Liberty, like power, is only good for those who poffefs it, when it is under the conftant direction of virtue.

By fancying themselves flaves, men often make themselves fo; and fo by feeking what they already have, they abfolutely lose it.

True liberty confifts in lawful government; which, by reftraining each from doing wrong, affures their rights to all.

The youth of nations is the most favourable for their independence; it is the time of energy and vi→ gour, before luxury has enervated.

Liberty unfeasonably obtained, is commonly intemperately used.

Liberty is more precious than all gifts; and to receive, is to lose it.

The name of liberty is fo fweet, that all who fight for it are fure to intereft our fecret wifhes: As their cause is that of the whole human race, it becomes

our own.

*

The day that virtue lofes its liberty, half of its vigour is gone; it is afterwards a ftate of mourning.

If there be any private slavery in life fuperior to another, it is that of a fenfible knowing man ip office, being fubject to an ignorant, infolent principal, especially if he be the creature of corruption.

True liberty rifes in proportion as the danger encreases; like the robust oak, which, mutilated by the axe, fprings afresh under the ftrokes which are

* HOMER, as quoted by LONGINUS.

given

given it, and draws vigour and spirit from its very loffes and wounds.

See PEOPLE.

VE

time.

LIF E.

ERY few men, properly speaking, live at prefent, but are providing to live another

Labour to live in fuch wife, as you wish to be found at your death.

Love begins, and ambition ends with us; fo that we are often never freed from paffions till we die.

Men lofe many things, not because the attainment is impoffible, but because they want courage to attempt them.

They who think themselves inferior will foon become fo, and ufurpations upon their various rights will inevitably follow.

It is part of the bufinefs of life, to lofe it handfomely.

He who hath arrived at the ftate of wife reflection, must know, that he hath done many things in life, which he wishes undone, and that many things he feared, were better than those he prayed for.

To view mankind in general, what's the difference in effect between Old Men and Children, but that the one deals in Paintings and Statues, and the

other

other in Babies, fo that the first are only the most expensive fools.

The way that leads to honour and riches, leads to trouble; and we find the causes of our forrows in the very objects of our delights,

Life itfelf is neither good nor evil, but only a place for good and evil. It is a kind of tragi-comedy.

There is no condition fo low, but may have hopes; nor any fo high that is out of the reach of fears.

Difcontent is the greatest weakness of a generous foul; for many times it is fo intent upon its unhappinefs, that it forgets its remedies.

When we defire or folicit any thing, our mind runs wholly on the good fide or circumftances of it; i when it is obtained, our mind runs wholly on the bad ones.

The latter part of a wife man's life is taken up in curing the follies, prejudices, and false opinions he had contracted in the former.

We hate one another more for those articles wherein we differ, than love for those wherein we agree.

The people most attached to life, are generally those who know how to enjoy it least.

With not fo much to live long as to live well. Throughout your whole life, learn to live, and every hour of your life learn to die.

Let us fo live, as to have no cause of blushing in private.

In youth study to live well, in age to teach well, in both to die well.

Few

Few take care to live well, but many to live long; though it is in every man's power to do the former, but in no man's power to do the lat

ter.

The sweets of life and true use of it, are found only in a courfe of virtue; in the contrary, certain mifery.

Much bufinefs, and fometimes company, render life pleafant and useful.

If we ftand in awe of ourfelves, we shall have no occafion for SENECA's imaginary overfeer.

Men who poffefs all the advantages of life, are yet in a flate where there are many accidents to diforder and discompofe, but few to please them.

He that is in fuch a condition, as places him above contempt and below envy, cannot, by an enlarge. ment of his fortune, be made really more rich or more happy..

We ought not to be more folicitous to gain friends than to avoid enemies; the opportunities of doing mischief are generally more frequent than thofe of doing good.

It is much eafier to know what men are in general, than to know a fingle man in parti

cular.

At twenty years of age, the will reigns, at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.

Death is the only thing we can be fure of, and yet we behave ourselves just as if all others were uncertain, and death only accidental.

The greatest pleasure of life is love; the greatest treasure, contentment; the greateft poffeffion, health;

the

the greatest ease, is fleep; and the greateft medicine, a true friend.

Our chief comforts often produce our greatest anxieties, and an encrease of our poffeffions, is but an inlet to new disquietudes.

Let us receive the gifts of Fortune without pride, and part with them without reluctance.

If we are poor, we are defpifed; and if we are rich, we are followed by fycophants and flat

terers.

To live happily, let us fet bounds to our zeal by difcretion; to error, by truth; and to paffion by reason,

Every man in private life, is his own best friend or worst foe.

It is in life as in wine, he that has it good, muft not draw it to the dregs.

The enjoyment and delight of life confift in fecurity.

The Arabian proverb fays, "The habitation of 66 danger is on the borders of fecurity, and that a "man never runs greater hazards, than when he "leaft fears them."

As we more and more love thofe, whom we are ftill obliging, fo do we hate moft violently those we have injured.

The man who is pleased with nobody, is more unhappy, than the man with whom nobody is pleased.

If reflections are justly thrown upon us, we ought inftead of resenting to profit by them.

In all recommendations the good and convenience of both parties (hould be confulted.

All