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النشر الإلكتروني

Political jealoufies, like the conjugal, when once raised, are hard to be fuppreffed,

See COURTS and COURTIERS.

POPULACE.

See PEOPLE.

POPULARITY.

E is an unhappy man who fets his heart on
being admired by the multitude.

H being

The praises of the croud make the head giddy;

but the commendations of the good make the heart glad.

He can never act his part well, whofe thoughts are turned more upon the applaufe of the audience, than the design of his part.

It ought ever to be an exception against a man's receiving applause, that he visibly courts it.

The fatyrift faid very well of popular praise and acclamations, Give the tinkers and cobblers their prefents again, and learn to live of yourself.

The road to popularity is very plain, and any man who is base enough may easily travel it.

A

Popularity is a vice from the moment it is fought; it is only a virtue, when men have it whether they will or no.

The

1

The immoderate favour of the multitude, as it can do a man no good, fo it will undo as many as fhall truft to it.

Popularity, when it is pursued as an end, not as a mean, is the noblest ambition; as it can be gained but by virtue, and maintained but by principle.

The confidence of the people once got and once loft, can never be regained.

They feldom fail to punish him who courts them. He who follows the voice of the people, muft not only facrifice his own opinion, but the good of his country to their prejudices.

Popularity is generally an appeal to the people from the sentence given by men of sense against them.

It is stepping very low, to get high.

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POVERTY.

OVERTY is then only matter of disgrace and reproach, when it is attendant on floth and idleness, or wantonness and prodigality.

Poverty is not a fhame, but being ashamed of it, is.

Poverty on an old man's back is an heavy burthen.

The poor man that has fuffered the contumelies, miferies and difappointments that attend his condition, without bafe and fervile arts for his redress, hath returned upon an infolent world its fcorn.

Poverty

Poverty turns our thoughts too much upon the fupplying our wants, and riches upon enjoying our fuperfluities.

See RICHES.

IT

PO W E R.

T is a ftrange defire which men have, to seek power, and lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lofe it over a man's own felf.

The love of power is natural to men, and they never want a pretence to justify it. The evil man defires it, that he may fin with fulness and fecurity. -The good man, that he may extend the capacity of his benefaction.

Force governs the world, and fuccefs confecrates the cause-What avails it, for the lamb to have the better caufe, if the wolf have the ftronger teeth?

Power is like avarice, it encreases with gratification.

The purfuit of power is only laudable, when the intention is virtuous.

It is dangerous to add power to those, who only want will to do mischief.

Innocence is no protection against tyrannical power; for accusing is proving, where malice and force are joined in the profecution.

It is to no purpose to stand reasoning, where the adverfary is both party and judge.

The

The tyranny of power will punish his fubordinate for a moment's conceived delay, although his own hath been for days.

It says to Subjection,-How dare you justify yourself?

Power is ever weakened by the full ufe of it, but encreased and ftrengthened by moderation.

Few men would defire power, were it not for the pleasure they take in making others fenfible that they are poffeffed of it.

Men generally ufe the fame methods to keep power, which they had condemned in others before they had themselves obtained it.

The fiend-like look of a tyrant in power, is to merit in fubjection an arrow of death.

How cautioufly man fhould be entrusted with power, or the rule over others, hath been manifefted ever fince the creation, even from the lafhing tutor to the prince on the throne.

PRA I S E.

E ought to be more offended at extravagant praise, than at injuries.

WR

Praises are fatire when infincere.

Praife undeferved is fatire in difguife.

Praise ought alike to be deferved and avoided.
Honeft praise is only paid in abfence.

See COMMENDATION,

VOL. II.

Р

See FLATTERY.

PRAYERS.

PR

PRAYERS.

RAYERS offered up in time of danger, and vows of alms gifts, are called by PERSIUS, PRECES EMACES, prayers of purchase.—Such prayers, says he, virtue blushes at, and the gods disregard.

Let our prayers be as frequent as our wants, and our thanksgivings as our bleffings.

To be always praying and doing of nothing, is like lazy beggars, that are ever complaining and asking, but will do nothing to help themfelves; if we expect God's grace and affistance, we muft work out our Salvation, as well as pray for it.

The peafant who called on JUPITER to free his cart from the mire, was directed to fet his own shoulders to it first.

See RELIGION.

PREJUDIC E.

S strong prejudices, however got, are the

A parents, fo a weak understanding is the

nurse of bigotry, and injuftice and violence its offfpring.

An inveterate prejudice may infenfibly lead the wifeft and moft virtuous into error, and injuftice..

When our thoughts are originally falfely biaffed, their agility and force do but carry us the farther out of our way, in proportion to our fpeed.

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