To play with important truths, to difturb the repose of established tenets, to fubtilize objections, and elude proof, is too often the fport of youthful vanity, of which maturer experience commonly repents. There is a time when every man is weary of raifing difficulties only to task himself with the folution, and defires to enjoy truth, without the labour, or hazard of contest.

Life of Sir T. Brown, p. 279.

SEDUCTION.

THERE is not perhaps, in all the ftores of ideal anguish, a thought more painful, than the consciousness of having propagated corruption by vitiating principles; of having not only drawn others from the paths of virtue, but blocked up the way by which they fhould return; of having blinded them to every beauty, but the paint of pleasure; and deafened them to every call, but the alluring voice of the fyrens of deftruction.

Rambler, v. I. p. 191.

SOLITUDE.

IN folitude, if we escape the example

of

of bad men, we likewife want the counfel and converfation of the good.

P. of Abyffinia, p. 133.

The life of a folitary man will be cercainly miferable, but not certainly devout.

Ditto, ditto.

To those who pafs their time in folitude and retirement, it has been justly objected, that if they are happy, they are happy only by being ufelefs; that mankind is one vaft republic, where every individual receives many benefits from the labour of others, which, by labouring in his turn for others, he is obliged to repay; and that where the united efforts of all are not able to exempt all from mifery, none have a right to withdraw from their task of vigilance, or be indulged in idle wisdom and folitary pleasures.

Idler, v. 1, p. 102.

SORROW.

THE fharpest and most melting forrow is that which arifes from the lofs of those whom we have loved with tenderness. But friendship between mortals can be contracted on no other terms, than that one

muft

muft fometimes mourn for the other's death; and this grief will always yield to the furvivor, one confolation proportionate to his affliction; for the pain, whatever it be, that he himself feels, his friend has escaped..

Rambler, v. I. p. 104.

It is urged by fome as a remedy for forrow, to keep our minds always fufpended in fuch indifference, that we may change the objects about us without emotion. An exact compliance with this rule might perhaps contribute to tranquillity, but furely it would never produce happiness. He that regards none fo much as to be afraid of lofing them, muft live for ever without the gentle pleasures of fympathy and confidence. He muft feel no melting fondnefs, no warmth of benevolence, nor any of thofe honeft joys which nature annexes to the power of pleafing. And as no man can justly claim more tenderness than he pays, he must forfeit his fhare in that officious and watchful kindness which love only can dictate, and thofe lenient endearments by which love only can foften life.

The fafe and general antidote against forrow, is employment. It is commonly observed, that among foldiers and feamen, though there is much kindness, there is little grief. They fee their friend fall, without any of that lamentation which is indulged in fecurity and idleness, because they have no leifure to fpare from the care of themselves; and whoever shall keep his thoughts equally bufy, will find himself equally unaffected with irretrievable loffes.

Ditto, ditto, p. 287.

Sorrow is a kind of ruft of the foul, which every new idea contributes, in its paffage, to scour away. faction of stagnant life, by exercife and motion.

It is the putreand is remedied.

Ditto, ditto, p. 287.

STYL E.

THE polite are always catching at modifh innovations, and the learned depart from established forms of speech, in hopes of finding or making better. But propriety refides in that kind of converfation, which is above grofsnefs and below refinement.

Preface to Shakespeare, p. 18.
Words

Words being arbitrary, muft owe their power to affociation, and have the influence, and that only, which cuftom has given them.

Life of Cowley.

Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpofe of a poet. From these founds, which we hear on fmall, or coarfe occafions, we do not eafily receive ftrong impreffions, or delightful images; and words to which we are nearly strangers, whenever they occur, draw that attention on themselves, which they fhould convey to things.

Life of Dryden.

An epithet, or metaphor, drawn from nature, ennobles art; an epithet, or metaphor, drawn from art, degrades nature.

Life of Gray.

SINGULARITY. SINGULARITY, as it implies a contempt of general practice, is a kind of defiance, which juftly provokes the hoftility of ridicule. He therefore who indulges peculiar habits, is worse than others, if he be not better.