CHAPTER XVII. 119 last judgment and wise conduct. Ile surveys well before he judges. Whence I cannot but take occasion to infer one good rule of advice, to persons of higher as well as lower genius, and of 'large as well as narrow memories, viz. That they do not too hastily pronounce concerning matters of doubt or enquiry, where -there is not an urgent necessity of present action. The bright genius is ready to be so forward as often betrays itself into great errors in judgment, speech and conduct, without a continual guard upon itself, and using the bridle of the tongue. And it is by this delay and precaution, that many a person of much lower natural abilities, shall often excel persons of the brightest genius in wisdom and prudence. It is often found, that a fine genius has but feeble memory : for where the genius is bright, and the imagination vivid, the power of memory may be too much neglected and lose its im- provement. An active fancy readily wanders over a multitude of objects, and is continually entertaining itself with new flying -images_; it runs through a number of new scenes or new pages with pleasure, but without due attention,_ and seldom suffers -itself to dwell long enough upon any one of them to make a deep impression thereof upon the mind and commit it to lasting re- membrance. This is one plain and obvious reason, why there are some persons of very bright parts and active spirits, who have but short and narrow powers of remembrance ; for having riches of their own, they are not solicitous to borrow. And as such a quick and various fancy and invention may ire some hindrance to the attention and memory, so a mind of a good retentive ability, and which is ever crowding its memory with things which it learns and reads continually, may prevent, restrain and cramp the invention itself. The memory of Lee- torides, is ever ready upon all occasions to offer to his mind some- thing out of other men's writings or conversations, and is pre- senting him with the thoughts of other persons perpetually : thus the man who had naturally a good flowing invention, does not suffer himself to pursue his own thoughts. Some persons who have been blest by nature with sagacity and no contemptible ge- nius, have too often forbid the exercise of it, by tying themselves down to the memory of the volumes they have read, and the sen- timents of other men contained in them. Where the memory has been almost constantly employing itself in scraping together new acquirements, and where there has not been a judgment sufficient to distinguish what things were fit to berecommended and treasured up in the memory, and what things were idle, useless, or needless, the mind has been filled with a wretched heap and hotch-potch of words, or ideas, and the soul may be said to have had large possessions, but no true riches.
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