ing without cultivation; but which will always abundantly repay the labours of induftry, and fatisfy the most extenfive defires, if no part of it be fuffered to lie wafte by negligence; to be overrun with noxious plants; or laid out for fhow, rather than ufe.

When Ariftotle was afked, "What a man could gain by telling a falfehood," he replied, "Not to be credited when he fpeaks the truth.”

L'Eftrange, in his Fables, tells us that a number of frolicfome boys were one day watching frogs, at the fide of a pond; and that, as any of them put their heads above the water, they pelted them down again with ftones. One of the frogs, appealing to the humanity of the boys, made this ftriking obfervation; "Children, you do not confider, that though this may be fport to you, it is death to us."

Sully, the great ftatefman of France, always retained at his table, in his most profperous days, the fame frugality to which he had been accustomed in early life. He was frequently reproached, by the courtiers, for this fimplicity; but he used to reply to them, in the words of an ancient philofopher; "If the guests are men of fenfe, there is fufficient for them: if they are not, I can very well difpenfe with their company." Socrates, though primarily attentive to the culture of his mind, was not negligent of his external appearance. His. cleanliness resulted from thofe ideas of order and decency, which governed all his actions; and the care which he took. of his health, from his defire to preferve his mind free and tranquil.

Eminently pleafing and honourable was the friendship between David and Jonathan. "I am diftreffed for thee, my brother Jonathan," faid the plaintive and furviving David; "very pleafant haft though been to me: thy love for me was wonderful; paffing the love of women.'

Sir Philip Sydney, at the battle near Zutphen, was wounded by a mufket ball, which broke the bone of his thigh. He was carried about a mile and a half, to the camp; and being faint with the lofs of blood, and probably parched. with thirst through the heat of the weather, he called_for drink. It was immediately brought to him: but, as he was putting the veffel to his mouth, a poor wounded foldier, who

happened at that inftant to be carried by him, looked up to it with wifhful eyes. The gallant and generous Sydney took the bottle from his mouth, and delivered it to the foldier, faying, "Thy neceffity is yet greater than mine."

Alexander the Great demanded of a pirate whom he had taken, by what right he infefted the feas? "By the fame right," replied he, "that Alexander enflaves the world. But I am called a robber, because I have only one small veffel; and he is ftyled a conqueror, because he commands great fleets and armies." We too often judge of men by the fplendor, and not by the merit of their actions.

Antoninus Pius, the Roman Emperor, was an amiable and good man. When any of his courtiers attempted to inflame him with a paffion for military glory, he used to anfwer: "That he more defired the prefervation of one subject, than the deftruction of a thousand enemies."

Men are too often ingenious in making themselves miferable, by aggravating to their own fancy, beyond bounds, alk the evil which they endure. They compare themfelves with none but those whom they imagine to be more happy; and complain, that upon them alone has fallen the whole load of human forrows. Would they look with a more impartial eye on the world, they would fee themfelves furrounded with fufferers; and find that they are only drinking out of that mixed cup, which Providence has prepared for all."I will restore thy daughter again to life," faid the eastern fage, to a prince who grieved immoderately for the lofs of a beloved child, "provided thou art able to engrave on her tomb, the names of three perfons who have never mourned." The prince made inquiry after fuch perfons; but found the inquiry vain, and was filent.

SECTION VIII.

He that hath no rule over his own fpirit, is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

A foft anfwer turneth away wrath; but grievous words ftir up anger.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Pride goeth before deftruction; and a haughty fpirit before a fall.

Hear council, and receive instruction, that thou may be truly wife.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kiffes of an enemy are deceitful. Open rebuke is better than secret love. Seeft thou a man wife in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

He that is flow to anger, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a city.

He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord? that which he hath given, will he pay him again.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.

He that planted the ear, fhall he not hear? He that formed the eye, fhall he not fee?

I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I never feen the righteous forfaken, nor his feed begging bread.

It is better to be a door keeper in the houfe of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

I have feen the wicked in great power; and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he paffed away: I fought him, but he could not be found.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace.

How good and how pleafant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious ointment: Like the dew of Hermon, and the dew that defcended upon the mountains of Zion.

The fluggard will not plough by reafon of the cold; he fhall therefore beg in harvest, and have nothing.

I went to the field of the flothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding and lo! it was all grown over with thorns; nettles had covered its face; and the ftone wall was broken down. Then I faw and confidered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time; nor that which is measured by number of years :- -But wisdom is the gray hair to man; and an unfpotted life is old age.

Solomon my fon, know thou the God of thy fathers; and ferve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind If thou feek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forfake him, he will caft thee off for ever.

SECTION IX.

THAT every day has its pains and forrows,is univerfally experienced, and almost universally confeffed. But let us not attend only to mournful truths: if we look impartially about us, we fhall find,that every day has likewife its pleafures and its joys.

We'fhould cherish fentiments of charity towards all men. The Author of all good nourishes much piety and virtue in hearts that are unknown to us; and beholds repentance ready to fpring up among many, whom we confider as reprobates:

No one ought to confider himself as infignificant in the fight of his Creator. In our feveral stations, we are all fent forth to be laborers in the vineyard of our heavenly Father. Every man has his work allotted, his talent committed to him; by the due improvement of which he may, in one way or other, ferve God, promote virtue, and be ufeful in the world.

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The love of praife should be preserved under proper fubordination to the principle of duty. In itself, it is a useful motive to action ; but when allowed to extend its influence too far, it corrupts the whole character; and produces guilt, difgrace, and mifery. To be entirely deftitute of it, is defect. To be governed by it, is depravity. The proper acaftment of the feveral principles of action in human nature, is a matter that deferves our higheft attention. For when any one of them becomes either too weak or too strong, it endangers both our virtue and our happiness.

His

The defires and paffions of a vicious man, having once obtained an unlimited fway, trample him under their feet. They make him feel that he is fubject to various, contradictory and imperious mafters, who often pull him different ways. foul is rendered the receptacle of many repugnant and jarring difpofitions; and resembles fome barbarous country, cantoned out into different principalities, which are continually waging war on one another.

Difeafes, poverty, difappointment, and shame, are far from being in every inftance, the unavoidable doom of man. They are much more frequently the offspring of his own mifguided choice. Intemperance engenders difeafe, floth produces poverty, pride creates difappointments, and difhonefly expofes to fhame. The ungoverned paffions of men betray them in

to a thousand follies; their follies into crimes; and their crimes into misfortunes.

When we reflect on the many distresses which abound in human life; on the fcanty proportion of happiness which any man is here allowed to enjoy; on the fmall difference which the diverfity of fortune makes on that fçanty proportion; it is furprising, that envy should ever have been a prevalent paffion among men much more that it should have prevailed among Chriftians. Where fo much is fuffered in common, little room is left for envy. There is more occafion for pity and fympathy, and inclination to affift each other. At our first fetting out in life, when yet unacquainted with the world and its fnares, when every pleasure enchants with its fmile, and every object fhines with the glofs of novelty; let us beware of the feducing appearances which furround us; and recollect what others have fuffered from the power of headstrong defire. f we allow any paffion, even though it be esteemed innocent, to acquire an abfolute afcendant, our inward peace will be impaired. But if any which has the taint of guilt, take early poffeffion of our mind, we may date, from that moment, the ruin of our tranquility.

Every man has fome darling paffion, which generally affords the first introduction to vice. The irregular gratification into which it occafionally feduces him, appear under the form of venial weakneffes; and are indulged, in the beginning, with fcrupuloufnels and referve. But, by longer practice, thefe restraints weaken, and the power of 'habit grows. One vice brings in another to its aid. By a fort of natural affinity they connect and entwine themselves together; till their roots come to be spread wide and deep over all the foul.

SECTION X.

WHENCE arifes the mifery of this prefent world? It is not owing to our cloudy atmosphere, our changing feafons, and inclement fkies. It is not owing to the debility of our bodies, or to the unequal diftribution of the goods of fortune. Amidst all disadvantages of this kind, a pure, a fteadfaft, and enlightened mind, poffefied of ftrong virtue, could enjoy itself in peace, and fimile at the impotent affaults of fortune and the elements. It is within ourselves that mif

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