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 laudable curiosity which aims at the knowledge of man.

I am as ignorant of this morality which you do not approve, as of the metaphysics which you do: I should be glad to know, by your means, what is the matter with my cousin: I do not like to see him unhappy, and I suppose there is some reason for it.

Now I should rather suppose there is no reason for it. It is the fashion to be unhappy. To have a reason for being so would be exceedingly common-place: to be so without any is the province of genius: the art of being miserable, for misery's sake, has been brought to great perfection in our days; and the ancient Odyssey, which held forth a shining example of the endurance