note 1: This story is taken from Book I. of Cicero 'De Natura
Deorum'.]

[Footnote 2: 'Human Understanding', Book II. ch. xxiii. Sec. 33.]

[Footnote 3: [conceiving him.]]

[Footnote 4: Ecclus. xliii. 26-32.]

[Footnote 5: Bishop Burnet's sermon at the funeral of the Hon. Robert
Boyle (who died in 1691).]

* * * * *

No. 532. Monday, November 10, 1712. Steele.

'--Fungor vice cotis, acutum
Reddere quae ferrum valet, exsors ipsa secandi.'

Hor.

It is a very honest Action to be studious to produce other Men's Merit;
and I make no scruple of saying I have as much of this Temper as any Man
in the World. It would not be a thing to be bragged of, but that it is
what any Man may be Master of who will take Pains enough for it. Much
Observation of the Unworthiness in being pained at the Excellence of
another, will bring you to a Scorn of yourself for that Unwillingness:
And when you have got so far, you will find it a greater Pleasure than
you ever before knew, to be zealous in promoting the Fame and Welfare of
the Praise-worthy. I do not speak this as pretending to be a mortified
self-denying Man, but as one who has turned his Ambition into a right
Channel. I claim to my self the Merit of having extorted excellent
Productions from a Person of the greatest Abilities, [1] who would not
have let them appear by any other Means; to have animated a few young
Gentlemen into worthy Pursuits, who will be a Glory to our Age; and at
all Times, and by all possible Means in my Power, undermined the
Interests of Ignorance, Vice, and Folly, and attempted to substitute in
their Stead, Learning, Piety, and good Sense. It is from this honest
Heart that I find myself honoured as a Gentleman-Usher to the Arts and
Sciences. Mr. _Tickell_ and Mr. _Pope_ have, it seems, this Idea of me.
The former has writ me an excellent Paper of Verses in Praise, forsooth,
of my self; and the other enclosed for my perusal an admirable Poem, [2]
which, I hope, will shortly see the Light. In the mean time I cannot
suppress any Thought of his, but insert his Sentiment about the dying
Words of _Adrian_. I won't determine in the Case he mentions; but have
thus much to say in favour of his Argument, that many of his own Works
which I have seen, convince me that very pretty and very sublime
Sentiments may be lodged in the same Bosom without diminution to its
Greatn