"The mind, in my opinion, of every well-disposed man, is like a soft mark, or butt; many are the archers in this life, with their quivers full of speeches of every kind; but few amongst them aim aright: some stretch the cord too tight, and the arrow, sent forth with more force than is necessary, doth not stick in, but pasting through, leaves the mind sore with its gaping wound; whilst others, from a looser bow, and want of strength to carry them on, fall short of the mark, and, with languid motion, drop down in the middle of their course; or, if they reach the butt, lightly touch the surface of it, and go no farther."
Nigrinus, A Dialogue. [from The Works of Lucian]
3 entries in ESTC (1780, 1781). See also <u>Select Dialogues</u> (1785). Translations of select dialogues date from 1634.<br>
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Text from <u>The Works of Lucian, from the Greek, by Thomas Francklin, D. D. Some Time Greek Professor in the University of Cambridge.</u> (London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1780). &lt;<a href="http://estc.bl.uk/T112683">Link to ESTC</a>&gt;&lt;<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=OaLc_9I-gvAC">Link to Google Books</a>&gt;