nd said, "I will
pursue this no farther, for to the Death of _Pompey_ makes twenty
Volumes in the History wrote by the Fathers _Catrou_ and _Rouille_,
which is generally allowed to be a very good one, and, I think, one of
its chief Beauties depends on the Length; for to that we owe the
displaying so many various Characters, and the diving into the Motives
of those great Mens Actions, who guided that extensive, powerful, I had
almost said unmanagable Common-wealth.

Mr. _Singleton_ laugh'd, and said, "He was surprised to hear a Man of
Mr. _Johnson's_ Understanding display so much Eloquence to prove, (if he
intended to prove any thing by it) that the knowing the Particulars of
the Family at _Harlow-place_ was of as much Consequence, as the knowing
the Springs and Wheels on which turned the Affairs of the greatest
Commonwealth that was ever heard of since the Creation of the World.

"Indeed, Sir, replied the Lady of the House, (who has bred up three Sons
and three Daughters, who do Honour to her Education of them) I really
think the penetrating into the Motives that actuate the Persons in a
private Family, of much more general use to be known, than those
concerning the Management of any Kingdom or Empire whatsoever: The
latter, Princes, Governors, and Politicians only can be the better for,
whilst every Parent, every Child, every Sister, and every Brother, are
concerned in the former, and may take example by such who are in the
same Situation with themselves.

Mr. _Clark_ said, "that he believed the whole Account of the Mind of
Man, were we only to mention the primary Passions, might be comprised in
a few Words; but (continued he) from those Fountains to trace the
several Channels into which they flow, and to get a Clue to guide us
through all the winding Labyrinths into which they turn themselves, is
no such easy Matter; that

_Life's but a walking Shadow, a poor Player,
That struts and frets his Hour upon the Stage
And then is heard no more,_

perhaps gives us as strong an Image as it is possible to receive, of all
the great Transactions perform'd by Mankind for these 6000 Years; and
yet the celebrated Author, who wrote those Words, has diversify'd and
display'd that strutting and fretting in as many various Lights as he
has drawn Characters throughout his immortal Writings.

"In these two Volumes of _Clarissa_, it plainly appears, the Author's
Intention is to impress deeply on the Reader's Mind, the p