him , to blunt the sense of his misfortunes , which will
destroy his literary pursuits , his fame , and his life . When we read the unfortunate course and termination of any son of Genius , we are disposed to censure both him and the age in which he lived ; when , perhaps , neither deserve the reproach which we are free to bestow . Dire necesssity may have pressed upon him to such a degree as to disqualify him for any powerful exertion to extricate him from his misery . Threatened poverty may be avoided
by ingenious manoeuvres and by a sudden resolution , accompanied by active performance ; but when it falls in a full tide upon a man , pnd he finds himself harassed on all sides , that mind , which , to do any thing of consequence , ought to be cool , collected , and unperplexed , is uncommonly agitated , and peculiarly disqualified for its customary employment . In a state of absolute distress it is impossible to form any great design on consistent principlesand nearly so to execute what
, has been previously planned with judgment , and partly executed with satisfaction . Some slight literary p ieces may be produced under the severest pressure ; but that which is hastily composed , to supply prer sent necessities , must bear a character to the condition and manner in which it was performed . Works of erudition , calculated to live for ages , cannot reasonably
he expected from men under such circumstances , however vigorous may be their faculties or ardent their inclination . There is a patience requisite to the execution of such performances , which cannot well be looked for in the man who has the horrors of a prison in his eyes , and the uncertainty where he shall procure his next meal , to increase the keenness of'his appetite , and the gloomj' terrors of his mind .
If such a man has engaged and promised to bring put an elaborate work , and delays to fulfil his engagement , those who have encouraged him ( as it is called ) in his undertaking , begin to invei g h against his negligence , to question the integrity of'his principles , the morality of Jiis conduct , or perhaps the strength of ' his abilities . And yet , poor man , all this while he has been obliged to leave his favourite work xvith heart-breaking regretto compile orwritc things tmwortbof his
, y ialents , merely to supply the immediate calls of nature . His industry has not slackened ; but it has been exerted upon things , and in a way , p f which the world is properly ignorant . W f , TO BE CCNCLUCED IS CUB NJXT . ]