In order that all men may be taught to fpeak truth, it is neceffary that all likewife fhould learn to hear it; for no fpecies of falfehood is more frequent than flattery, to which the coward is betrayed by fear, the dependent by intereft, and the friend by tenderness. Thofe who are neither fervile, or timorous, are yet defirous to bestow pleafure; and while unjuft demands of praise continue to be made, there will always be fome whom hope, fear, or kindness will difpofe to pay them.

flatter himself.

Ditto, ditto, p. 247.

He that is much flattered, foon learns to We are commonly taught our duty by fear, or fhame; and how can they act upon the man who hears nothing but his own praises ?

Life of Swift.

Juft praife is only a debt, but flattery is a prefent.

Rambler, v. 3, p. 294.

Neither our virtues, or vices are all our own. If there were no cowardice, there would be little infolence. Pride cannot rife to any great degree, but by the concurrence of blandishment, or the fufferance of tamenefs. The wretch who would fhrink and crouch before

before one that should dart his eyes upon him with the spirit of natural equality, becomes capricious and tyrannical when he fees himfelf approached with a downcaft look, and hears the foft addreffes of awe and fervility. To those who are willing to purchase favour by cringes and compliance, is to be imputed the haughtiness that leaves nothing to be hoped by firmnefs and integrity.

Ditto, v. 4, P. 3.

FOLL Y.

No man will be found in whofe mind airy notions do not fometimes tyrannize, and force him to hope, or fear, beyond the limits of fober probability.

P. of Abyffinia, p. 259.

FORTUNE.

Fortune often delights to dignify what nature has neglected, and that renown, which cannot be claimed by intrinfic excellence, or greatnefs, is fometimes derived from unexpected accidents.

Falkland Islands, p. 2.

FEAR.

FEA R.

All fear is in itfelf painful; and when it conduces not to fafety, is painful without use.

Rambler, v 1, p. 180.

Fear is implanted in us as a prefervative from evil; but its duty, like that of other paffions, is not to overbear reason, but to affift it; nor fhould it be fuffered to tyrannize in the imagination, to raise phantoms. of horror, or befet life with fupernumerary diftreffes.

Ditto, v. 3, p. 125.

FORGIVENESS.

Whoever confiders the weakness both of himself and others, will not long want perfuafives to forgiveness. We know not to what degree of malignity any injury is to be imputed, or how much its guilt, if we were to infpect the mind of him that committed. it, would be extenuated by mistake, precipitance, or negligence. We cannot be certain how much more we feel than was intended, or how much we increafe the mifchief to our felves by voluntary aggravations. We may charge to defign the effects of accident. We

think the blow violent, only because we have made ourselves delicate and tender; we are, on every fide, in danger of error and guilt, which we are certain to avoid only by fpeedy forgiveness.

Rambler, v. 4, P. 137.

FRUGALITY.

Frugality may be termed the daughter of prudence, the fifter of temperance, and the parent of liberty. He that is extravagant, will quickly become poor, and poverty will enforce dependence, and invite corruption. It will almost always produce a paffive compliance with the wickedness of others, and there are few who do not learn by degrees to practise thofe crimes which they ceafe to cenfure.

Ditto, v. 2, p. 21.

Without frugality none can be rich, and with it, very few would be poor.

Ditto, ditto, ditto.

Though in every age there are fome who, by bold adventures, or by favourable accidents, rise suddenly into riches; the bulk of mankind muft owe their affluence to finall and gradual profits, below which their expence must be refolutely reduced.

Ditto, ditto, p. 23.

The

The mercantile wifdom of " a penny faved is two-pence got," may be accomodated to all conditions, by obferving, that not only they who purfue any lucrative employ ment will fave time when they forbear expence, and that time may be employed to the increase of profit; but that they, who are above fuch minute confiderations, will find by every victory over appetite or paffion, new strength added to the mind, will gain the power of refusing those folicitations by which the young and vivacious are hourly affaulted, and, in time, fet themselves above the reach of extravagance and folly.

Ditto, ditto, p. 24.

It may, perhaps, be enquired, by those who are willing rather to cavil than to learn, what is the just measure of frugality? To fuch no general answer can be given, fince the liberty of spending, or neceffity of parfimony, may be varied without end by different circumftances. These three rules, however, may be laid down as not to be departed from:

"A man's voluntary expences fhould not exceed his income."