conceives inexhaustible, and hopes which he has not yet learned to diftruft.

Thefe evils, indeed, are by no means to be imputed to nature, or confidered as infeparable from an early display of uncommon abilities. They may be certainly escaped by prudence and refolution, and must therefore be recounted rather as confolations to those who are less liberally endowed, than as discouragements to fuch as are born with uncommon qualities. Beauty is well known to draw after it the perfecutions of impertinence, to incite the artifices of envy, and to raise the flames of unlawful love; yet among the ladies whom prudence or modefty have made most eminent, who has ever complained of the inconveniencies of an amiable form? or would have purchased safety by the lofs of charms?

Neither grace of person, nor vigour of underftanding, are to be regarded otherwife than as bleffings, as means of happiness indulged by the Supreme Benefactor; but the advantages of either may be loft by too much eagerness to obtain them. A thousand beauties in their first bloffom, by an imprudent expofure to the open world, have fuddenly withered at the blast of infamy; and men who might have fubjected new regions to the empire of learning, have been lured by the praise of their first productions from academical retirement, and wafted their days in vice and dependence. The virgin who too foon afpires to celebrity and conquest, perishes by childish vanity, ignorant credulity, or guiltless indifcretion. The genius who catches at laurels and preferment before his time, mocks the hopes that he had excited, and lofes thofe years which might have been moft VOL. VI. ufefully

S

ufefully employed, the years of youth, of spirit, and vivacity.

It is one of the innumerable abfurdities of pride, that we are never more impatient of direction, than in that part of life when we need it moft; we are in hafte to meet enemies whom we have not ftrength to overcome, and to undertake tafks which we cannot perform and as he that once mifcarries does not easily perfuade mankind to favour another attempt, an ineffectual ftruggle for fame is often followed by perpetual obfcurity.

NUMB. 112. SATURDAY, April 13, 1751.

In mea vefanas habui difpendia vires,

Et valui panas fortis in ipfe meas.

Of ftrength pernicious to myfelf I boaft;

OVID.

The pow'rs I have were giv'n me to my coft. F. LEWIS.

W

E are taught by Celfus, that health is beft preferved by avoiding fettled habits of life, and deviating fometimes into flight aberrations from the laws of medicine; by varying the proportions of food and exercife, interrupting the fucceffions of reft and labour, and mingling hardships with indulgence. The body, long accustomed to ftated quantities and uniform periods, is difordered by the fmalleft irregularity; and fince we cannot adjust every day by the balance or barometer, it is fit fometimes to depart from rigid accuracy, that we may be able to comply

with neceffary affairs, or ftrong inclinations. He that too long obferves nice punctualities, condemns himself to voluntary imbecility, and will not long escape the miseries of disease.

The fame laxity of regimen is equally neceffary to intellectual health, and to a perpetual fufceptibility of occafional pleasure. Long confinement to the fame company which perhaps fimilitude of taste brought first together, quickly contracts his faculties, and makes a thoufand things offenfive that are in themselves indifferent; a man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own fentiments, foon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratifications of mankind.

In things which are not immediately fubject to religious or moral confideration, it is dangerous to be too long or too rigidly in the right. Senfibility may, by an inceffant attention to elegance and propriety, be quickened to a tenderness inconfiftent with the condition of humanity, irritable by the smallest afperity, and vulnerable by the gentleft touch. He that pleases himself too much with minute exactnefs, and submits to endure nothing in accommodations, attendance, or address, below the point of perfection, will, whenever he enters the crowd of life, be haraffed with innumerable diftreffes, from which thofe who have not in the fame manner increased their fenfations find no disturbance. His exotick foftnefs will fhrink at the coarseness of vulgar felicity, like a plant transplanted to northern nurferies, from the dews and funshine of the tropical regions.

There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence; and, therefore, if we al

low not ourselves to be fatisfied while we can petceive any error or defect, we must refer our hopes of ease to some other period of existence. It is well known, that, expofed to a microfcope, the finoothett polish of the moft folid bodies difcovers cavities and prominences; and that the fofteft bloom of rofeate virginity repels the eye with excrefcences and difcolorations. The perceptions as well as the fenfes may be improved to our own difquiet, and we may, by diligent cultivation of the powers of diflike, raife in time an artificial faftidioufnefs, which fhall fill the imagination with phantoms of turpitude, fhew us the naked skeleton of every delight, and prefent us only with the pains of pleasure, and the deformities of beauty.

Peevishness, indeed, would perhaps very little dif turb the peace of mankind, were it always the coniequence of fuperfluous delicacy; for it is the privilege only of deep reflection, or lively fancy, to deftroy happiness by art and refinement. But by continual indulgence of a particular humour, or by long enjoyment of und.fputed fuperiority, the dull and thoughtless may likewife acquire the power of tormenting themfelves and others, and become futciently ridiculous or hateful to thofe who are within fight of their conduct, or reach of their influence.

They that have grown old in a single state are generally found to be morofe, fretful, and captious; tenacious of their own practices and maxims; foon offended by contradiction or negligence; and impatient of any affociation, but with thofe that will watch their nod, and fubmit themfelves to unlimited authority. Such is the effect of having lived without

the

the neceffity of confulting any inclination but their

own.

The irafcibility of this clafs of tyrants is generally exerted upon petty provocations, fuch as are incident to understandings not far extended beyond the inftincts of animal life; but unhappily he that fixes his attention on things always before him, will never have long ceffations of anger. There are many veterans of luxury upon whom every noon brings a paroxyfm of violence, fury, and execration; they never fit down to their dinner without finding the meat fo injudiciously bought, or fo unfkilfully dreffed, fuch blunders in the seasoning, or fuch improprieties in the sauce, as can scarcely be expiated without blood; and, in the transports of refentment, make very little diftinctions between guilt and innocence, but let fly their menaces, or growl out their discontent, upon all whom fortune expofes to the storm.

It is not eafy to imagine a more unhappy condition than that of dependence on a peevish man. In every other state of inferiority the certainty of pleafing is perpetually increased by a fuller knowledge of our duty; and kindnefs and confidence are ftrengthened by every new act of trust, and proof of fidelity. But peevishness facrifices to a momentary offence, the obfequiousness or usefulness of half a life, and as more is performed, increases her exactions.

Chryfalus gained a fortune by trade, and retired into the country; and, having a brother burdened by the number of his children, adopted one of his fons. The boy was difmiffed with many prudent admonitions; informed of his father's inability to maintain him in his native rank; cautioned against all oppofition

S 3