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OF THE DRUIDS. 171<br />

Now that Hercules, or speech, shou'd draw men<br />

after him ty'd by their ears to his tongue, will be<br />

no cause of admiration to you, when you consider<br />

the near affinity of the tongue with the ears. Nor<br />

is his tongue contumeliously bor'd : for I remember,<br />

said he, to have learnt certiain iambics out of<br />

your own comedians, one of which says.<br />

The tips of all prater's tongues are bor'd.<br />

And finally, as for us, we are of opinion, that<br />

Hercules accomplish'd all his atchievments by<br />

speech; and, that having been a wise man, he conquer'd<br />

mostly by persuasion; we think his arrows<br />

were keen reasons, easily shot, quick, and penetrating<br />

the souls of men; whence you have, among<br />

you, the expression of wing'd words.<br />

Hitherto<br />

spoke the Gaul." From this ingenious ^picture<br />

Lucian draws to himself an argument of consolation:<br />

that the study and profession of eloquence<br />

was not unbecoming him in his old age, being rather<br />

more fit than ever to teach the Belles Lettres;<br />

when his stock of knowledge was most complete,<br />

as his speech was more copious, polish'd, and<br />

mature, than formerly.<br />

II.<br />

As my first instance is furnish'd by a man,<br />

who, for his eloquence and love of liberty (qualities<br />

no less conspicuous in your lordship) deserv'd<br />

to have his memory consecrated to immortality,<br />

which was all that the wisest of the ancients understood<br />

by making any one a God; so ray second<br />

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