whom they can neither please, refpect, or love.

....

But

As gravity, which is fometimes but another name for dullnefs, has been frequently mistaken for wifdom, fo is chearfulnefs often accepted for good-humour. that fpecies of chearfulness which we meet with in fociety, that laughs in the eye, and lights up the countenance, generally proceeds rather from an ebullition of the spirits, than a defigned and confiftent exertion of our powers to please, and is more frequently the refult of a lively than a placid

difpofition. As it flows from an accidental caufe, its effects must neceffarily be precarious; it is,

therefore, subject to causeless and fudden dejection, to which habi tual good-humour is by no means liable.

· DISTINCT as thefe two qualities are, they have yet one property common to both, and at the fame time different from what can be imputed to any other happy endowment; which is, that they are moft meritorious where they are leaft natural. An ideot may be conftitutionally good-humoured,

and

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and a villain be chearful, from a glow of health or a flow of spirits; but that species of good-humour which is the refult of fenfe, virtue, and gratitude to Providence, will be uniform in its appearance, and confiftent in its manners; it will not, like an April day, lour and fhine almost in the fame moment;

१

will the brightness of the meridian fun foretel the approaching thunder; but clear, calm, and un

disturbed, shall it fhine on even to

its latest hour.

E

SUCH

SUCH a bleffed ftate of mind muft neceffarily communicate the 'happiness it feels to all around it. "Like the smooth stream, it re"flects every object in its juft "proportion, and in its fairest *colours while the turbulent

and ruffled fpirit, like troubled "waters, renders back the images "of things diftorted and broken,

and communicates to them all

"that difordered motion which

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"arifes folely from its own agi

"tation *."

* Dr. BLAIR.

THIS

: THIS beautiful fimile has a double claim to female attention; for rage, jealoufy, or any other ungentle paffion, deform the fairest face almoft as much as they degrade the mind, and "can unfex "the lovelieft of the lovely kind, "e'en from the top to toe."

'the

ftronger motive than any I have yet mentioned for "poffeffing our "fouls in gentlenefs," if we prefume to call ourfelves Chriftians Shall the difciple of a fuffering Saviour dare to refent with furious