There is another ufe of Reading, which is for diverfion, and delight. Such are Poetical Writings, efpecially Dramatick, if they be free from Prophaness, Obscenity, and what corrupts good manners: for, fuch pitch should not be handled. Of all the books of fiction, I know none that equals CERVANTES's Hiftory of Don Quixot in usefulness, pleasantry, and a constant decorum. And indeed no writings can be pleasant which have not Nature at the bottom, and are not drawn after her copy. There is another fort of books, which I had almoft forgot, with which a Gentleman's Study ought to be well furnished, viz. Dictionaries of all kinds. For the Latin Tongue, LITTLETON, COOPER, CalePIN, and ROBERT STEPHEN'S Thefaurus Lingua Latina, and Voss 11 Etymologicum Lingua Latina. SKINNER'S Lexicon Etymologicum is an excellent one of that kind, for the English Tongue. CowEL's Interpreter, is useful for the Law Terms. SPELMAN'S Gloffary, is a very useful and learned book. And SELDEN'S Titles of Honour, a Gentleman fhould fhould not be without. BAUDRAND hath a very good Geographical Dictionary. And there are feveral hiftorical ones, which are of ufe; as LoYD'S, HOFFMAN'S, MORERI'S. And BAYLE's incomparable Dictionary, is fomething of the fame kind. He that hath occafion to look into books written in Latin fince the decay of the Roman Empire, and the purity of the Latin Tongue, cannot be well without DU CANGE'S Gloffarium media & infima Latinitatis, Among the Books above fet down, I mentioned VossIUS's Etymologicum Lingue Latina: all his Works are lately printed in Holland in fix Tomes. They are very fit books for a Gentleman's Library, as containing very learned difcourfes concerning all the Sciences, |