Regarding neither fortune, pow'r, nor state, And what his neighbour wants, with joy would give. THE middle ftate of life is best, Storms shake th' afpiring pine and tow'r, A WISE Heathen was of opinion, that if mankind, in general, had the power given them to change their ftation in life, and at the fame time were made acquaint ed ed with the inconveniences attending every other state, as well as their own, they would unanimoufly choose to continue in the fituation they were at firft placed in by Providence. THE firft ingredient in converfation is truth; the next good fenfe; the third good humour; the last wit. DISCREET people generally have a referve of neceffaries before-hand, that when the time comes for ufing them, there may be no hurry and confufion. CIVILITY over-acted, is always fufpicious. A blaft of thorns begins in a blaze, and foon ends in a fmoke; but a fire, made of proper materials, designed to be useful and lafting, at its first kindling breaks out from a cloud of smoke, and grows clearer and brighter as it burns. PLUTARCH (in his book of Friendship) directs us, to "make a trial of our friends, as of our money, " and to be equally cautious of choofing both." Tacitus tells us, that the longer a friendship is contracted, fo "much the furer and more firm it is." From this we may collect, that an old friend is always to be most valued, the best to be loved, and the first to be trusted. THE duties that are owing to friends, are integrity, love, counsel, and affiftance. It is not intimacy, and frequency of converfation, that makes a friend, but a difinterested obfervance of thefe duties. "NEVER admit," fays the philofopher Seneca, "vain glory in your heart; for human glory is at best 66 no more than human folly." THE pleafing gales that gentle fummer yields, The fmiles of nature, and of verdant fields, How How vaft the beauties they around display, And leave no traces on the pensive plain! And yields his virtue to the evening's dew. And time afferts an all-prevailing pow'r; In Heaven's unfading manfions of delight. MERE bafhfulness, without merit, is aukward; and merit, without modefty, infolent: but modeft merit has a double claim to acceptance, and generally meets with as many patrons as beholders. XENOPHON, in his Cyrus, which he defigned for the perfect idea of a good prince, reprefents him, in the last minutes of his life, addreffing himself to God to this purpose: "Thou knoweft that I have been a lover "of mankind; and now that I am leaving this world, "I hope to find that mercy from thee, which I have "fhewn to others." THE man who keeps the golden mean, THE THE limits of our life, how like a fhade- And, oh! how faft the gliding current flows! We die with every breath; no calling back WHAT impreffion can treasure and great poffeffions make upon the mind that is contemplating, feriously, on the kingdom of Heaven, and a crown of glory that never fades away? What are the pomp and majesty of an earthly court; the magnificence of palaces and crouded theatres, to one who has in view the glories of heaven; the triumphs of the faints; and the ineffable splendour of the angelic order? What are feasts, sports, plays, and all the varieties of fenfual pleafures and delights, to him who ftedfaftly fixes his eye on celeftial bliss, and everlafting transports of joy? HE that would pafs the latter part of life with honour and decency, muft, when he is young, confider that he fhall one day be old, and lay up knowledge for his fupport, when his powers of acting fhall forfake him; and remember when he is old, that he has once been young, and forbear to animadvert, with unneceflary rigour, on faults which experience only can correct. Written Written in the Holy Bible. YE facred tomes, be my unerring guide, But drink in truth from your illumin'd page: ΤΟ THE y! MOTHER. SAY, while you prefs, with growing love, The darling to your breast, And all a mother's pleafures prove, Are you entirely bleft? Ah! no; a thousand tender cares, By turns your thoughts employ; Dear innocent, her lovely fmiles To teach us, if our hearts we fix PATIENCE |