Two discourses

SECT. VII.

ART. 1.

YOu have beheld the Ready, and the Roving Wits, to∣gether with their Advantages

and Defects; be pleased now to remove Your eye to the Image of a Third sort, which seeming contrary to both, and yet more usefull than either, may there∣fore not unfitly be called the SLOW, but SURE Wit. Some Heads there are of a certain close and reserved Constitution, which makes them at first sight to pro∣mise as little of the Virtue•• wherewith they are endowed▪ as the former appear to be above the Imperfections to which they are subject. Somewhat Slo•• they are indeed of both Concepti∣on and Expression; yet no whic•• the less comparated to solid Pru∣dence. When they are ingaged to speak, their Tongue doth not readily interpret the dictates o•• their Mind; so that their Lan∣guage

comes as it were dropping from their lipps, even where they are encouraged by familiar entreaties, or provoked by the smartness of jests, which sud∣dain and nimble Wits have new∣ly darted at them. Costive they are also in their Invention; so that when they would deli∣ver somewhat solid and re∣markable, they are long in seek∣ing what is fit, and as long in determining in what manner and words to utter it. But, after a little consideration, they pene∣trate deeply into the substance of things, and marrow of business, and conceive proper and Em∣phatick words, by which to ex∣press their Sentiments. Barren they are not, but a little Heavy and Retentive. Their Gifts lye

deep and concealed; being fur∣nished with Notions, not aëry and umbratil ones, borrowed from the Pedantism of the Schools, but true and usefull: and if they have been manured with good Learning, and the habit of ex∣ercising their Pen; oftentimes they produce many excellent Conceptions worthy to be trans∣mitted to Posterity.

ART. 2.

Though they have no reason to accuse Nature of any un∣kindness to them; yet they have just cause to complain of the iniquity of Fortune, in this re∣spect; that having an Aspect very like to narrow and dull Ca∣pacities, at first sight most Men

take them to be really such, and strangers look upon them with the eyes of neglect and contempt. Hence it comes, that Excellent Parts remaining unknown, often want the fa∣vour and patronage of Great Persons, whereby otherwise they might be redeemed from obscurity, and raised to imploy∣ments answerable to their Fa∣culties, and crowned with ho∣nours proportionate to their Merits: as the most precious wares seldom invite buyers, if kept in darksome corners, nor decently exposed, and adorned with splendid titles.

ART. 3.

The best course••, therefore,

for these to overcome that E••clipse, which prejudice usually brings upon them, is to conten•• against their own Modesty, and ei••ther by frequent converse wit•• noble and discerning spirits, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enlarge the Windows of thei•• Minds, and dispel those cloud•• of Reservedness, that darken th•• lustre of their Faculties: or b•• Writing on some new and useful•• subject, to lay open their Ta••lent, that so the World ma•• be convinced of their intrinsic•• value.