Page:Familiar Letters between the Principal Characters in David Simple.pdf/18

Rh Reader will however excue me, if I advie him not to run them over with too much Hate and Indifference; uch Readers will, I promie them, find little to admire in this Book, whoe Beauties (if it have any) require the ame Attention to dicover them, with which the Author herelf hath conidered that Book of Nature, whence they are taken. In Books, as well as Pictures, where the Excellence lies in the Expreion or Colouring only, the firt Glance of the Eyes acquaints us with all the Perfection of the Piece; but the nicet and mot delicate Touches of Nature are not o oon perceived. In the Works of Cervantes or Hogarth, he is, I believe, a wretched Judge, who dicovers no new Beauties on a econd, or even a third Perual.

here I cannot controll myelf from averring, that many Touches of this kind appear to me in thee Letters; ome of which I cannot help thinking as fine, as I have ever met with in any of the Authors, who have made human Nature their Subject.

uch Obervations are generally uppoed to be the Effects of long Experience in, and much Acquaintance with Mankind, it