ON THE STATE OF LEARNING IN GENERAL. HOEVER is in the leaft acquainted with W the annals of literature, and the hiftory of the learned, knows how well the English have deferved with refpect to the promotion of fience, and the cultivation of all branches of learning. Whether it be true, as many of them feem to fuppofe, that they are the moft learned nation on the globe, I will not decide. Perhaps national pride, and too little knowledge of the state of learning in other countries, may have produced fuch an opinion; from which, however, many truly learned Englishnuen are free, who do full juttice to the learning of other nations. Thofe fciences which require deep meditation, and abftract study, are cultivated by the English with the greatest fuccefs. They yield in this refpect to no nation whatever, if they are not fuperior to any. It is faid of them, that they are not endowed with great powers of invention; but, I think, a Bacon, a Shakespeare, a Newton, may prove the contrary; and I am certain, that if they are once upon the fcent, they will generally go as far as poffible. Befides, they have this advantage, B 2 * |