nds, should be very
careful that they do not abuse it, nor squander it away. The best
_Genius_ may be spoiled. It suffers by nothing more, than by
neglecting it, and by an Habit of Sloth and Inactivity. By
Disuse, it contracts [J]Rust, or a Stiffness which is not easily
to be worn off. Even the sprightly and penetrating, have, thro'
this neglect, sunk down to the Rank of the dull and stupid. Some
Men have given very promising Specimens in their early Days, that
they could think well themselves; but, whether from a
pusillanimous Modesty, or a lazy Temper at first, I know not;
they have by Degrees contracted such an Habit of Filching and
Plagiary, as to lose their Capacity at length for one Original
Thought. Some Writers indeed, as well as Practitioners in other
Arts, seem only born to copy; but it is Pity those, who have a
Stock of their own, should so entirely lose it by Disuse, as to
be reduc'd to a Necessity, when they must appear in Publick, to
borrow from others.

[J] Otium ingera rubig. [Transcriber's Note: "rubig" not readable,
may be the word for rust or stiffness.]

Men should guard against this Mischief with great Care. A
_Genius_ once squandered away by neglect, is not easily to be
recovered. _Tacitus_ assigns a very proper Reason for this.
"[K]Such is the Nature, saith he, of Humane Infirmity, that
Remedies cannot be applied, as quick as Mischiefs may be
suffered; and as the Body must grow up by slow Degrees, but is
presently destroyed; so you may stifle a _Genius_ much more
easily than you can recover it. For you'll soon relish Ease and
Inactivity, and be in Love with Sloth, which was once your
Aversion." This can hardly fail of raining the best Capacity,
especially, if from a neglect of severer Business, Men run into a
Dissolution of Manners, which is the too common Consequence. The
greatest Minds have thus been often wholly enervated, and the
best Parts buried in utter Obscurity.

[K] Natura infirmitatis humanae, tadiora sunt remedia
quam mala; & ut corpora lente augescunt, cito extinguuntur,
sic ingenia studiaque oppresseris, facilius quam revocaveris;
subit quippe ipsius inertiae dulcedo, et invisa primo desidia
postremo amatur. Tacit. Vit. Agricol. c. 3.

Though the Rules of Art may be of great Service to improve a
_Genius_, it is very prejudicial, in many Cases, to fetter it
self with these Rules, or confine itself within those Limits
which others have fixed. How little would Science h