*

paffion, as that all the advantages gained in their days of retreat, by juft and fober reflections, whether • ftruck out by their own minds, or borrowed from good books, or from the converfation of men of merit, are destroyed in a few moments by a free intercourfe and acquaintance with libertines; and thus the work is always to be begun anew. A gamefter refolves to leave off play, by which he ⚫ finds his health impaired, his family ruined, and his paffions inflamed; in this refolution he perfifts a few days, but foon yields to an invitation, which will give his prevailing inclination an opportunity of reviving in all its force. The cafe is the same ⚫ with other men: but is reafon to be charged with ⚫ these calamities and follies, or rather the man who • refuses to listen to its voice in oppofition to impertinent folicitations?'

On the means recommended for the attainment of happiness, he obferves, that the abilities which our Maker has given us, and the internal and external advantages with which he has invested us, are of two very different kinds; thofe of one kind are bestowed in common upon us and the brute creation, but the other exalt us far above other animals. To difregard any of thefe gifts would be ingratitude; but to neglect those of greater excellence, to go no farther than the grofs 'fatisfactions of sense, and the functions of mere animal life, would be a far greater crime. We are formed by our Creator capable of acquiring knowledge, and regulating our conduct by reasonable rules; it is therefore our duty to cultivate our un

⚫derstandings,

⚫derstandings, and exalt our virtues. We need but 'make the experiment to find, that the greatest plea< fures will arife from fuch endeavours.

'It is trifling to allege, in oppofition to this truth, ⚫ that knowledge cannot be acquired, nor virtue purfued, without toil and efforts, and that all efforts produce fatigue. God requires nothing difpropor'tioned to the powers he has given, and in the exercife of those powers confifts the higheft fatis• faction.

• Toil and weariness are the effects of vanity: when ' a man has formed a defign of excelling others in

merit, he is difquieted by their advances, and leaves nothing unattempted, that he may ftep before them this occafions a thousand unreasonable emotions, which juftly bring their punishment along with them.

But let a man ftudy and labour to cultivate and improve his abilities in the eye of his Maker, and with the prospect of his approbation; let him attentively reflect on the infinite value of that approbation, and the highest encomiums that men can bestow will vanish into nothing at the comparison. When we live in this manner, we find that we live for a great and glorious end.

When this is our frame of mind, we find it no longer difficult to restrain ourselves in the gratifications of eating and drinking, the moft grofs enjoyments of sense. We take what is neceflary to pre⚫ ferve health and vigour, but are not to give ourselves < up to pleasures that weaken the attention, and dull ⚫ the understanding.'

And

6

And the true fenfe of Mr. Pope's affertion, that Whatever is, is right, and I believe the fenfe in which it was written, is thus explained: A facred and adorable order is established in the government of mankind. These are certain and unvaried truths: he that feeks God, and makes it his happiness to live in obedience to him, fhall obtain what he endeavours after, in a degree far above his prefent comprehenfion. He that turns his back upon his Creator, neglects to obey him, and perfeveres in his difobedience, fhall obtain no other happiness than he can receive from enjoyments of his own procuring; void of fatisfaction, weary of life, wasted by empty cares and remorfes equally haraffing and juft, he will experience the certain confequences of his own choice. Thus will justice and goodness resume their empire, and that order be restored which men have broken.'

I am afraid of wearying you or your readers with more quotations, but if you fhall inform me that a continuation of my correfpondence will be well received, I fhall defcend to particular paffages, fhew how Mr. Pope gave fometimes occafion to mistakes, and how Mr. Croufaz was mifled by his fufpicion of the fyftem of fatality.

I am, SIR, your's, &c.

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

TO THE

LONDON CHRONICLE,

JANUARY 1, 1757.

IT

T has always been lamented, that of the little time allotted to man, much must be spent upon superfluities. Every profpect has its obftructions, which we must break to enlarge our view: every step of our progrefs finds impediments, which, however eager to go forward, we must stop to remove. Even those who profefs to teach the way to happiness, have multiplied our incumbrances, and the author of almost every book retards his inftructions by a preface.

The writers of the Chronicle hope to be eafily forgiven, though they fhould not be free from an infection that has feized the whole fraternity, and instead of falling immediately to their fubjects, fhould detain the Reader for a time with an account of the importance of their defign, the extent of their plan, and the accuracy of the method which they intend to profecute. Such premonitions, though not always neceffary when the Reader has the book complete in his hand, and may find by his own eyes whatever can be found in it, yet may be more eafily allowed to works

published

published gradually in fucceffive parts, of which the scheme can only be fo far known as the author fhall think fit to discover it.

The Paper which we now invite the Publick to add to the Papers with which it is already rather wearied than fatisfied, confifts of many parts; fome of which it has in common with other periodical fheets, and fome peculiar to itself.

Of

The first demand made by the reader of a journal is, that he should find an accurate account of foreign tranfactions and domestick incidents. This is always expected, but this is very rarely performed. those writers who have taken upon themselves the tafk of intelligence, fome have given and others have fold their abilities, whether fmall or great, to one or other of the parties that divide us; and without a wish for truth or thought of decency, without care of any other reputation than that of a flubborn adherence to their abettors, carry on the fame tenor of reprefentation through all the viciffitudes of right and wrong, neither depreffed by detection, nor abashed by confutation, proud of the hourly increase of infamy, and ready to boast of all the contumelies that falfehood and flander may bring upon them, as new proofs of their zeal and fidelity.

With thefe heroes we have no ambition to be numbered, we leave to the confeffors of faction the merit of their fufferings, and are defirous to fhelter ourselves under the protection of truth. That all our facts will be authentick, or all our remarks juft, we dare not venture to promife: we can relate but what we hear, we can point out but what we fee. Of remote tranfactions, the firft accounts are always confufed, and commonly