that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule, may be old in body, but can never be so in mind.— Cicero.

CXCVII.

Virtue seems to be nothing more than a motion consonant to the system of things: were a planet to fly from its orbit, it would represent a vicious man.—Shenstone.

CXCVIII.

I am told so many ill things of a man, and I see so few in him, that I begin to suspect he has a real but troublesome merit, as being likely to eclipse that of others.Bruyere.

CXCIX.

Every sect has a recipe. When you know it, you are master of nature: you solve all her phenomena: you see all her designs, and can account for all her operations. If need were, you might, perchance, too, be of her laboratory and work for her. At least one would imagine the partisans of each modern sect had this conceit. They are all Archimedes' in their way, and can make a world upon easier terms than he offered to move one.-Shaftesbury.

CC.

Perfect friendship is indivisible: every one gives himself so entirely to his friend, that he has nothing left to distribute to others: but on the contrary, is sorry that he is not double, treble, or quadruple, and that he has not many souls, and many wills, to confer them all upon this one subject. Common friendships will admit of division: one may love the beauty of this, the good humour of that person; the liberty of a third, the paternal affection of a fourth, the fraternal love of a fifth, and so of the rest. But this friendship which possesses the whole soul, and there rules and sways with an absolute sovereignty, can possibly admit of no rival.—Montaigne.

CCI.

A courtier's dependant is a oeggar's dog.—Shenstone,

CCII.

Humility is a virtue all preach, none practise, and yet every body is content to hear. The master thinks it good Joctrine for his servant, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.-Selden.

CCIII.

The first and chief rule of panegyric, is the golden rule of transformation; which consists in converting vices into their bordering virtues. A man who is a spendthrift, and will not pay a just debt, may have his injustice transformed into liberality; cowardice may be metamorphosed into prudence; intemperance into good-nature and goodfellowship; corruption into patriotism.

*

The second is the rule of contraries. It is certain the less a man is endued with any virtue, the more need he has to have it plentifully bestowed, especially those good qualities, of which the world believes he has none at all; for who will thank a man for giving him that which he has.-Pope.

CCIV.

There is no private house, in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern. Let there be ever so great plenty of good things, ever so much grandeur, ever so much elegance, ever so much desire that every body should be easy; in the nature of things it cannot be: there must always be some degree of care and anxiety. The master of the house is anxious to entertain his guests; the guests are anxious to be agreeable to him; and no man, but a very impudent dog indeed, can as freely command what is in another man's house as if it were his own: whereas, at a tavern, there is a general freedom from anxiety. You are sure you are welcome : and the more noise you make, the more trouble you give, the more good things you call for, the welcomer you are. No servant will attend you with the alacrity which waiters do, who are incited by the prospect of an immediate reward in proportion as they please. No, sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by

which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.-Johnson.

CCV.

Receive no satisfaction for premeditated impertinence ; forget it, forgive it, but keep him inexorably at a distance who offered it.-Lavater.

CCVI.

It is not the increase of vices inseparable from humanity that alarms us, the riots of the licentious, or the outrages of the profligate; but it is the absence of that integrity, the neglect of that virtue, the contempt of that honour, which by connecting individuals formed society, and without which society can no longer subsist.-Ad

venturer.

CCVII.

There is nothing exerts a genius so much as writing plays; the reason is, that the writer puts himself in the place of every person that speaks.--Shenstone.

CCVIII.

Argira pulls off her glove to show her white hand, and never forgets to let her little shoe be seen, that she may be supposed to have a small foot; she laughs equally at things pleasant or serious, to show her fine set of teeth; if she discovers her ears, it is because they are small and pretty; and if she does not dance, it is because she is not well satisfied with her shape, which indeed is not of the sugar-loaf kind; she knows perfectly well all her several interests, one thing only excepted, she is perpetually talking, and has scarce common sense.-Bruyere.

CCIX.

A wit is a very unpopular denomination, as it carries terror along with it; and people in general are as much afraid of a live wit, in company, as a woman is of a gun which she thinks may go off of itself, and do her mischief. Their acquaintance is, however, worth seeking, and their company worth frequenting; but not exclusively of

others, nor to such a degree as to be considered only as one of that particular set.-Chesterfield.

CCX.

The round of a passionate man's life is in contracting debts in his passion, which his virtue obliges him to pay. He spends his time in outrage and acknowledgment, injury, and reparation.-Johnson.

CCXI.

The greatest vices derive their propensity from our most tender infancy, and our principal education depends on the nurse. Mothers are mightily pleased to see a child writhe the neck of a chicken, or please itself with hurting a cat or dog; and such wise fathers there are in the world, who consider it as a notable mark of a martial spirit, when they hear their sons miscall, or see them domineer over a peasant or lacquey, that dares not reply or turn again; and a great sign of wit when they see them cheat and overreach their play. fellows by some malicious trick of treachery and deceit : but for all that, these are the true seed and roots of cruelty, tyranny, and treason. -Montaigne.

CCXII.

Laws cannot prevent extravagance; and perhaps it is not always an evil to the public. A shilling spent idly by a fool may be picked up by a wiser person, who knows better what to do with it; it is, therefore, not lost.Franklin.

CCXIII.

The country is the place in which the court, as in its point of view, appears glorious and admirable; if we approach it, its beauties diminish, like those of a fine piece of perspective viewed too near.-Bruyere.

CCXIV.

I have run the silly rounds of pleasure, and have done with them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, I appraise them at their real worth, which is in

truth very low, those who have only seen their outside always overrate them, but I have been behind the scenes, I have seen all the coarse pullies and dirty ropes which move the gaudy machines, and I have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decor tion, to the astonishment and admiration of the ignorant audience. When I reflect on what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle of pleasure in the world had any reality; but I look upon all that is passed as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions, and I do by no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose.--Chesterfield.

CCXV.

Nothing can be more unphilosophical than to be positive or dogmatical on any subject; and even if excessive scepticism could be maintained, it would not be more destructive to all just reasoning and inquiry. Where men are the most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken, and have there given reins to passion, without that proper deliberation and suspense, which can alone secure them from the grossest absurdities.- Hume.

CCXVI.

In the education of children, there is nothing like alluring the appetites and affection, otherwise you make so many asses laden with books, and by virtue of the lash, give them their pocket full of learning to keep; whereas, to do well, you should not only lodge it with them, but make them espouse it.-Montaigne.

CCXVII.

There is nothing displays a genius (I mean a quickness of genius) more than a dispute; as two diamonds, encountering, contribute to each other's lustre. But, perhaps, the odds is much against the man of taste, in this particular.-Shenstone.