By a long habit of writing he acquires a justness of thinking, and a mastery of manner which holiday writers, even with ten times his genius, may vainly attempt to equal." The wit of BUTLER was not extemporaneous, but painfully elaborated from notes which he incessantly accumulated; and the familiar _rime_ of BERNT, the burlesque poet, his existing manuscripts will prove, were produced by perpetual re-touches.

Even in the sublime efforts of imagination, this art of meditation may be practised; and ALFIERI has shown us, that in those energetic tragic dramas which were often produced in a state of enthusiasm, he pursued a regulated process.

"All my tragedies have been composed three times;" and he describes the three stages of conception, development, and versifying.

"After these three operations, I proceed, like other authors, to publish, correct, or amend." "All is habit in mankind, even virtue itself!" exclaimed METASTASIO; and we may add, even the meditations of genius.

Some of its boldest conceptions, are indeed fortuitous, starting up and vanishing almost in the perception; like that giant form, sometimes seen amidst the glaciers, afar from the opposite traveller, moving as he moves, stopping as he stops, yet, in a moment lost, and perhaps never more seen, although but his own reflection! Often in the still obscurity of the night, the ideas, the studies, the whole history of the day, is acted over again.