Or mofs-grown cottage, the abode of peace:
They fteer fecurely down life's placid ftream,

Rich in themselves, and crown'd with length of days.

TEMPORAL things more ravish in the expectation, than in fruition; but things eternal, more in the fruition than expectation.

VIRTUE is the greatest ornament; it is to the young neceffary, to the aged comfortable, to the poor ferviceable, to the rich an ornament, to the fortunate an honour, to the unfortunate a fupport. She ennobles the flave, and exalts nobility itself. In fhort, let it be remembered, that none can be difciples of the graces, but in the school of virtue; and that those who wish to be lovely, muft learn to be good.

THE folid joys of human kind,
Are thofe that flow from peace of mind;
For who the fweets of life can tafte,
With vice and tim'rous guilt opprest?
'Tis virtue foftens all our toils,

With peace our confcience crowns;
Gives pleasure when our fortune fmiles,

And courage when it frowns ;

Calms ev'ry trouble, makes the foul ferene,

Smooths the contracted brow, and chears the heart within.

OH, virtue, how lovely are thy charms! not half fo fair the beauteous blushes of the morn, the flowery meads, or all the chearing verdure of the groves!

THE man who has fo little knowledge of human nature, as to feek happinefs by changing any thing, but his own difpofitions, will wafte his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the griefs which he purposes to

remove.

C

THERE

THERE can be no true and fincere pleasure in any finful and vicious courfe, though it be attended with all the pomp and fplendour of outward happiness and profperity for wherever fin or vice is, there must be guilt; and wherever guilt is, the mind will be reflefs and unquiet.

:

PURE are the joys above the fkies,
And all the regions peace;
No wanton lips nor envious eyes,
Can fee or tafte the blifs.
These holy gates for ever bar
Pollution, fin, and shame;
None fhall obtain admittance there,
But followers of the Lamb.

O THOU, fupremely wife, fupremely good!
Whofe ways are like th' unfathomable flood,
Grant me to celebrate thy glorious name,
'Till death diffolves this late preferved frame.
And when this earth shall haften to decay,
When feas fhall burn, and mountains melt away,
When funs and stars, in wild confufion hurl'd,
Now crush each other, now deftroy a world,
May I refume the facred theme above,
For ever praise thee, and for ever love!

HAIL, moderation! virtue, heav'nly bright,
Thou fhining path, thou ever glorious light!
Steer'd and conducted by thy certain thread,
The labyrinth of life we fafely tread;
And with a fure, unerring eye furvey,
The various perils of our painful way.
From thee alone the mighty bleffings flow,
To double pleasure, and to leffen woe;
In every cafe t' apply the healing balm,
And footh our ftormy paffions to a calm.

OF all the calamities to which the condition of mortality expofes mankind, the lofs of reafon appears, to

thofe

those who have the leaft fpark of humanity, by far the most dreadful; and they behold that laft ftage of human wretchedness with deeper commiferation than any other.

THE forgiving of injuries, is a virtue which not only Christianity, but morality enforces. The Heathens practifed it to admiration; the primitive Chriftians exceeded them. But what a glorious example have we in the Lord and Master of our falvation, who prayed for his crucifiers- Father, forgive them," &c. Luke xxiii. 34.

A WISE man will defire no more, than what he may get justly, ufe foberly, diftribute chearfully, and leave contentedly..

EXPENSIVE drefs is not a crime, because there is any harm in good apparel, but because it fhews a depravity of mind, which turns the neceffary use of cloaths into extravagance, pride, and folly.

O 'TIS a heav'nly virtue, when the heart
Can feel the forrows of another's bofom!
It dignifies the man. The ftupid wretch,
Who knows not this fenfation, is an image,
And wants the feeling to make up a life.

SHORT is the date of our existence here,
As the light rainbow in the lucid sphere:
Tho' facred science all her ftores expand,
Tho' wealth and honour flow from fortune's hand;
Tho' every virtue in progreffion rife,

To make us learn'd, benevolent, and wife;

Tho' great in title, and renown'd in birth;
Our laft retreat's to the oblivious earth.

THOU Pow'r Supreme! whofe influence benign, O'er all creation's infinite extent

Shines forth ineffable, infpire my heart
With kindness univerfal. Let no pride,

C 2

Envy

Envy malignant, fordid luft of gain,
Or any kindred difcord-brooding vice,
Disturb my tranquil breaft; but let me pafs
Thro' all the varied scenes which life unfolds,
In focial harmony with all around,

Serene and calm as glides the lucid stream.

REPUTATIONS are of a fubtle, infinuating nature: like water, derived from the cleareft fpring, when it chances to mix with a foul current, it runs undistinguished in one muddy ftream; and they both partake of the fame colour and condition. If we keep bad company, however little we may be criminal in reality, we muft expect the fame cenfure that is due to the worst of our affociates.

HUMILITY is a virtue, which highly adorns the character in which it refides, and fets off every other virtue. It is an admirable ingredient of a contented mind, and an excellent fecurity against many of those ills in life, which are moft fenfibly felt by people of a delicate nature.

THAT man is moft bleffed, who receives his daily bread with gratitude and thankfulness from the hand of God; and he who does, experiences a pleasure that exceeds defcription. It is this that gives a relish to every repaft; it is this that makes the coarseft morfel delicious to the tafte; and it is the want of this that makes affluence a burthen, instead of a bleffing to the rich.

THE fleep of a labouring man is fweet; and if he toil hard for the bread that perifheth, he has, in the midst of every want, if a follower of Chrift, bread to eat that the world knows nothing of. It is not faid, Happy are they who poffefs abundance; but, Happy is the man who findeth wisdom; which is Chrift, the pearl of great price. In him are hid those durable riches and righte oufnefs, the merchandize of which is better than that of filver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

ΤΟ

TO complain that life has no joys, while there is a fingle creature whom we can relieve by our bounty, assist by our counfels, or enliven by our prefence, is to lament the lofs of that which we poffefs; and is just as rational as to die of thirst with the cup in our hands.

ENOUGH has Heav'n indulg'd of joy below,
To tempt our tarriance in this lov'd retreat;
Enough has Heav'n ordain'd of useful woe,
To make us languish for a happier feat.

YE proud, ye felfish, ye fevere,
How vain your mask of state!
The good alone have joy fincere ;
The good alone are great.

LIFE's road let me cautiously view,
And no longer difdain to be wife,
Forbearing fuch paths to purfue,
As my reafon fhould hate or defpife.
To crown both my age and my youth,
Let me mark where religion has trod,
Since nothing but virtue and truth

Can reach to the throne of my God.

O DAYS, long loft to man in each degree,
The golden days of hofpitality!

When lib'ral fortunes vy'd with lib'ral strife,
To fill the nobleft offices of life,

The poor, at hand their natʼral patrons faw,
And law-givers were fupplements of law!

NEVER treat common beggars with contempt or averfion, though their appearance be ever fo offenfive; but remember the kindness of our Saviour and his apoftles towards them. Confider, that even they have an equal right with you to the protection of Heaven. Be thankful that you are not afflicted with their diforders, their fores, or their poverty, but always treat them as

C 3

your