not enjoy this knowledge but by discovering it, and, if he had no other motive to loquacity, is obliged to traffick like the chymifts, and purchase one fecret with another; he is every day more hated as he is more known; for he is confidered by great numbers as one that has their fame and their happiness in his power, and no man can much love him of whom he lives in fear.

Thus has an intention, innocent at first, if not laudable, the intention of regulating his own behaviour by the experience of others, by an accidental declenfion of minutenefs, betrayed Nugaculus, not only to a foolish, but vicious waste of a life which might have been honourably paffed in publick fervices, or domestick virtues. He has loft his original intention, and given up his mind to employments that engross, but do not improve it.

NUMB. 154. SATURDAY, March 16, 1751.

-Nibil eft quod credere de fe

Non poffit

None e'er rejects hyperbolies of praise.

THE

JUVENAL.

HE apparent infufficiency of every individual to his own happiness or fafety, compels us to feek from one another affistance and fupport. The neceffity of joint efforts for the execution of any great or extenfive defign, the variety of powers diffeminated in the fpecies, and the proportion between the defects and excellencies of different perfons, demand an interchange of help, and communication of intelligence, and by frequent reciprocations of beneficence unite mankind in fociety and friendship.

If it can be imagined that there ever was a time when the inhabitants of any country were in a state of equality, without diftinction of rank, or peculiarity of poffeffions, it is reasonable to believe that every man was then loved in proportion as he could contribute by his ftrength, or his fkill, to the supply of natural wants; there was then little room for peevifh diflike, or capricious favour; the affection admitted into the heart was rather esteem than tenderness; and kindness was only purchased by benefits. But when by force or policy, by wifdom or by fortune, property and fuperiority were introduced and established, so that many were condemned VOL. VI.

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to labour for the support of a few, then they whose poffeffions fwelled above their wants, naturally laid out their fuperfluities upon pleasure; and those who could not gain friendship by neceffary offices, endeavoured to promote their intereft by luxurious gratifications, and to create need which they might be courted to fupply.

The defires of mankind are much more numerous than their attainments, and the capacity of imagination much larger than actual enjoyment. Multitudes are therefore unfatisfied with their allotment; and he that hopes to improve his condition by the favour of another, and either finds no room for the exertion of great qualities, or perceives himfelf excelled by his rivals, will, by other expedients, endeavour to become agreeable where he cannot be important, and learn, by degrees, to number the art of pleafing among the most useful ftudies, and moft valuable acquifitions.

This art, like others, is cultivated in proportion to its usefulness, and will always flourish most where it is most rewarded; for this reafon we find it practifed with great affiduity under abfolute governments, where honours and riches are in the hands of one man, whom all endeavour to propitiate, and who foon becomes fo much accuftomed to compliance and officioufnefs, as not eafily to find, in the moft delicate addrefs, that novelty which is necessary to procure attention.

It is difcovered by a very few experiments, that no man is much pleafed with a companion, who does not increase, in some respect, his fondness of himfelf; and, therefore, he that wishes rather to be

led

led forward to prosperity by the gentle hand of fa your, than to force his way by labour and merit, must confider with more care how to difplay his patron's excellencies than his own; that whenever he approaches, he may fill the imagination with pleafing dreams, and chace away difguft and weariness by a perpetual fucceffion of delightful images.

This may, indeed, sometimes be effected by turning the attention upon advantages which are really poffeffed, or upon profpects which reafon spreads before hope; for whoever can deferve or require to be courted, has generally, either from nature or from fortune, gifts, which he may review with fatisfaction, and of which, when he is artfully re called to the contemplation, he will feldom be dif pleased.

But thofe who have once degraded their understanding to an application only to the paffions, and who have learned to derive hope from any other fources than industry and virtue, feldom retain dignity and magnanimity fufficient to defend them against the conftant recurrence of temptation to falfehood. He that is too defirous to be loved, will foon learn to flatter, and when he has exhausted all the variations of honest praise, and can delight no longer with the civility of truth, he will invent new topicks of panegyrick, and break out into raptures at virtues and beauties conferred by himself.

The drudgeries of dependance would, indeed, be aggravated by hopelesness of fuccefs, if no indulgence was allowed to adulation. He that will obftinately

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ftinately confine his patron to hear only the commendations which he deferves, will foon be forced to give way to others that regale him with more compafs of mufick. The greatest human virtue bears no proportion to human vanity. We always think ourselves better than we are, and are generally defirous that others fhould think us ftill better than we think ourselves. To praise us for actions or difpofitions, which deserve praise, is not to confer a benefit, but to pay a tribute. We have always pretenfions to fame, which, in our own hearts, we know to be difputable, and which we are defirous to ftrengthen by a new fuffrage; we have always hopes which we fufpect to be fallacious, and of which we eagerly fnatch at every confirmation.

It may, indeed, be proper to make the first approaches under the conduct of truth, and to secure credit to future encomiums, by fuch praise as may be ratified by the confcience; but the mind once habituated to the lusciousness of eulogy, becomes, in a fhort time, nice and faftidious, and, like a vitiated palate, is inceffantly calling for higher gratifi

cations.

It is fcarcely credible to what degree difcernment may be dazzled by the mist of pride, and wisdom infatuated by the intoxication of flattery; or how low the genius may defcend by fucceffive gradations of fervility, and how fwiftly it may fall down the precipice of falfehood. No man can, indeed, obferve, without indignation, on what names, both of ancient and modern times, the utmost exuberance of praife has been lavished, and

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