bears great Resemblance) doth not barely
imply a determination of its Motion towards a certain Center, but
the _Vis_ or Force with which it is carried forward; and so the
_English_ Word _Genius_, answers to the same _Latin_ Word, and
_Ingenium_ together. [G]_Ingenium_ is the _Vis ingenita_, the
natural Force or Power with which every Being is indued; and
this, together with the particular Inclination of the Mind,
towards any Business, or Study, or Way of Life, is what we mean
by a _Genius_. Both are necessary to make a Man shine in any
Station or Employment. Nothing considerable can be done against
the Grain, or as the _Latins_ express it, _invita Minerva_, in
spite of Power and Inclination, "Forc'd Studies, says[H]
_Seneca_, will never answer: The Labour is in vain where Nature
recoils." Indeed, where the Inclination towards any Thing is
strong, Diligence and Application will in a great Measure supply
the Defect of natural Abilities: But then only is in a finish'd
_Genius_, when with a strong Inclination there is a due
Proportion of Force and Vigour in the Mind to pursue it.

[G] _Ingenium quasi intus genitum_.

[H] _Male respondent ingenia coacta; reluctante natura irritus
Labor est._

There is a vast Variety of these Inclinations among Mankind. Some
there are who have no bent to Business at all; but, if they could
indulge Inclination, would doze out Life in perpetual Sloth and
Inactivity: Others can't be altogether Idle, but incline only to
trifling and useless Employments, or such as are altogether out
of Character. Both these sorts of Men are properly good for
nothing: They just live, and help to[I] consume the Products of
the Earth, but answer no valuable End of Living, out of
Inclination I mean; Providence and good Government have sometimes
made them serviceable against it.

[I] _Fruges consumere nati_. Horat.

The better, and in Truth only valuable, Part of Mankind, have a
Turn for one sort of Business or other, but with great variety of
Taste. Some are addicted to deep Thought and Contemplation: Some
to the abstracted Speculations of Metaphysicks; some to the
evident Demonstrations of the Mathematicks; some to the History
of Nature, built upon true Narration, or accurate Observations
and Experiments: Some to the Invention of _Hypotheses_, to solve
the various _Phenomena_. Some affect the study of Languages,
Criticism, Oratory, Poetry, and such like Studies. Some have a
Taste for Musick, some fo