JUGGLERS.

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whilst others torture the understanding'. But he is the most•successful juggler who performs his feats with the greatestease to himself.

Those arts, as they have been called, are indeed not un-profitable, affording a comfortable subsistence to many whopractise them;—sometimes, nay generally, to the most suc-cessful; and this is the certain criterion, their gain is ac-quired by too little labour to be hoarded up: and, in general,those itinerant people spend on the spot the fruits of theiringenuity, which, by-the-bye, affords an additional reasonwhy their art should be encouraged, and their stay in a placeprolonged ; as it is on all hands agreed, that the circulationof money makes good for the general common weal: theonly unprofitable wretch to society, is he who cannot havethe heart to circulate his money.

The people thus disposed, jugglers will not want encou-ragement or support, whilst they exhibit with confidence,and suit their spectacles to the prevailing taste of the times;and the people among whom they show their exploits. Themajor part of mankind love deception so much, that theyreward liberally those who impose the best upon their senses,and cheat them of their understanding, in the most speciousand plausible manner. The ready encouragement whichcertain dogmatists in religion, empirics in the practice ofphysic, and other serious professions meet with, afford aready proof of this. Should not the avidity with which gilttoys and artificial gems are sought by children, afford con-viction; and pray what is man ?—but an overgrown-child.

Jugglers, properly speaking, seldom exhibit any thingwhich can appear wonderful to those acquainted with thesciences and mathematics; but these often find satisfactionin seeing truths already known to them, applied in a newmanner: and they readily embrace every opportunity ofhaving them illustrated by experiments. In fact, it oftenhappens, that what ignorant persons first employ as a mereexhibition, is afterwards ennobled by being applied to moreimportant purposes. Such has been the case with a greatvariety of mechanical exhibitions. The machine exhibitedby an ignorant Savoyard , to produce change of shades forthe amusement of children, is said to have furnished theable optician Liberkii/in, with the idea of constructing asolar microscope.

It has been said, and with truth, that if the art of jugglingserved for no other beneficial end than to amuse the mostindustrious, as well as the poorest part of the community,who cannot afford the expensive amusement at the opera,