heavens; the pomp, the plenty, and the pleasures of them over and above. To fay nothing of the furfeits that are gotten by the exceffes of eating and drinking, the reftless nights, factious emulations, feuds and difgufts that attend them, befides the flavery of being tied up to other people's hours, meals, and fashions. He that has no ambition, is happy in a cell, or in a cottage, whereas the ambitious man is miserable, even upon a throne. He that thinks that he has not enough, wants; and he that wants, is a beggar.

1109. Hafty refolutions are feldom fortunate, and it is a piece of neceffary prudence, for a man, before he refolves any thing, to confider what may be the confequence

of it.

1110. That man who never grants a favour without a great deal of intreaty and importunity, does, as it were, pay himself by his own hands, and forfeits his claim to our gratitude.

IIII. There is no character more defervedly efteemed, than that of a country gentleman, who understands the ftation in which heaven and nature have placed him. He is father to his tenants, and patron to his neighbours; and is more fuperior to thofe of lower fortune, by his benevolence, than his poffeffions. He justly divides his time between folitude and company, so as to use one for the other. His life is spent in the good offices of an advocate, a referee, à companion, a mediator, and a friend. His counfel and knowledge are a guard to the fimplicity and innocence of those

of

of lower talents, and the entertainment and happiness of thofe of equal. When a man in a country life has this: turn, as it is to be hoped thoufands have, he lives in a. more happy condition, than any that is defcribed in the paftoral descriptions of poets, or the vain-glorious folitudes: recorded by philofophers: to a thinking man, it would feem prodigious, that the very fituation in a country life, does not incline men to a scorn of the mean gratifications usually taken in it. To ftand by a stream, 'naturally lulls the mind into a compofure and reverence, and a bright funshine makes a man confider all nature in gladness, and: himself the happiest being in it, as he is the most conscious of her gifts and enjoyments. It would be the most impertinent piece of pedantry imaginable, to form our pleasures by imitations of others; I will not, therefore, mention Scipio, and Lælius, who are generally produced on this fubject, as authorities, for the charms of a rural life: He that does not feel the force of agreeable views and fituations in his own mind, will hardly arrive at the fatisfaction they bring, from the reflections of others; however they who have a taste that way, are more particularly inflamed with a defire, when they fee others in the enjoyment of it; efpecially, when men carry into the country, a knowledge of the world, as well as of nature; the leifure of fuch perfons is endeared and refined, by reflections upon cares and inquietudes. The absence of paft labours doubles the prefent pleasure, which is ftill augmented, if the perfon in folitude has the happiness of being addicted to letters.

1112, The nicest part in human converfation, and the

fineft

finest probe of the receffes of the heart of man, is to guess at the meaning of the little hints that are given by the bye, and to know how to make the beft of them. There are fome malicious and angry jerks, dipped in the gall of paffion, and these are imperceptible thunderbolts, that ftrike down thofe they are levelled at. Many times a word has thrown down headlong from the pinnacle of fathose whom the murmurings of a whole people, combined against them, could not so much as shake. There are other hints which produce an effect quite contrary; that is to fay, which fupport and increase the reputation of a man to whom they are addreffed. But seeing they are cunningly glanced, fo are they to be cautiously received, for the fecurity confifts in fmelling out the intention, and the blow foreseen is always warded.

vour,

1113. Such words as fympathy, occult qualities, and a thousand more of the fame ftamp, have no fenfe nor fignification at all. A man is wonderfully deceived, if he fancies himself one jot the wiser for them. They were only found out to fupply the want of reason, and to be used when we would fain say something, but indeed have nothing to fay.

1114. There are some obftinate people in the world, who have, as it were, fworn an allegiance to their grief, and contracted with it for their whole life. But what injury has nature done them, that they should throw themfelves into the hands of their adverfary? It is true, she has deprived them of what they loved; but fince she makes us die without our own confent, why should we take it amiss that the deftroys others without our permif

fion? Let us confider our friends whilft they live, as goods we are obliged to part with when dead, as goods we were to enjoy but for a short space. I am not surprized to find that tears were in fo much reputation with the poets, and despised by the philofophers. Poetry borrows its beauty from the paffions and the infirmities of nature, and philofophy derives all its excellence from the virtues and forces of the foul. A poet reprefents to us a Niobe, who melts into tears, for the death of her children. A philofopher shews us a Cornelia, who beholds, with dry eyes, the death of all her family: The one is very tender, the other very courageous: I would keep my admiration for Cornelia, and my compaffion for Niobe. I pity Niobe, and commend Cornelia. Niobe fubmits to grief, grief fubmits to Cornelia. We fhould pity those whom grief overcomes, but commend those who overcome grief.

1115. In the study of human learning, our mind ought always to preserve its own freedom, and not to enflave itself to other people's fancies. The liberty of the judgment fhould have its full fcope, and not take any thing upon truft, from the credit of any man's authority. When different opinions are proposed to us, we should confider and chufe, if there are fuch odds between them, as to admit of a choice; and if there be not, then we should contiue in fufpenfe ftill.

1116. It is liberty alone which infpires men with lofty thoughts, and elevates their fouls to a higher pitch than rules of art can direct. Books of rhetorick make men copious and methodical; but they alone can never infufe that true enthusiastick rage which liberty breathes into their

their fouls who enjoy it, and which, guided by a fedate judgment, will carry men further than the greatest industry, and the quickest parts can go without it.

1117. A neighbouring monarch has oftentimes taken wrong measures, upon account of our inteftine jars, not confidering that those who are factious among themfelves, and jealous of one another, are more ftrongly prepared to encounter with a common enemy.

1118. As I wish a prince would not over flightly believe all men; neither would I have him, for small caufes, diftruft every man.

1119. The mind not having a fufficient time to recollect its forces, it immediately gushes into tears, before we can utter ourselves by fighs or complaints. The most notorious caufes of thefe drops are pity, forrow, joy, and reconciliation. The foft fex, who are made of man, and not earth, have a more delicate humanity, and pity is the common caufe of their tears.

1120. Above any of the other fenfes that of hearing receives the first impreffion, most easily disturbs the mind, and fubverts the understanding.

J121. All states ought to defire peace, yet so as to be always prepared for war.

1122. All nations do naturally imitate the manners of their prince; and obferving his proceedings, refolve either to hate or love him. Therefore, it highly imports a king, upon his firft acceffion to the throne, to give a good opinion of himself to his people; for it is that first step which determines either the happiness or mifery of his reign. If the people happen once to hate their fovereign,

then