RAILLERY, REPARTEE, AND

R

SATIRE.

AILLERY fhould never be used but with regard to failings of fo little confequence, that the person concerned may be merry himself on the fubject.

Raillery is a decent mixture of praise and reproach.

The talent of ridicule is generally found in thofe who have leaft to recommend themfelves.

There is more raillery among the moderns, and more good fenfe among the ancients.

The polite rule of raillery, is to mention the faults of men as if you loved them.

A man that is given to jefting, will never fail of hatred and contempt.

A fally of paffion or extravagance is frequently forgiven, but raillery in cool blood, is never par doned.

Railleries are not good, unless they be lively, fhort, and full of falt; the length enervates and Spoils them.

It is a degree of folly, to delight to see it in others; and the most audacious infolence to rejoice at the difgrace of human nature.

True raillery should be a defence for good and virtuous works, and should only defign the derifion of extravagant, and the difgrace of vile and dishonourable things.

It ought to have the nature of salt, to which it is ufually compared, which preferves and keeps fweet the good and found parts of all bodies, and only frets, dries up, and destroys thofe humours which putrefy and corrupt.

As much difpofition as a man hath to satire and raillery, juft fo much doth he want of good naturę and benevolence.

He that fcoffs at the crooked, had need go very upright himself.

Beware of biting jefts; the more truth they carry with them, the deeper wounds they give.

Raillery is no longer agreeable, than while the whole company is pleased with it, and least of all to except the perfon rallied.

Satire is a fort of glass, wherein beholders difcover every body's face but their own.

True fatire must be founded in good-nature, and directed by a right heart.

He that loves his jeft better than his friend, may have his jeft, but lose his friend.

He that makes others afraid of his wit, had need to fear their memory.

It is with wits as with razors, who are never fo apt to cut those they are employed on, as when they have loft their edge.

Those whofe teeth are too rotten to bite, are best of all qualified to revenge that defect with their breath.

See CENSURE, &c. See WIT.

REASON.

REASON.

W

E have not ftrength enough to follow the dictates of our reason.

Fortune breaks us of many faults which Reason never could do.

There is an excess of happiness and mifery, that is beyond our sensibility.

We never paffionately defire the thing which we only defire from the dictates of reason.

The proper ufe of reafon, is to act reafonably, otherwife you only prove with what abilities you are formed, and with what guilt you misapply them.

Nothing is more disagreeable to us than reason, when it is not of our fide.

We quarrel fo often with it, that it maketh us afraid to come near it.

A man that doth not use his reafon, is a tame beaft; a man that abuses it, is a wild one.

Reason hath occafion for experience, but experi ence is useless without reason.

None are foes to reafon, but those whom reason disclaims.

A rational being that acts unreasonably, degrades himself below the brute.

R

RELIGIO N.

ELIGION is the beft armour, but the worst cloak.

Its obligations are, To love God, love ourselves, love our fellow-creatures;-from the firft, proceeds piety; from the second, wisdom; and the third duces focial virtues.

pro

Virtue is that, which muft tip the preacher's tongue, and the ruler's fceptre with authority.

True religion is founded on the love of virtue and the deteftation of vice; on a sense of that obedience which is due to the will of a Supreme Being; and of those obligations, which creatures formed to live in a mutual dependance on one another, lie under.

Rigour feldom makes ill chriftians better, but many times it makes them mere hypocrites.

Zeal doth well in a private breaft; but moderation in a public state.

All parties blame perfecution, when they feel the fmart of it, and all practise it when they have the rod in their hands.

Whoever speaks against religion, deferves to be torn to pieces by the mob whom he endeavours to unchain.

True devotion is the true fource of repose; that only has a power to support life, and to fweeten death.

By a little knowledge of nature, men become Atheists; but a great deal turns them back again, to a life of found devotion.

Religion

7

Religion in a magiftrate ftrengthens his authority, because it procures veneration, and gains a repute to it.

The worst that good men can fear, is the best that evil men can wish for, which is the diffolution of the foul in death.

Religion is best understood, when beft practifed.

Zeal mifapplied is pious frenzy.

He who in the purfuit of worldly affairs, neglects the duties of religion, fhews the greatnefs of his covetousness, and the weakness of his faith.

Too much devotion leads to fanaticifm; too much philofophy to irreligion.

Religion has nothing more to fear, than not being fufficiently understood.

Have a particular care of your thoughts and actions; bear it always in mind, that God fees you now, and that your confcience will be a witness against you afterwards.

Omit not praying, if you would defift from fin ning.

We may as reasonably expect to be at eafe with out health, as to be happy without holiness.

A beggar, to whom a profeffed atheift had faid, "What a wretched ftate have you been in if there be not an hereafter ?" replied, "And what a state will you be in if there be ?"

There is no refource against GoD, but with GoD himself.

Nothing but religion is capable of changing pains into pleasures.

VOL. II.

A little