the wrong; which is but faying in other words, that he is wifer to day than he was yesterday. WHEREVER I find a great deal of gratitude in a povr man, I take it for granted there would be as much generofity if he were a rich man. FLOWERS of rhetoric in fermons or ferious difcourfes are like the blue and red flowers in corn, pleafing to those who come only for amufement, but prejudicial to him who would reap the profit. Ir often happens that thofe are the beft people, whose characters have been most injured by flanderers: as we ufually find that to be the sweetest fruit, which the birds have been picking at. THE eye of the critic is often like a microfcope; made fo very fine and nice, that it discovers the atoms, grains, and minuteft particles, without ever comprehending the whole, comparing the parts, or feeing all at once the harmony. MEN's zeal for religion is much of the fame kind as that ' which they show for a foot-ball: whenever it is contested for, every one is ready to venture their lives and limbs in the difpute; but when that is once at an end, it is no more thought on, but fleeps in oblivion, buried in rubbish, which no one thinks it worth his pains to rake into, much less to -remove. HONOUR is but a fictitious kind of honefty; a mean but a neceffary fubftitute for it, in societies who have none; it is a fort of paper credit, with which men are obliged to trade, who are deficient in the fterling cash of true morality and religion. PERSONS of great delicacy fhould know the certainty of the following truth: there are abundance of cafes which Occafion fufpenfe, in which whatever they determine they will repent of the determination; and this through a propenfity of human nature to fancy happiness in those fchemes which it does not purfue. R 6: THE THE chief advantage, that ancient writers can boast over modern ones, feems owing to fimplicity. Every noble truth and fentiment was expreffed by the former in a natural manner; in word and phrafe fimple, perfpicuous, and inca pable of improvement. What then remained for later writers, but affectation, witticism, and conceit ? CHAP. VIII. WHAT a piece of work is man! how noble in reafon! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how exprefs and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehen fion how like a god! IF to do, were as. eafy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages. princes' palaces. He is a good divine who follows his own. instructions: I can easier teach twenty what were good to. be done, than to be one of the twenty to follow my own teaching. MEN's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water. THE web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together; our virtues would be proud, if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would defpair, if they were not: cherished by our virtues. THE fenfe of death is most in apprehenfion; How far the little candle throws his beams! Love all, truft a few, Do wrong to none; be able for thine enemy THE cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, Leave not a wreck behind! We are fuch stuff OUR indifcretion fometimes ferves us well, Rough hew them how we will. THE Poet's eyes, in a fine phrenzy rolling, Doth glance from Heaven to earth, from earth to Heaven; The form of things unknown, the Poet's pen HEAVEN doth with us as we with torches do, As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, Both thanks and ufe. WHAT WHAT ftronger breast-plate than a heart untainted?. Thrice is he arm'd that hath his quarrel juft; And he but naked (though lock'd up in steel) Whofe confcience with injustice is corrupted. CHAP. IX. OH, World! thy flippery turns: Friends now fast fworn, Whofe double bofoms feem to wear one heart, On a diffenfion of a doit, break out To bittereft enmity. So felleft foes, Whofe paffions and whose plots have broke their sleep, Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends, So it falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth COWARDS die many times before their deaths; The valiant never tafte of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me moft ftrange that men fhould fear; Will come, when it will come. THERE is fome foul of goodness in things evil, Would men obfervingly diftil it out, For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers: Which is both healthful and good husbandry; O MOMENTARY grace of mortal men, Ready with every nod to tumble down Into the fatal bowels of the deep. WHO fhall go about To cozen fortune, and be honourable O that estates, degrees, and offices, Were not derived corruptly, that clear honour Он who can hold a fire in his hand 'Tis flander, Whofe edge is fharper than the sword; whofe tongue Outvenogns |