GOVERNMENT OF TEMPER.

"Every human creature is sensible of the propensities to some infirmity of temper, which it should be his care to correct and subdue; particularly in the early period of life; else, when arrived at a state of maturity, he may relapse into those faults which were originally in his nature, and which will require to be diligently watched, and kept under, through the whole course of life;-for the cultivation of an amiable disposition is a great part of religious duty; since nothing leads more directly to the breach of charity, and to the injury and molestation of our fellow-creatures, than the indulgence of an ill temper.

With respect to a woman, the principal virtues and vices must be of a domestic kind. Within the circle of her own family and dependents lies her sphere of action-the scene of almost all those tasks and trials, which must determine her character and her fate here and hereafter. The happiness of her husband, children, and servants, must depend on her temper; and it will appear, that the greatest good or evil which she may ever have in her power to do, may arise from her correcting or indulging its infirmities.

The greatest outward blessings cannot afford enjoyment to a mind uneasy and ruffled within. A fit of ill humor will spoil the finest entertainment, and is as real a torment as the most painful disease. Another unavoidable consequence of ill temper, is the dislike and aversion of all who are witnesses to it; and, perhaps, the deep and lasting resentments of those who suffer from its effects.

We all, from social and self-love, earnestly desire the esteem and affection of our fellow creatures; and indeed our condition renders them so necessary to us, that the wretch, who has forfeited them, must feel desolate and undone-deprived of all the best enjoyments and comforts the world can afford-and given up to his inward misery, unpitied and scorned.

Every temper is inclined, in some degree, to passion, peevishness, or obstinacy: we should therefore always watch the bent of our nature, and apply remedies proper for the infirmities to which we are most liable. The first is so injurious to society, and so odious in itself, that men who give way to it render themselves, not only disgusting, but dangerous:-hurried on by the violence of rage, they break through the bounds of decorum-destroy the order of civil society-disregard truth-sacrifice justice-and disgrace, as well as offend, the dignity of their Creator.

In a female character, one should think that shame alone would be sufficient to preserve a young woman from becoming a slave to it; for it is as unbecoming her character to be betrayed into ill behavior by passion, as by intoxication; and she ought to be ashamed of the one, as much as the other. Gentleness, meekness, and patience, are her peculiar distinctions, and an enraged woman is one of the most disgusting sights in nature.

The placid countenance-the mild deportment-and a smooth

address, are strong incentives to just admiration, and to honest praise. But these perfections all fall victims to that monster passion. It behoves us therefore to retire from such an occasion of sin, and wait till we are cool, before we presume to judge of what has passed.

By accustoming ourselves thus to conquer and disappoint our anger, we shall, by degrees, find it grow weak and manageable, so as to leave our reason at liberty. We shall be able to restrain our tongue from evil, and our looks and gestures from all expressions of violence and ill will.

Pride, which produces so many evils in the human mind, is the great source of passion. Whoever cultivates in himself a proper humility, a due sense of his own faults and insufficiences, and a due respect for others, will find but small temptation to violent or unreasonable anger.

Whenever, therefore, we feel ourselves highly enraged, we should suspect ourselves to be in the wrong, and resolve to stand the deliberate decision of our own conscience before we cast upon another the punishment which is perhaps due to ourselves. This self-examination will, at least, give us time to cool, and, if we are just, as it should be our chief aim to be so, will dispose us to balance our wrong with that of our antagonist, and to settle the account with him on equal terms.

There are many who acquire the character of ill-temper, when in reality they merit not the severity of the accusation; and this arises merely from their mode of replication, or their manner of interrogating--as they are generally and unfortunately attended with a species of tartness on every trivial occasion. This indicates to common observers a degree of petulance, and seems to take its origin from a jealousy, or rather fear of their own consequence being degraded or injured in some respect. This should be carefully avoided, for the very appearance of peevishness, is ungraceful and painful.

The fretful man, though he injures us less, disgusts us more than him who is passionate:-because he betrays a low and little mind, -intent on trifles, and engrossed by a paltry self-love, which knows not how to bear the apprehension of any inconvenience. It is self-love, then, which we must combat, when we find ourselves assaulted by this infirmity; and by voluntarily enduring inconveniences, we shall habituate ourselves to bear them with ease, and good humor, when occasioned by others.

We should endeavor, by denying ourselves now and then innocent indulgencies, to acquire a habit of command over our passions and inclinations, particularly such as are likely to lead us into evil; and abstract our minds from that attention to trifling circumstances, which usually creates this uneasiness. Our minds should, therefore, have always some objects in pursuit worthy of them, that they may not be engrossed by such, as are in themselves scarce worth

a moment's anxiety; yet from too minute and anxious attention seldom fail to produce a teazing, mean, and fretful disposition.

We should substitute in their room the pursuit of glory and happiness in another life. Reading, reflection, rational conversation, and above all, conversing with God, by prayer and meditation, would preserve us from taking that interest in the little comforts and conveniences of our remaining days, which usually gives birth to so much fretfulness in old people.

Notwithstanding this is generally attributed to age, still we often see the young-the healthy-and those who enjoy the most outward blessings, inexcusably guilty of it. The smallest disappointment in pleasure, or difficulty in the most trifling employment, will put wilful young people out of temper, and their very amusements become sources of vexation and peevishness. There is a degree of resignation necessary even in the enjoyment of pleasure, we must be ready and willing to give up some part of what we could wish for, before we can enjoy that which is indulged to us. The craving of restless vanity, the too constant companion of youthful bosoms, will endure a thousand mortifications, which, in the midst of seeming pleasure, will secretly corode the heart; whilst the meek and humble generally find more gratification than they expected, and return home pleased and enlivened from every scene of amusement, though they could have stayed away from it with perfect ease and con

tentment.

Sullenness and obstinacy, is, perhaps, a worse fault of temper than either of the former-and, if indulged, may end in the most fatal extremes of stubborn melancholy, malice, and revenge. The resentment which, instead of being expressed, is passed in secret, and continually aggravated by the imagination, will in time become the ruling passion; and then, how horrible must be his case, whose kind and pleasurable affections are all swallowed up by the tormenting, as well as detestable, sentiments of hatred and revenge!

We should not brood over resentment, but speak calmly, reasonably, and kindly-then expostulate with our adversary; and either reconcile ourselves to him, or quiet our minds under the injury, we have supposed he has done us, by the principle of christian charity. But if it appears we ourselves have been the aggressors, we should acknowledge our error fairly and handsomely;-a generous confession oftentimes more than atones for the fault which requires it.

Truth and justice demand that we should acknowledge conviction, as soon as we feel it, and not maintain an erroneous opinion, or justify a wrong conduct, merely from the false shame of confessing our past ignorance. With a disposition, strongly inclined to sullenness or obstinacy, this may appear perhaps impracticable; -but by constant use the mind will gain strength from the contest, and this internal enemy will by degrees be forced to give ground.

The love of truth, and a real desire of improvement, ought to be the only motives of argumentation: and where these are sincere, no difficulty can be made of embracing the truth, as soon as it is per

ceived. To receive advice, reproof, and instruction properly, is the surest sign of a sincere and humble heart,—and shows a greatness of mind, which commands our respect and reverence, while it appears so willingly to yield to us in superiority.

We should consider, that those who tell us of our faults, if they do it from motives of kindness, and not of malice, exert their friendship in a painful office; which must have cost them as great an effort, as it can be to us to acknowledge the service;- and if we refuse this encouragement, we cannot expect that any one, who is not absolutely obliged to it by duty, will a second time undertake such an ill requited trouble.

Excessive and ill-judged indulgence, seldom fails to reduce a woman to the miserable condition of a humored child, always unhappy from having nobody's will to study but its own. The insolence of such demands for herself, and such disregard to the choice and inclinations of others, can seldom fail to make as many enemies as there are persons obliged to bear with those humors; whilst a compliant, reasonable, and contented disposition, would render her happy in herself, and beloved by all her companions;-particularly by those who live constantly with her.

nance.

Family friendships are the friendships made for us by an all-wise Providence-hence ought we to employ every faculty of entertainment-every engaging qualification which we possess to the best advantage for those, whose love is of the most importance to us;for those, who live under the same roof, and with whom we are connected in life, either by the ties of blood-or by the still more sacred obligation of voluntary engagement. The sincere and genuine smiles of complacency and love should adorn our counteThat ready compliance-that alertness to assist and oblige, which demonstrates true affection, must animate our behavior, and endear our most common actions. Politeness must accompany our greatest familiarities, and restrain us from every thing that is really offensive, or which can give a moment's unnecessary pain. Conversation, which is so apt to grow dull and insipid in families, nay, in some to be almost wholly laid aside, must be cultivated with the frankness and openness of friendship, and by the mutual communication of whatever may conduce to the improvement or innocent entertainment of each other.

All these qualifications, which cannot fail to render us pleasing, will be the natural result of a well-governed temper, as it will derive pleasure to itself, in proportion as it has the power of communicating it to others. This disposition of mind should therefore be cultivated with the utmost care and diligence-the symptoms of that humor, against which all our artillery should be levied, should be minutely watched, and with a firm resolution conquered as they rise; for a sweet disposition is its own reward, and is in itself essential to happiness."

For the Delaware Register.

ADVICE TO DRUNKARDS.

I address myself to drunkards, not with a view to reclaim them, for this is a free country, and so long as they govern their conduct so as not to interfere with the peace and happiness of others, who has a right to interfere with propensities.

You doubtlessly wish to prolong the term of enjoyment-to die as slowly as possible. If so, you should be careful what kind of liquor you drink. In our country, all kinds of ardent spirits are made from whiskey, and in the process, many poisonous ingredients are used destructive to the human constitution, and producing a dreadful disease called mania potu. Even the greater part of the wines and brandies brought directly from France, are made by a process of brewing, and are highly deleterious. The wine, including the sparkling champaign, contains not a drop of the juice of the grape; and the brandy is distilled from potatoes, and has its flavor imparted to it by a mixture of noxious drugs. I would, therefore, advise all drunkards who can obtain it, to lay in an ample stock of apple and peach brandy, made by the farmers in the country, as this is perhaps always pure, and will make you gloriously drunk, with less danger of producing sudden death than the vile imitations, either made in our own cities, or imported from abroad. It is true, these liquors will finally burn you out, but you will burn slower if you use them altogether. I have known some drunkards, who drank brandy of their own making, last from twenty to thirty years, although drunk almost every day.

Every well-conditioned drunkard should only get drunk in congenial society, and not impose his unwelcome and disagreeable company upon sober people. Therefore, the best place of all is to collect your associates around you, and get drunk at home. And there too, is the best place to have fits-where you can be attended to by your own family; for strangers are very apt to let you lie where you fall, or merely move you out of the way with their foot, and pay no more attention to you than they would to a dog. And when about to get drunk at home, it is best to take the ground floor, or even the cellar; for then you will not fall down stairs, breaking as often happens, your head or your shins.

If however you cannot prevail upon yourselves to get drunk at home, but must go into public to show your wit and vivacity,after exhibiting your drunken revels in the streets and public houses, and after making night hideous by your maniacal cries, or your maudlin attempts to wake the soul of harmony by thrilling forth vulgar ditties, never suffer yourselves to complain that your neighbors observe and remark upon your conduct. This is unreasonable, and you are reasonable beings; and ought, drunk or sober, to know that men have a right to complain of what annoys them. As well might you expect a mad dog to pass through the town without remark, as that your drunken noises and tottering steps, should pass