OSTENTATION, VAIN-GLORY,

B

AND VANITY.

EWARE of oftentation and vain glory; an accomplished man conceals vulgar advantages, as a modeft woman hides her beauty under a more careless dress.

It is oftentation, not virtue, when a man will have his good deeds published.

Apologies, ceffions, nay modefty itself well governed, are but arts of oftentation.

A little vanity may be allowed in a man's train, but it must not fit down at a man's table.

Without fome fhare of vanity, men's talents would be buried like ore in a mine unwrought.

If vanity doth not overturn all the virtues, it certainly makes them totter.

As much as a man hath of vanity and oftentation, so much he wanteth of self-knowledge.

Vanity is lefs infupportable than affected modefty.

Avoid fingularity; there is often lefs vanity in following the new modes, than in adhering to the old ones.

To be covetous of applaufe, difcovers a flender merit; and felf-conceit is the ordinary attendant of ignorance.

Every man's vanity ought to be his greatest fhame, as his folly ought to be his greatest fe

cret,

The

The strongest paffions allow us fome reft, but vanity keeps us perpetually in motion.

There is no vice or folly that requireth fo much fkill to manage as vanity; nor any which by ill management maketh fo contemptible a figure.

To be vain, is rather a mark of humility than of pride; therefore, whoever defires the character of a proud man ought to conceal his vanity. For inftance,

He who boafts of the great company he hath kept, plainly confeffes, that it was more honour than he deserved. He who boafts of his ancestors, confeffes he has no virtue of his own; and he who boasts of his knowledge, proclaims his ignorance.

The vanity of human life is like a river, conftantly paffing away, and yet conftantly coming

on.

Though vanity is said to be the food of fools, yet the wifeft will tafte it.

Let men fay ever fo much good of us, they tell us nothing that is new to us.

The reason why other people's vanity is infupportable to us, is, that it fhocks our own.

We speak ill of others, more from vanity than malice.

Real mortifications are those which are not known, vanity makes the others eafy.

We never confefs our imperfections, but out of vanity.

A man would have but little pleafure, if he did not flatter himself,

A man

A man gains nothing by being vain glorious, but contempt and hatred.

A man is little the better for liking himself, if nobody else like him.

He that boafteth of himself affronteth his company.

It is as commendable in a man not to fhew a good opinion of himself, as it is ridiculous to fhew it.

A wife man endeavours to fhine in himself, a fool to outfhine others.

Men are more ambitious to display the abilities of their head, than to cultivate the good difpofition of the heart.

The covetous man wishes at least for fomething substantial, but the very wish of a vain man is a reproach.

He is an eternal beggar from all men, and yet begs for nothing.

His pageantries are but larger toys, with which like a child he plays awhile, and then grows weary of them.

It is falling in love with our mistaken ideas, that makes fools and beggars of half mankind.

Vanity is a folly we ought particularly to guard against, for a reafon very particular too: other vices are promoted by vice, but this is often nourished by virtue itself.

See PRIDE. See SELF-APPLAUSE.

PARENT'S

PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

IT

T is a great reflection upon human nature, that paternal instinct should be a stronger motive to love, than filial gratitude; and experience tells us, that for one cruel parent, we fee a thousand undutiful children.

Reverence thy father, and thy fon will reverence

thee.

Children fweeten labour, but they make misfortunes more bitter: they encrease the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance of death.

Worthy children, who have faulty parents, may improve by the bad example, as well as by the good.

Children who make themselves judges of the merit of their duty, will be in danger of facrificing it to their inclination.

Some children act, as if they thought their parents had nothing to do but to fee them established in the world, and then quit it.

Children never should be made parties in the mifunderstandings which happen between father and mother.

No provocation from a parent can justify a rafh step in a child.

The lofs of a good mother, is a call upon the prudence of a worthy daughter.

Where duty to a parent is wanting, all other good qualities are to be fufpected.

There

There is no great merit in performing a duty to a good parent.

Parents should take care, how they give caufe to their children, to think meanly either of their justice, or their understanding.

Who in his decline of life can expect a comfort from his children, who never administered any to his parents in theirs?

We must love our parents who do their duty, and bear with those who do not.

A man cannot well rebuke in his child, what it fees practifed in him.

He who loves two children unequally may make the one proud, the other envious, and both fools. As children make a man poor in one fenfe, fo in another they inforce industry, and that begetteth riches.

A dutiful child feldom or never faileth of his reward in this world, nor an undutiful one of his punishment. The days of the former, fhall be long (i. e. profperous) in the land, which the LORD his GOD hath given him.

P

A RT S.

See FACULTIES.

PARTY.