A friend exaggerates a man’s virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes. _Spectator_, Nº 399. Would it not be neater to study uniformity instead of variety? as thus: A friend exaggerates a man’s virtues, an enemy his crimes. For here the contrast is only betwixt a friend and an enemy; and betwixt all the other circumstances, including the members of the period, the resemblance ought to be preserved as entire as possible. * * * * * Speaking of a lady’s head-dress: About ten years ago it shot up to a very great height, insomuch that the female part of our species were much taller than the men. _Spectator_, Nº 98. It should be, Than the male part. The wise man is happy when he gains his own approbation; the fool when he recommends himself to the applause of those about him. _Ibid._ Nº 73. Better: The wise man is happy when he gains his own approbation; the fool when he gains that of others. Sicut in frugibus pecudibusque, non tantum semina ad servandum indolem valent, quantum terræ proprietas cœlique, sub quo aluntur, mutat. _Livy, l. 38. § 17._ Sallust, in his history of Catiline’s conspiracy: Per illa tempora quicumque rempublicam agitavere, honestis nominibus, alii, sicuti populi jura defenderent, pars, quo senati auctoritas maxuma foret, bonum publicum simulantes, pro sua quisque potentia certabant. _Cap. 38._ We proceed to a rule of a different kind. During the course of a period, the same scene ought to be continued without variation. The changing from person to person, from subject to subject, or from person to subject, within the bounds of a single period, distracts the mind, and affords no time for a solid impression. I illustrate this rule by giving examples of deviations from it. _Honos_ alit artes, _omnesque_ incenduntur ad studia gloriâ; jacentque _ea_ semper quæ apud quosque improbantur. _Cicero, Tuscul. quæst. l. 1._ Speaking of the distemper contracted by Alexander bathing in the river Cydnus and of the cure offered by Philip the physician: Inter hæc à Parmenione fidissimo purpuratorum, literas _accipit_, quibus ei _denunciabat_, ne salutem suam Philippo committeret. _Quintus Curtius, l. 3. cap. 6._ Hook, in his Roman history, speaking of Eumenes, who had been beat down to the ground with a stone, says, After a short time _he_ came to himself; and the next day, _they_ put him on board his ship, _which_ conveyed him first to Corinth, and thence to the island of Ægina. I give another example of a period which is unpleasant, even by a very slight deviation from the rule. That sort of instruction which is acquired by inculcating an important moral truth, _&c._