Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

'Of Genius', in The Occasional Paper, and Preface to The Creation by Aaron Hill
page 24 of 67 (35%)
Sense is harmonious, where there is a variety of Things dispos'd
and mix'd in such apt and agreeable Manner. Things may indeed be
thrown together in a Crowd, without Order or Art. And then every
thing appears in Confusion, disagreeable and apt to disgust. But
absolute Uniformity will give little more Pleasure than meer
Confusion. To be ever harping on one String, though it be touch'd
by the most Masterly Hand, will give little more Entertainment to
the Ear, than the most confused and discordant variety of Sounds
mingled by the Hand of a meer Bungler. To have the Eye for ever
fix'd on one beautiful Object, would be apt to abate the
Satisfaction, at least in our present State. Variety relieves and
refreshes. It is so in the natural World. Hills and Valleys,
Woods and Pasture, Seas and Shores, not only diversify the
Prospect, but give much more Entertainment to the Eye, that can
successively go from one to the other, than any of them could
singly do. And could we see into all the Conveniencies of things,
how well they are fitted to each other, and the common Purposes
of all, we shou'd find that the Diversity is as usefull as it is
agreeable.

It is the same also with the World of Mankind. If all had a like
Turn or Cast of Mind, and all were bent upon one Business or way
of Living, it would spoil much of the present Harmony of the
World, and be a manifest Inconvenience to the Publick. Perhaps
one Part of Learning, or Method of Business, would be throughly
cultivated and improved; but how many others must be neglected,
or remain defective? And it would create Jealousy and Uneasiness
among themselves. As Men are forc'd to justle in a Crowd. For
there would not be sufficient Scope for every one to exert and
display himself, nor so much Room for many to excel, when all
DigitalOcean Referral Badge