[No. LXXXI.j THE TABLET. No. LXXXI. " The mind a(is with mofl vigor when confined to a finglc objeli." IT is obvious, upon a little reflection, that mo mentum of character is derived more from ap plication than genius. Men who hold the great est influence in political life, and who acquire the lai geft amount of property, are generally those whose principal charaCteristics are perseverance and attention. Vigor of imagination and brilli ancy of talents create a lustre which dazzles the pofieflor, and beguiles him from that plain track of common prudence which leads to wealth and influence. The probable reason why men of a bold, enter prizing spirit so often miscarry in their projects, is that their plans of bufmefs are too diverfified. It is easy to observe that men of thisftamp fail in many attempts, in which the calculations are fa vorable, and the facrifice only happens through want of attention. If the mind is employed on many objeCts it can do justice to none. The men tal faculties lose part of their vigor by being oc cupied in unsteady and separate courses. There is a difficulty in accommodating our turn of think ing to the various transitions which are required by difFufive concerns. When a person has fuchn diverlity of affairs to manage that they fall into confufion, he will soon break through system, and the separate branches of his business will to gether form one general wreck. 1 have often been told by men, who had divi tied their attention between many different ob jects, that had they seleCted either of them singly, and attended closely to it, they would not only have been less exposed to risque and fatigue, but have gained property far more rapidly. T ne fame canfes, that render thedivifion of labour foufeful in mechanical operations, may be applied to molt of the employments of society. Every individual should reduce the sources of his care to as final! a number as possible. It is much easier, and more profitable to pursue one plan of business to great extent, than to manage two upon a less extensive scale. The mind cannot art with vigor or regu larity when it is frequently making tranlitions from one subjeCt to another. The ideas become scattered, and the power of combination is sensi bly weakened. Many capable men lose the be nefit of all their efforts by attending partly to several things, but effectually to nothing. They enter the chace with a fair prospeCt of game, but before they'overtake it, anew scent diverts them, which they follow till their career is t'xned to a course still more alluring. The most anxious cares and severe toils are often endured without produ cing one substantial advantage. The miscarria ges of men in important fcheines of business are generally owing to their having so many concerns on hand, that lome if not all must be negleCted. No employment can be profitable without atten tion, and few men can attend to more than one, with propriety. Care and induflry will overcome the difficulties of almost any occupation, and po verty is only to be feared by the indolent, the fickle and the knavifli. There are, it must be confefied, some men of such comprehensive talents, that they can at once conduCt numerous and distinCt operations. This results from a faculty of intuition that only has to glance at an objeCt to understand it. And when a comparison of ideas is requisite, an elevated ge nius combines so rapidly as to be ready to decide and aCt, in any turn of circumflances. As few men poflefs such faculties, it Ihould not be infer red, that the bulk of mankind will not prosper belt, in a narrow sphere of action. The defeats of the human mind can have no other remedy than a judicious affignmcnt of parts to the different characters of society. If every man were to attempt to do many things, most men would do nothing effectually. Wherever we turn our cyef, we find instances of men laboring under the difficulties of a complex or an unsuitable talk. They never arrive at perfection, either because they are not properly employed, or because they have too many employments It would be well to examine whether the regulations of this coun try are not deficient in that proper division of duties among the citizens, which in the higliefl degree promotes the prosperity of individuals,and encreafes the resources of the community. PI!'LVOV tliU Al. APfARAI US. ON Thursday the 25th tilt, arrived at New-Haven, fate and in good order, from London, a Philosophical Apparatus, for "Yale College. As soon as it was received, it wasdepofited in the Apparatus Chamber of the College. The Univetfity is thus fur niihed with a complete set of instruments and machines, for exhi biting a whole course of experiments in Natural Philosophy and Astronomy. It was purchased by the liberal donation&ot a num ber of gentlemen, friends' to literature ; among whom the Rev. Dr. J,ock\voo» was the ptiincrpal benefactor. W EDNESDAY January 20, 1790. THE GUEST.—No. XIII. May he who makes yon glorious source of day, Life, light, and blef/ings to the -world convey , Dispel the clouds that Jbade the human mind, And Earth'sgreat fat/iily in concord bind. A NARROW, and censorious spirit, is the com mon attendant of a gloomy, and felf-opin ionated temper : It is always conneifted with a want of charity for those, whose sentiments are not cast in the fame mould with its own. I have known persons of this stamp who suspend the salvation of their neighbors, on the belief of cer tain particular tenets, upon which the woild at large are infinitely divided. Some persons of this description, would merit pity for their ignorance, were they contented with being their own tur menters ; but they disturb the happiness of so ciety, by difleminating their principles, and rai ling doubts in the minds of others, refpetfting the benevolence of the Deity to the whole human race. 1 here are some of this chara