NUMBER. Christ on earth accompanied with fuch CXVI. Argument of David Levi for the fuperiority of the miracles wrought by Mofes over thofe, which the evangelifts record of Chrift: His cavils against two particular miracles of Chrift examined and opposed - 202 CXVII. Further defence of the miracles objected to by David Levi; his charge of contradiction against the evangelical historians anfwered; and his further attempts for finking the character of Chrift below that of Mofes fairly confidered; the whole argument recapitulated, fummed up and concluded CXVIII. The story of Ned Drowsy 213 --- 222 NUMBER. ham Abrahams gives his own hif tory Page 269 CXXIII. Remarks upon the prefent taste for acting private plays. A fhort poem annexed, founded upon reflections refulting from that fubject 280 CXXIV. Obfervations upon the paffions, addressed to the ladies 296 CXXV. The author's explanation of his motives, in an address to his readers upon the conclufion of the volume 306 THE THE OBSERVE R. A N° XCIV. GOOD man will live with the world as a wife man lives with his wife; he will not let himself down to be a dupe to it's hu mours, a devotee to it's pleasures, or a flatterer of it's faults; he will make himself as happy as he can in the connection for his own fake, reform where he is able, and complain only when he cannot help it. I am fick of that converfa tion which spends itself in railing at the times we live in; I am apt to think they are not made better by those complaints, and I have oftentimes occafion to know they are made worse by those very people who are loudeft to complain of them. If this be really one of the habits of age, it is high time for every man, who grows old, to guard against it; for there is no occafion to inVOL. IV. B vite vite more peevish companions for the last hours of life, than time and decrepitude will bring in their train: Let us look back upon things paft with what content we can, falute time present with the best grace we are able, and resign ourselves to futurity with calmnefs and a patient mind: If we do not wish to be banished from fociety before death withdraws us from it, don't let us truft to the world's refpect only, let us ftrive also to conciliate it's love. But I do not wish to argue this point with the fect of the Murmurers merely upon the ground of good policy; I should be forry for the world, if I could give no better reason for keeping well with it than in felf-defence: I really think it a world very easy to live with upon passable good terms; I am free to confess it has mended me fince I have lived with it, and I am fully of opinion it has mended itself: I don't deny but it has it's failings; it ftill cuts out work for the moralifts, and I am in no fear of finding subject matter for three more volumes of essays, before I have exhausted the duty of an Obferver. However, though I have prefumed upon taking up this character late in life, yet I feel no provocation from what I obferve in others, or in myself, to turn Murmurer; 'I can call the time past under my review, as far back as my experience will go, and comfort myself by the comparison of it with the time prefent; I can turn to the authors, who have delineated the manners of ages antecedent to my own, without being afhamed of my contemporaries, or entertaining a fuperior respect for their's. I cannot look back to any period of our own annals, of which I can conscientiously pronounce, according to fuch judgment as I am poffeffed of, that the happiness of society was better fecured, and more completely provided for than at the present moment. This may appear fo hardy an affertion, that if the Murmurers take the field against me, I fufpect that I fhall find myself, as I frequently have done, in a very decided minority; for let the reader take notice, I know the world too well to think of getting popularity by defending it; if ever I make that my object, I must run counter to my own principles, and abuse many, that all may read me: In the mean time I fhall make a thew of fome of my defences, if it be only to convince the Murmurers, that I fhall not capitulate upon the firft fummons; and I will keep fome ftrong pofts mafked from their view, that if they repeat their assault, I may ftill have refources in my reach. Society is cemented by laws, upheld by reli |