N 19. Thursday, March 22.

Di bene fecerunt, inopis me quodque pufilli Finxerunt animi, rarò && perpauca loquentis. Hor.

BSERVING one Perfon behold another, who was an utter Stranger to him, with a Caft of his Eye, which, methought, expreffed an Emotion of Heart very different from what could be raised by an Object fo agreeable as the Gentleman, he looked at, I began to confider, not without föme fecret Sorrow, the Condition of an envious Man. Some have fancied that Envy has a certain Magical Force in it, and that the Eyes of the Envious have by their Fascination blasted the Enjoyments of the Happy. Sir Francis Bacon fays, Some have been fo curious as to remark the Times and Seafons when the Stroke of an envious Eye is moft effectually pernicious, and have obferved that it has been when the Perfon envied has been in any Circumstance

of Glory and Triumph. At fuch a Time the Mind of the profperous Man goes, as it were, abroad, among things without him, and is, more expofed to the Malignity. But I fhall not dwellupon Speculations fo abftracted as this, or repeat the many excellent Things which one might collect out of Authors upon this miferable Affection; but keeping in the road of common Life, confider the Envious Man with relation to thefe three Heads, His Pains, His Reliefs, and His Happiness.

THE Envious Man is in Pain upon all Occafions which ought to give him Pleasure. The Relifh of his Life is inverted, and the Objects which adminifter the higheft Satisfaction to those who are exempt from this Paffion, give the quickest Pangs to Perfons who are fubject to it. All the Perfections of their Fellow-Creatures are odious: Youth, Beauty, Valour and Wisdom are Provocations of their Difpleasure. What a Wretched and Apoftate State is this! To be offended with Excellence, and to hate a Man because we approve him! The Condition of the Envious Man is the most emphatically miferable; he is not only incapable of re

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joicing in another's Merit or Succefs, but lives in a World wherein all Mankind are in a Plot against his Quiet, by studying their own Happiness and Advantage. Will. Profper is an honeft Tale-bearer, he makes it his Business to join in Converfation with Envious Men. He points to fuch an handsom young Fellow, and whispers that he is fecretly married to a great Fortune: When they doubt, he adds Circumstances to prove it, and never fails to aggravate their Diftrefs, by affuring 'em, that to his Knowledge, he has an Uncle will leave him fome thoufands. Will. has many Arts of this kind to torture this fort of Temper, and delights in it. When he finds them change Colour, and fay faintly they with fuch a piece of News is true, he has the Malice to fpeak fome good or other of every Man of their Acquaintance.

THE Reliefs of the Envious Man are those little Blemishes and Imperfections that difcover themselves in an Illuftrious Character. It is a matter of great Confolation to an Envious Perfon, when a Man of known Honour does a thing unworthy himself: Or when any Action which was well executed, upon bet

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better Information appears fo altered in its Circumstances, that the Fame of it is divided among Many, inftead of being attributed to One. This is a secret Satisfaction to thefe Malignants; for the Person whom they before could not but admire, they fancy is nearer their own Condition as foon as his Merit is fhared among others. I remember fome Years ago there came out an Excellent Poem without the Name of the Author. The little Wits who were incapable of Writing it, began to pull in Pieces the supposed Writer. When that would not do, they took great Pains to fupprefs the Opinion that it was his. That again failed. The next Refuge was to fay it was over-looked by one Man, and many Pages wholly written by another. An honeft Fellow, who fate among a Cluster of them in debate on this Subject, cry'd out, Gentlemen, if you are fure none of you your felves had an band in it, you are but where you were, whoever writ it. But the moft ufual Succour to the Envious, in Cafes of nameless Merit in this Kind, is to keep the Property, if poffible, unfixed, and by that means to hinder the Reputation of it from falling upon any

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particular Perfon. You fee an Envious Man clear up his Countenance, if in the Relation of any Man's great Happiness in one Point, you mention his Uneafinefs in another. When he hears fuch a one is very rich he turns pale, but recovers when you add that he has many Children. In a Word, the only fure Way to an Envious Man's Favour, is not to deserve it.

BUT if we confider the Envious Man in Delight, it is like the reading the Seat of a Giant in a Romance; the Magnificence of his House confifts in the many Limbs of Men whom he has flain. If any who promised themselves Succefs in any uncommon Undertaking miscarry in the Attempt, or he that aimed at what would have been Useful and Laudable, meets with Contempt and Derifion, the Envious, Man, under the Colour of hating Vainglory, can fmile with an inward Wantonnefs of Heart at the ill Effect it may have upon an honest Ambition for the future.

HAVING throughly confidered the Nature of this Paffion, I have made it my Study how to avoid the Envy that may accrue to me from these

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