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النشر الإلكتروني

whom the prefent offers nothing, will often be looking backward on the past.

Jaler, v. 2, p. 113.

E V I L:

No evil is infupportable, but that which is accompanied with confcioufnefs of wrong.

Prince of Abyffinia, p. 206.

EMPIRE.

Extended empire, like expanded gold, Exchanges folid ftrength for feeble splendour.

Irene, p. 16.

EXCELLENCE.

THOSE who attain any excellence, commonly spend life in one purfuit; for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.

Life of Pope.

ENQUIRY.

IN the zeal of enquiry we do not always reflect on the filent encroachments of time, or remember that no man is in more danger of doing little, than he who flatters himfelf with abilities to do all.

Treatife on the Longitude, p. 14.
EQUA-

EQUANIMITY.

EVIL is uncertain, in the fame degree, as good; and for the reafon we ought not to hope too fecurely, we ought not to fear with too much dejection. The ftate of the world is continually changing, and none can tell the refult of the next viciffitude. Whatever is afloat in the ftream of time may, when it is very near us, be driven away by an accidental blaft, which fhall happen to cross the general courfe of the current. The fudden accidents by which the powerful are depreffed, may fall upon those whofe malice we fear, and the greatnefs by which we expect to be overborne,may become another proof of the falfe flatteries of fortune. Our enemies may become weak, or we grow ftrong, before our encounter; or we may advance against each other without ever meeting. There are indeed natural evils, which we can flatter ourfelves with no hopes of efcaping, and with little of delaying; but of the ills which are apprehended from human malignity, or the oppofition of rival interefts, we may always alleviate the terror, by confidering that our perfecutors are weak, ignorant, and mortal, like ourselves.

Rambler, v. 1, p. 178.

EPI

EPITAPH.

To define an epitaph is ufelefs; every one knows it is an infcription on a tomb; an epitaph therefore implies no particular character of writing, but may be composed in verfe or profe. It is, indeed, commonly panegyrical, because we are feldom diftinguished with a stone, but by our friends; but it has no rule to restrain, or modify it, except this, that it ought not to be longer than common beholders may be expected to have leifure, and patience to perufe.

Differtation on the Epitaphs of Pope, p. 303.

The name of the deceafed fhoud never be omitted in an epitaph, whofe end is to convey some account of the dead, and to what purpose is any thing told of him whose name is concealed? An epitaph, and a hiftory of a nameless hero, are equally abfurd, fince the virtues and qualities fo recounted in either, are scaterred, at the mercy of fortune, to be appropriated by guefs. The name, it is true, may be read upon the stone, but what obligation has it to the poet, whofe verses wander over the earth, and leave their fubject behind them; and who is forced, like

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an unskilful painter, to make his purpose known by adventitious help?

Ditto, p. 307.

The difficulty of writing epitaphs, is to give a particular and appropriate praise.

Ditto, p. 314.

ESTE E M.

To raife efteem, we must benefit others; to procure love, we must please them.

Rambler, v. 4, P. 5•

ELECTION.

Perhaps no election, by a plurality of fuf frages, was ever made among human beings, to which it might not be objected, that voices were not procured by illicit influ

ence.

Memoirs of the K. of Pruffia, p. 125.

EXPECTATION.

Expectation, when once her wings are expanded, easily reaches heights which performance never will attain; and when the

has

has mounted the fummit of perfection, derides her follower, who dies in the purfuit.

Plan of an English Dictionary, p. 32.

EFFECT S.

(Not always proportioned to their causes.)

It seems to be almoft the univerfal error of hiftorians, to fuppofe it politically, as it is phyfically true, that every effect has a proportionate cause. In the inanimate action of matter upon matter, the motion produced can be but equal to the force of the moving power; but the operations of life, whether public, or private, admit no fuch laws. The caprices of voluntary agents, laugh at calculation. It is not always there is a strong reafon for a great event; obftinacy and flexibility, malignity and kindnefs, give place alternately to each other; and the reafon of thofe viciffitudes, however important may be the confequences, often efcapes the mind in which the change is made.

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