CXXXIX.

Wit, I consider as a singular and unavoidable manner of doing or saying any thing peculiar and natural to one man only, by which his speech and actions are distinguished from those of other men.-Congreve.

CXL.

We all of us complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are spent either in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do; we are always complaining our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them.-Seneca.

CXLI.

In little trades more cheats and lying
Are us'd in selling, than in buying;
But in the great, unjuster dealing
Is us'd in buying, than in selling.

CXLII.

Butler.

He who always prefaces his tale with laughter, is poisoned between impertinence and folly.-Lavater.

CXLIII.

If a man's wits be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again.-Lord Bacon.

CXLIV.

Deference is the most complicate, the most indirect, and the most elegant of all compliments.-Shenstone.

CXLV.

Excellence is never granted to man but as the reward of labour. It argues indeed no small strength of mind to persevere in habits of industry without the pleasure of perceiving those advances, which, like the hand of a clock, whilst they make hourly approaches to their

point, yet proceed so slowly, as to escape observation.Sir. J. Reynolds.

CXLVI.

The patient mule which travels slowly night and day, will, in the end, go farther than the Arabian courser.Persian Researches.

CXLVII.

Learning puffeth men up: words are but wind, and learning is nothing but words; ergo, learning is nothing but wind.-Swift.

CXLVIII.

Methinks to kiss ladies' hands after their lips, as some do, is like little boys, who, after they eat the apple, fall to the paring, out of love they have to the apple.—Selden.

CXLIX.

The first three men in the world, were a gardener, a ploughman, and a grazier; and if any man object that the second of these was a murderer, I desire he would consider, that as soon as he was so, he quitted our profession, and turned builder.-Cowley.

CL.

The point most liable to objection (of the jury system) is the power which any one or more of the twelve hav to starve the rest into compliance with their opinion; so that the verdict may possibly be given by strength of constitution, not by conviction of conscience and "wretches hang that jurymen may dine."-Lord Orrery.

CLI.

Some modern zealots appear to have no better knowledge of truth, nor better manner of judging it, than by counting noses. By this rule, if they can poll an indifferent number out of a mob; if they can produce a set of Lancashire noodles, remote provincial head-pieces, or visionary assemblies, to attest a story of a witch upon a broomstick and a flight in the air; they triumph in the

solid proof of their new prodigy, and cry, “ Magna est veritas et prevalebit !"-Shaftesbury.

CLII.

If thou art rich, then show the greatness of thy fortune; or what is better, the greatness of thy soul, in the meekness of thy conversation; condescend to men of low estate, support the distressed, and patronise the neglected. Be great; but let it be in considering riches as they are, as talents committed to an earthen vessel. That thou art but the receiver, and that to be obliged and to be vain too, is but the old solecism of pride and beggary, which, though they often meet, yet ever make but an absurd society.-Sterne.

CLIII.

If life be miserable, to live is painful; if happy, to die is terrible; they both come to the same thing.Bruyere.

CLIV.

Whoever feels pain in hearing a good character of his neighbour, will feel a pleasure in the reverse. And those who despair to rise in distinction by their virtues, are happy if others can be depressed to a level with themselves.-Franklin.

CLV.

He who seldom speaks, and with one calm welltimed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.-Lavater.

CLVI.

We find this great precept often repeated in Plato, Do thine own work, and know thyself: of which two parts, both the one and the other generally comprehend our whole duty, and consequently do each of them complicate and involve the other; for he who will do his own work aright, will find that his first lesson is to know himself, and he who rightly understands himself, will never mistake another man's work for his own.-Montaigne.

CLVII.

He, whose pride oppresses the humble, may perhaps be humbled, but will never be humble.-Lavater.

CLVIII.

When you meet with several readings of the text (scripture) take heed you admit nothing against the tenets of your church: but do as if you was going over a bridge, be sure you hold fast by the rail, and then you may dance here and there as you please; be sure you keep to what is settled, and then you may flourish upon your various lections.-Selden.

:

CLIX.

The confirmed prejudices of a thoughtful life, are as hard to change as the confirmed habits of an indolent life and as some must trifle away age, because they trifled away youth, others must labour on in a maze of error, because they have wandered there too long to find their way out.- Bolingbroke.

CLX.

Frugality may be termed the daughter of prudence, the sister 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 passive compliance with the wickedness of others, and there are few who do not learn by degrees to practise those crimes which they cease to censure.-Johnson.

CLXI.

Beauty is not a quality of the circle. It lies not in any part of the line, whose parts are all equally distant from a common centre. It is only the effect which that figure produces upon a mind, whose particular fabric or structure renders it susceptible of such sentiments. In vain would you look for it in the circle, or seek it, either by your senses or by mathematical reasonings, in all the properties of that figure.-Hume.

CLXII.

Nothing makes a woman more esteemed by the oppo site sex, than chastity, whether it be that we always prize those most who are hardest to come at, or, that nothing besides chastity, with its collateral attendants, truth, fidelity, and constancy, gives the man a property in the person he loves, and consequently endears her to him above all things.—Addison.

CLXIII.

Fame and honour were purchased at a bitter pennyworth by satire, rather than by any other productions of the brain; the world being soonest provoked to praise by lashes, as men are to love.-Swift.

CLXIV.

The taxes are indeed very heavy; and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us, by allowing an abatement.-Franklin.

CLXV.

It is downright hypocrisy in a man of certain degree, not immediately to take the rank due to him, and which every body is ready to give up; it is no self-denial in him to be modest, to mingle with the multitude, that would open to make way for him, to take the lowest seat at a public meeting, that every one may see him there, and strive to set him higher. Modesty in men of ordinary condition is more trying; if they come into a crowd, they are jostled and elbowed; if they choose an incommodious seat, there they may remain.-Bruyere.

CLXVI.

We frequently bestow praise on virtuous actions, performed in very distant ages and remote countries; where