,'Of Mr. Hcnry''Scougal 407 :'is fpoken. As to things of importance, he could .foon give them a lafting in1pref- "·fion on·his n1.i'nd; .though at length he gave over the ,commiting ,public difcourfes to ·his n1e1nory, profe(Iing, when he went ..about it, he was afhan1ed to fee himfdf at fuch a childiih exercife. His under.fian.d– .:ing was ready, clear, .and piercing and he ~vould quickly fee ~through thi11gs in civi:l ~affairs, as welt as -in matters ,of'learning.o He did not fo n1uch read books, as think 'thern; and, by a tranfient view, would ·quickly comprehend the ddign _and n1ar– .row of them. He ·had not fpe&1t h~s who<le . 'time .~in readiug, being fenfible that .it often :ferved to dull, confufe, and prejudicate n1ens underfl:andings and n1ake them of .imperious and dictating tempers: and there- ~ fore he n1ade a .pnadent n1ixture, of a ·moderate reading a choice of(ufef ul books, and con!u:lting the living as well as -the · -dead, havh1g a fingular art of benefiting ~oth, hin1felf and others by converfation .and difcou~fe; and he digefled and improv– .ed all by re6red meditations, ~nd fervent devotion: fo that_his.Jearbing feemed rather . the iffues of his mind, and the infj)iration ,of the Almighty, w'hich teacheth know– .led_ge. He en~.ployed two fun1n1er.s in go- . . :Ing '
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