. The Ridpath library of universal literature : a biographical and bibliographical summary of the world's most eminent authors, including the choicest extracts and masterpieces from their writings .... ut by them alone it cannot be acquired. As genius isa higher faculty than taste, it is ever, according to theusual frugality of nature, more limited in the sphere ofits operations. It is not uncommon to meet with per-sons who have an excellent taste in several of the politearts—such as music, poetry, painting, and eloquence—all together; but to find one who is an excellentperformer in all these
. The Ridpath library of universal literature : a biographical and bibliographical summary of the world's most eminent authors, including the choicest extracts and masterpieces from their writings .... ut by them alone it cannot be acquired. As genius isa higher faculty than taste, it is ever, according to theusual frugality of nature, more limited in the sphere ofits operations. It is not uncommon to meet with per-sons who have an excellent taste in several of the politearts—such as music, poetry, painting, and eloquence—all together; but to find one who is an excellentperformer in all these arts, is much more rare; or,rather, indeed, such a one is not to be looked for. A HUGH BLAIR 285 sort of Universal Genius, or one who is equally and in-differently turned towards several different professionsand arts, is not likely to excel in any : although theremay be some few exceptions, yet in general it holdsgood that when the bent of the mind is wholly directedtowards some one object, exclusive, in a manner, ofothers, there is the fairest prospect of eminence in that,whatever it be. The rays must converge to a point, inorder to glow intensely.—Lectures on Rhetoric BLAIR, Robert, a Scottish clergyman andpoet, born in Edinburgh in 1699; died at Athel-staneford, Scotland, February 4, 1746. He en-tered the ministry of the Scottish Church, and in1731 was appointed to the living of Athelstane-ford, in East Lothian, where he died; and in 1857an obelisk was erected to his memory, over hisgrave. Apart from his professional income, hehad a moderate private fortune, and was esteemedfor his fine culture and for his scientific knowledge,especially in botan}-^ and floriculture. He was afrequent correspondent of Isaac Watts and PhilipDoddridge, to whose judgment he submitted themanuscript of his poem The Grave, which wascomposed previous to his ordination. This poem—about all we have of Robert Blair—was notpublished until 1743. It at first received littlere
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