er. Things may indeed be
thrown together in a Crowd, without Order or Art. And then every
thing appears in Confusion, disagreeable and apt to disgust. But
absolute Uniformity will give little more Pleasure than meer
Confusion. To be ever harping on one String, though it be touch'd
by the most Masterly Hand, will give little more Entertainment to
the Ear, than the most confused and discordant variety of Sounds
mingled by the Hand of a meer Bungler. To have the Eye for ever
fix'd on one beautiful Object, would be apt to abate the
Satisfaction, at least in our present State. Variety relieves and
refreshes. It is so in the natural World. Hills and Valleys,
Woods and Pasture, Seas and Shores, not only diversify the
Prospect, but give much more Entertainment to the Eye, that can
successively go from one to the other, than any of them could
singly do. And could we see into all the Conveniencies of things,
how well they are fitted to each other, and the common Purposes
of all, we shou'd find that the Diversity is as usefull as it is
agreeable.

It is the same also with the World of Mankind. If all had a like
Turn or Cast of Mind, and all were bent upon one Business or way
of Living, it would spoil much of the present Harmony of the
World, and be a manifest Inconvenience to the Publick. Perhaps
one Part of Learning, or Method of Business, would be throughly
cultivated and improved; but how many others must be neglected,
or remain defective? And it would create Jealousy and Uneasiness
among themselves. As Men are forc'd to justle in a Crowd. For
there would not be sufficient Scope for every one to exert and
display himself, nor so much Room for many to excel, when all
must do it in one Way. Variety of Inclination and Capacity is an
admirable Means of common Benefit. It opens a wide Field for
Service to Others, and gives great Advantage to Mens own
Improvement.

And it is surprising to consider how great this Diversity is. It
is almost as various as that of bodily Features and Complexion.
There is no Instance of any kind of Learning or Business; any
Thing relating to the Necessity or Delight of Life; not the
meanest Office or the hardest Labour, but some or other are found
to answer the different Purposes of each. They are carried
through all the Difficulties in their several Ways, by the meer
Force of a _Genius_: And attempt and achieve that, with an high
relish of Pleasure, which would give the greatest Disgust to
others a