The Young Gentleman and Ladys Monitor, and English Teachers Assistant | Page 4

make himself venerable at threescore.
3. Young men, who are naturally ambitious, would do well to observe
how the greatest men of antiquity wade it their ambition to excel all
their cotemporaries in knowledge. _Julius Cæsar_ and _Alexander_,
the most celebrated instances of human greatness, took a particular care
to distinguish themselves by their skill in the arts and sciences. We
have still extant, several remains of the former, which justify the
character given of him by the learned men of his own age.
4. As for the latter, it is a known saying of his, that he was more
obliged to _Aristotle_, who had instructed him, than to _Philip_, who
had given him life and empire. There is a letter of his recorded by
Plutarch and _Aulus Gellius_, which he wrote to _Aristotle_, upon
hearing that he had published those lectures he had given him in private.
This letter was written in the following words, at a time when he was in
the height of his Persian conquests.
5. "ALEXANDER to ARISTOTLE, Greeting.
"You have not done well to publish your books of select knowledge;
for what is there now in which I can surpass others, if those things

which I have been instructed in are communicated to every body? For
my own part I declare to you, I would rather excel others in knowledge
than power. Farewell."
6. We see by this letter, that the love of conquest was but the second
ambition in _Alexander_'s soul. Knowledge is indeed that, which, next
to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another. It finishes
one half of the human soul. It makes being pleasant to us, fills the mind
with entertaining views, and administers to it a perpetual series of
gratifications.
It gives ease to solitude, and gracefulness to retirement. It fills a public
station with suitable abilities, and adds a lustre to those who are in
possession of them.
7. Learning, by which I mean all useful knowledge, whether
speculative or practical, is in popular and mixed governments the
natural source of wealth and honor. If we look into most of the reigns
from the conquest, we shall find, that the favorites of each reign have
been those who have raised themselves. The greatest men are generally
the growth of that particular age in which they flourish.
8. A superior capacity for business and a more extensive knowledge,
are the steps by which a new man often mounts to favor, and outshines
the rest of his cotemporaries. But when men are actually born to titles,
it is almost impossible that they should fail of receiving an additional
greatness, if they take care to accomplish themselves for it.
9. The story of _Solomon_'s choice, does not only instruct us in that
point of history, but furnishes out a very fine moral to us, namely, that
he who applies his heart to wisdom, does at the same time take the
most proper method for gaining long life, riches and reputation, which
are very often not only the rewards, but the effects of wisdom.
10. As it is very suitable to my present subject, I shall first of all quote
this passage in the words of sacred writ, and afterwards mention an
allegory, in which this whole passage is represented by a famous
FRENCH Poet; not questioning but it will be very pleasing to such of
my readers as have a taste for fine writing.
11. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and
God said, "Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon said, "Thou hast
shewed unto thy servant _David_, my father, great mercy, according as
he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness

of heart with thee, and thou hast kept from him this great kindness, that
thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now,
O Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my
father; and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in."
12. "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people?" And the speech pleased the Lord, that
Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, "Because thou
hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither
hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies,
but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I
have done according to thy words, so I have given thee a wise and
understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee,