WHEN Xenophanes was called timorous because he would not venture his money in a game at dice," I confefs," faid he, "I am exceeding timorous; for I dare "not do an ill thing.' NOTHING can be more ridiculous than to fee a perfon bending under the weight of years, mimicking the sprightly airs of youth. To the DEITY. TO thee, my GoD, I hourly fight, Nor covet I the brightest gems Nor that deluding empty joy, Nor pleasure's foft enticing charms Those blissful, thofe tranfporting fmiles, Thefe are the mighty things I crave; WHATEVER religion has no effectual influence upon the conftant courfe of mens lives and actions, to establish virtue, righteousness, and charity, in their whole behaviour, is a religion for which men are certainly none the better, and may very poffibly be much the worse, IT is obfervable that God has often called men to places of dignity and honour, when they have been bufy in the honeft employment of their vocation. Saul was feeking his father's affes, and David keeping his father's sheep, when called to the kingdom. The Shepherds were feeding their flocks. when they had their glorious revelation. God called the four Apostles from their fishery, and Matthew from the receipt of cuftom; Amos from among the herdsmen of Tekoah, Mofes from keeping Jethro's fheep, and Gideon from the threshing floor, &c. God never encourages idlenefs; and defpifes not perfons in the meanest employments. WHOSOEVER thinks himself wife enough, or virtuous enough, is in a fair way never to be either. He that engages in those difficult paths, muft keep in perpetual motion; there is no stopping without lofing ground. He must confider, that if his undertaking be glorious, it is also laborious; that he has a strong tide to flem; which, if he does not keep refolutely advancing, will inevitably bear him down the stream. THERE is perhaps no virtue more neceffary in fociety, or amiable in the fight of heaven, than a dutiful and affectionate attention from children to the wants and infirmities of aged and helpless parents. This is a duty which the laws of God, of nature, and gratitude, indifpenfibly require of them; it is indeed but paying a debt they juftly owe: and where any are fo loft to a proper fenfe of filial obligations and true goodness, as to perform it with negli gence and reluctance, they cannot expect the esteem of worthy people in this world, or have any reasonable ground to hope for happiness hereafter. ANOTHER duty of a fimilar nature, is that condefcending refpectful behaviour due from young perfons of both fexes to their teachers; and though it be not equally obligatory with the above, yet a voluntary obfervance of it, is not only highly pleafing to those who have the care and trouble of their education, but is ever graceful in youth, and refects lafting credit on all in the practice of it. VIRTUE indeed alone is happiness; this is the true portion of man all other things, fuch as riches, grandeur, and the like, are as it were, foreign commodities, which, though the poffeffion of them may afford pleafure, yet they are not abfolutely neceflary to life, and man may do without them. IF we have an ambition of pleafing, we should flick close to nature; whatever is fictitious and affected is always infipid and diftafteful. IT is not ough to be honeft only fo long as a man may be honeft without difadvantage; but he ought to be fo at. the peril of all he is worth: nor is it fufficient to be honest only fo long as a man may be honeft with fafety, but he ought to preferve his integrity at the expense of his life. THE best way to keep out wicked thoughts, is always to be employed in good ones. Let your thoughts be where your happiness is, and let your heart be where your thoughts are; for though your habitation is on earth, your converfation will be in heaven. HE who knows not how to enjoy himself when alone, can never be long happy abroad. To his vacant mind, company may afford a temporary relief, but when forced to return to himself, he will be fo much the more oppreffed. and languid. IDLENESS has been univerfally reprobated by all the world. It is a maxim in the Chinefe government, fays Blackstone, "That if there be a man who does not work,. "or a woman that is idle, in the Empire, fome individual muft fuffer cold or hunger." - SIMPLICITY is the natural expreffion of a good heart, and one of the laft touches of a finished character. RICHES may be wafted, honours loft; but virtue is immortal. ON ON lofty battlements and tow'rs, PEOPLE eafily make falfe eftimates of their own importance. Thofe whom their virtue reftrains from de. ceiving others, are often difpofed by their vanity to deceive themfelves. TO SLEEP. AH, gentle Sleep, though on thy form imprefs'd, Come wish'd-for reft; then all my cares relieve, WHATEVER appears moft amiable, lovely, or interefting in nature, art, manners, or life, originates in fimplicity. What is correctneis in tale, purity in morals, truth in fcience, grace in beauty, but fimplicity?-It is the garb of innocence. It adorned the firft ages; and itill adorns the infant ftate of humanity. WHAT can be more amiable, and exemplary, in the mistress of a family, than to fee her wifely and readily fupplying all the wants of those who depend on her affiftance; dicharging, with steadiness and equity, her feveral domestic claims; diffufing, by every word the fpeaks, and every thing the does, a fpirit of moderation and decency in all around her; and through all her conduct, and on all occafions, giving practical lectures, and affording proofs of frugality, without parfimony; and generofity without extravagance? IF IF mifery be the effect of virtue, it ought to be reverenced; if of ill fortune, to be pitied; and if of vice, not to be infulted, because it is perhaps itself a punishment adequate to the crime by which it was produced. The humanity of that man can deferve no panegyric, who is capable of reproaching a criminal in the hands of the executioner. IT is more praife-worthy to leave an inheritance of honours to one's defcendants, than to receive them from one's ancestors. IT is a great and important truth, that a fingle moment of internal fatisfaction is preferable to the immortal fame of future ages. VERSES on a COTTAGE. STAY Paffenger, and tho' within. Yet enter, and thy ravish'd mind For in this plain commodious cell, While peace fpreads round her downy wings, THE EN D |