martial virtues, but that when he had gained a victory he should know how to use it. The folly of defifting too foon from fuccefsful labours, and the hafte of enjoying advantages before they are fecured, is often fatal to men of impetuous defire, to men whose consciousnefs of uncommon powers fills them with prefumption, and who having born oppofition down before them, and left emulation panting behind, are early perfuaded to imagine that they have reached the heights of perfection, and that now, being no longer in danger from competitors, they may pass the rest of their days in the enjoyment of their acquifitions, in contemplation of their own fuperiority, and in attention to their own praises, and look unconcerned from their eminence upon the toils and contentions of meaner beings. It is not fufficiently confidered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion to what others accomplish, or to the time and opportunities which have been allowed him; and that he who ftops at any point of excellence is every day finking in eftimation, because his improvement grows continually more incommenfurate to his life. Yet, as no man willingly quits opinions favourable to himfelf, they who have once been justly celebrated, imagine that they ftill have the fame pretenfions to regard, and feldom perceive the diminution of their character while there is time to recover it. Nothing then remains but murmurs and remorfe; for if the fpendthrift's poverty be embittered by the reflection that he once was rich, how muft the idler's obfcurity obfcurity be clouded by remembering that he once had luftre! These errors all arife from an original mistake of the true motives of action. He that never extends his view beyond the praises or rewards of men, will be dejected by neglect and envy, or infatuated by honours and applaufe. But the confideration that life is only depofited in his hands to be employed in obedience to a mafter who will regard his endeavours, not his fuccefs, would have preferved him from trivial elations and difcouragements, and enabled him to proceed with conftancy and cheerfulness, neither enervated by commendation, nor intimidated by cenfure, NUMB. 128. SATURDAY, June 8, 1751. Αἰὼν δὲ ἀσφαλῆς Οὐκ ἔγιντ, ἔτ ̓ Αἰακίδα παρὰ Πηλεία Οὔτε πὰς ἀντιθέῳ Κάδμῳ λεγονταί γε μὲν βρύτων Ολβιν ὑπέρτατον ὅι Σχεῖνο For not the brave, or wife, or great, Nor Cadmus, fcap'd the fhafts of pain, THE PIND. HE writers who have undertaken the task of reconciling mankind to their present state, and relieving the difcontent produced by the various diftribution of terreftrial advantages, frequently remind us that we judge too haftily of good and evil, that we view only the fuperficies of life, and determine of the whole by a very small part; and that in the condition of men it frequently happens, that grief and anxiety lie hid under the golden robes of profperity, and the gloom of calamity is cheered by fecret radiations of hope and comfort; as in the works of nature the bog is fometimes covered with flowers, and the mine concealed in the barren crags. None but those who have learned the art of subjecting their fenfes as well as reafon to hypothetical fyftems, can be perfuaded by the most specious rhe torician torician that the lots of life are equal; yet it cannot be denied that every one has his peculiar pleasures and vexations, that external accidents operate vari ously upon different minds, and that no man can exactly judge from his own fenfations, what another would feel in the fame circumstances. If the general difpofition of things be estimated by the representation which every one makes of his own state, the world must be confidered as the abode of forrow and misery; for how few can forbear to relate their troubles and diftreffes? If we judge by the account which may be obtained of every man's fortune from others, it may be concluded, that we all are placed in an elyfian region, overfpread with the luxuriance of plenty, and fanned by the breezes of felicity; fince fcarcely any complaint is uttered without cenfure from thofe that hear it, and almoft all are allowed to have obtained a provifion at least adequate to their virtue or their understanding, to poffefs either more than they deserve, or more than they enjoy. We are either born with fuch diffimilitude of temper and inclination, or receive so many of our ideas and opinions from the state of life in which we are engaged, that the griefs and cares of one part of mankind feem to the other hypocrify, folly, and affectation. Every clafs of fociety has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has its uneafineffes, which thofe who do not feel them will not commiferate. An event which fpreads diftraction over half the commercial world, affembles affembles the trading companies in councils and committees, and fhakes the nerves of a thoufand ftockjobbers, is read by the landlord and the farmer with frigid indifference. An affair of love, which fills the young breaft with inceffant alternations of hope and fear, and steals away the night and day from every other pleafure or employment, is regarded by them whofe paffions time has extinguished, as an amufement, which can properly raife neither joy nor forrow, and, though it may be fuffered to fill the vacuity of an idle moment, fhould always give way to prudence or intereft. He that never had any other defire than to fill a cheft with money, or to add another manour to his eftate, who never grieved but at a bad mortgage, or entered a company but to make a bargain, would be aftonifhed to hear of beings known among the polite and gay by the denomination of wits. How would he gape with curiofity, or grin with contempt, at the mention of beings who have no wish but to fpeak what was never spoken before; who, if they happen to inherit wealth, often exhaust their patrimonies in treating those who will hear them talk; and if they are poor, neglect opportunities of improving their fortunes for the pleasure of making others laugh? How flowly would he believe that there are men who would rather lofe a legacy than the reputation of a diftich; who think it lefs difgrace to want money than repartee; whom the vexation of having been foiled in a conteft of raillery is fometimes fufficient to deprive of fleep; and who would esteem |