Humility, how glorious! how divine!
Thus cloath'd, and thus enrich'd, O may I fhine!
Be mine this treasure, this celestial robe,
And let the fons of pride poffefs the globe.

WHAT walls can bound, or what compelling rein, Th' ungovern'd luft of avarice restrain!

Wealth he has none, who mourns his fcanty ftore,
And 'midst of plenty ftarves, and thinks he's poor.

WHEN Ulyffes intrusted the education of his fon to the nobles of Ithaca: " O, my friends," faid he, "if ever you loved his father, fhew it in your care to"wards him; but above all, do not omit to form him juft, fincere, and faithful in keeping a fecret."

THE fureft way to purchase happiness, must be, to let as little of our time as poffible flip away unobferved and unimproved.

VARIOUS are the innocent diverfions of life, by which we may lengthen time in general, and prevent any part of it to be ufelefs, or tedious.

BEFORE you make an abfolute promife, weigh all the confequences of keeping it: but, when once you have made it, let the circumstances be important, or ever fo trifling, hold it as facred; and never be influenced to break it, unlefs the making it good prove injurious to virtue.

THE table of a good economist, is always attended with neatnefs, plenty, and chearfulness. When we have provided enough to maintain us, in the order fuitable to our character, we ought to be proportionably hofpitable; but the more we live within decent bounds, the more of our fortune may be converted to noble uses.

HE

HE that keeps not open a conftant intercourse with Heaven, by frequent fervors of rational devotion, knows not the fublimest joy.

THERE are attractions in modeft diffidence, above the force of words. A filent addrefs is the genuine eloquence of fincerity.

-LOOK on difappointments, toils, and ftrife,
And all the confequential ills of life,
Not as feverities, or caufelefs woes,
But eafy terms indulgent Heav'n allows
To man, by fhort probation to obtain
Immortal recompence for tranfient pain.
The intent of Heav'n, thus rightly understood,
From ev'ry evil we extract a good;

This truth divine, implanted in the heart,
Supports each drudging mortal thro' his part;
Gives a delightful profpect to the blind;
The friendless thence a conftant fuccour find;
The wretch, by fraud betray'd, by pow'r oppress'd,
With this restorative, ftill fooths his breaft.
This, fuffering virtue chears, this, pain beguiles,
And decks calamity herself in fmiles.

WHEREVER a great deal of gratitude is found in a poor man, it may be taken for granted there would be as much generofity, if he were a rich man.

ADDISON, after a long and manly, but vain ftruggle with his distemper, difmiffed his phyficians, and with them all hopes of life. But with his hopes of life, he dismissed not his concern for the living, but fent for a youth nearly related and finely accomplished, but not above being the better for good impreffions from a dying friend. He came, but life now glimmering in the focket, the dying friend was filent; after a decent and proper paufe, the youth faid, "Dear Sir! you fent for me, I believe, and I hope you have fome commands; if

you have, I shall hold them moft facred." May diftant ages not only hear, but feel the reply!-Forcibly grafping the youth's hand, he foftly faid," See in what peace a Chriftian can die." He spoke with difficulty, and foon expired.

66

Through grace divine, how great is man! through divine mercy how ftinglefs death! Who would not thus expire ?

BLEST folitude! how sweet thy peaceful fcenes!
Where contemplation's vot'ries love to ftray;
Where in her fapient drefs, religion reigns,
And shines more fplendid than the noontide ray.

LET angry zealots quarrel for a name,
The good, the juft, the virtuous are the same.
Virtue and grace are not to fects confin'd,
They blend with all, and spread amongst mankind.
And the pure flame that warms the pious breast,
Thofe cannot merit who condemn the reft.

THE terms of charity are never hard,
Love and compaffion are their own reward.
A foul that fuccours virtue when diftreft,
Can with reflection make a noble feast,
Which nourishes the mind, and overpays
A gen'rous deed with felf-approving praife.

WHAT can the man fear, who takes care in all his actions to please a Being that is omnipotent?-A Being who is able to crush all his adverfaries? A Being that can divert any misfortune from befalling him, or turn any fuch misfortune to his advantage? The person who lives with this conftant and habitual regard to the great fuperintendant of the world, is indeed fure that no real evil can come into his lot. Bleffings may appear under the shape of pains, loffes, and disappointments; but let him have patience, and he will fee them in their proper figures. Dangers may threaten him, but he may reft

fatisfied,

fatisfied, that they will either not reach him, or that if they do, they will be the inftruments of good to him. In short, he may look upon all croffes and accidents, fufferings, and afflictions, as means which are made use of to bring him to happiness.

ALL the ways of growing rich, are equal to perfons greedy of gain. Riches, in their efteem, obtain the place of equity, reputation, their friends, relations, and, frequently, their God.

I ASK not fortune's partial fmile,
Exhauftlefs fource of care;

Not all her fancied gay delights
Can claim a serious prayer.
Nor pleasure's foft alluring form,
With ardent wish I feek;
Far lefs the captivating bloom

That glows on beauty's cheek.

I ask not, that in calm repofe
My even days may flow,
Unruffled by adversity,

Exempt from human woe.
Enough that no reflections keen,

No crimes my foul opprefs,

To rob me of the flattering hope
Of future happiness.

But grant me that bleft frame of mind,
Where no vain thoughts intrude;

That bleft ferenity which fprings

From confcious rectitude.

THE love of pleasure has fo blinded the eyes of the prefent age, that they cannot fee clearly the fatisfaction of a pure and rational life,

WHEN

WHEN you fee the choler of a friend begin to kindle, you would do good, throw water thereon to cool, not wood to inflame it.

if

NO fimple cuftom is more blamable, than that of lying fhut up in the arms of floth and darknefs, when the cheerful return of day invites the whole creation to joy and bufinefs. Sleep, any further than as it is a neceffary refreshment, is the pooreft, dulleft state of existence we can be in; and it is fo far from being a real enjoyment, that it bears the nearest resemblance of death, and carries all the horrors of oblivion in it. We are forced to receive it, either in a state of infenfibility, or in the delufive folly of dreams. Sleep, when too much humoured, gives a foftness and idleness to all our tempers; and no fluggish perfon can be qualified, or difpofed, to enter into the true fpirit of prayer, or the exercise of any active virtue.

IT is not when misfortunes come upon us, the time to fet about the philofophy of bearing, or the refignation of fubmitting to them. It is in health we should prepare ourfelves against sickness.

IF affectation could be entirely banished, how few, in comparison with the prefent ftate of things, would be the number of prepofterous mistakes.

THE niceft rule in economy, is to make our being, one uniform and confiftent fcene of innocent pleasures, and moderate cares; and not to be tranfported with joy on occafions of good fortune, or too much dejected in circumftances of diftrefs.

VAGRANT defires, and impertinent mirth, will be too apt to engage our minds, unless we can poffefs ourselves in that fobriety of heart, which is above all tranfient pleasures, and which will fix our affections on things above.

BEHOLD, fond man!

See here thy pictur'd life: Pafs fome few years;
Thy flow'ring fpring, thy fummer's ardent strength,

Thy