and was deftitute of neceffaries in a foreign country. Naked and deftitute! fays Gelidus, reach down the laft volume of meteorological obfervations, extract an exact account of the wind, and note it carefully in the diary of the weather.

The family of Gelidus once broke into his ftudy, to fhew him that a town at a fmall diftance was on fire, and in a few moments a fervant came to tell him, that the flame had caught fo many houfes on both fides, that the inhabitants were confounded, and began to think of rather escaping with their lives, than faving their dwellings. What you tell me, fays Gelidus, is very probable, for fire naturally acts in a circle.

Thus lives this great philofopher, infenfible to every spectacle of diftrefs, and unmoved by the loudeft call of focial nature, for want of confidering that men are defigned for the fuccour and comfort of each other; that though there are hours which may be laudably fpent upon knowledge not immediately useful, yet the first attention is due to practical virtue; and that he may be justly driven out from the commerce of mankind, who has fo far abftracted himself from the fpecies, as to partake neither of the joys nor griefs of others, but neglects the endearments of his wife, and the careffes of his children, to count the drops of rain, note the changes of the wind, and calculate the eclipses of the moons of Jupiter.

I fhall referve to fome future paper the religious and important meaning of this epitome of wisdom, and only remark, that it may be applied to the gay and light, as well as to the grave and folemn parts

of

of life; and that not only the philofopher may forfeit his pretences to real learning, but the wit and the beauty may mifcarry in their schemes, by the want of this universal requifite, the knowledge of themselves.

It is furely for no other reason, that we see such numbers refolutely ftruggling against nature, and contending for that which they never can attain, endeavouring to unite contradictions, and determined to excel in characters inconfiftent with each other that stock-jobbers affect drefs, gaiety, and elegance, and mathematicians labour to be wits; that the foldier teazes his acquaintance with queftions in theology, and the academick hopes to divert the ladies by a recital of his gallantries. That abfurdity of pride could proceed only from ignorance of themselves, by which Garth attempted criticifin, and Congreve waved his title to dramatick reputation, and defired to be confidered only as a gentle

man.

Euphues, with great parts, and extenfive knowledge, has a clouded afpect, and ungracious form; yet it has been his ambition, from his first entrance into life, to diftinguish himself by particularities in his dress, to outvie beaus in embroidery, to import new trimmings, and to be foremost in the fashion. Euphues has turned on his exterior appearance, that attention, which would always have produced efteem had it been fixed upon his mind; and though his virtues and abilities have preferved him from the contempt which he has fo diligently folicited, he has, at least, raised one impediment to his reputation; fince all can judge of his dress, but few of

his understanding; and many who difcern that he is a fop, are unwilling to believe that he can be wife.

There is one inftance in which the ladies are particularly unwilling to obferve the rule of Chilo. They are defirous to hide from themselves the advances of age, and endeavour too frequently to fupply the sprightliness and bloom of youth by artificial beauty and forced vivacity. They hope to inflame the heart by glances which have lost their fire, or melt it by languor which is no longer delicate; they play over the airs which pleafed at a time when they were expected only to pleafe, and forget that airs in time ought to give place to virtues. They continue to trifle, because they could once trifle agreeably, till those who shared their early pleasures are withdrawn to more ferious engagements; and are fcarcely awakened from their dream of perpetual youth, but by the fcorn of thofe whom they endeavour to rival,

NUMB. 25. TUESDAY, June 12, 1750.

Poffunt quia poffe videntur.

VIRGIL.

For they can conquer who believe they can. DRYDEN.

HERE are fome vices and errors which,

TH

though often fatal to those in whom they are found, have yet, by the univerfal confent of mankind, been confidered as entitled to fome degree of respect, or have, at leaft, been exempted from contemptuous infamy, and condemned by the feverest moralifts with pity rather than detestation.

A conftant and invariable example of this general partiality will be found in the different regard which has always been shown to rashness and cowardice, two vices, of which, though they may be conceived equally diftant from the middle point, where true fortitude is placed, and may equally injure any publick or private intereft, yet the one is never mentioned without fome kind of veneration, and the other always confidered as a topick of unlimited and licentious cenfure, on which all the virulence of reproach may be lawfully exerted.

The fame diftinction is made, by the common fuffrage, between profufion and avarice, and, perhaps, between many other oppofite vices; and, as I have found reason to pay great regard to the voice of the people, in cafes where knowledge has been forced upon them by experience, without long deductions or deep researches, I am inclined to believe

that

that this diftribution of respect is not without fome agreement with the nature of things; and that in the faults, which are thus invefted with extraordinary privileges, there are generally fome latent principles of merit, fome poffibilities of future virtue, which may, by degrees, break from obftruction, and by time and opportunity be brought into act.

It may be laid down as an axiom, that it is more easy to take away fuperfluities than to fupply defects; and therefore he that is culpable, because he has paffed the middle point of virtue, is always accounted a fairer object of hope, than he who fails by falling fhort. The one has all that perfection requires, and more, but the excess may be eafily retrenched; the other wants the qualities requifite to excellence, and who can tell how he fhall obtain them? We are certain that the horse may be taught to keep pace with his fellows, whofe fault is that he leaves them behind. We know that a few strokes of the axe will lop a cedar; but what arts of cultivation can elevate a fhrub?

To walk with circumfpection and steadiness in the right path, at an equal distance between the extremes of error, ought to be the conftant endeavour of every reasonable being; nor can I think those teachers of moral wifdom much to be honoured as benefactors to mankind, who are always enlarging upon the difficulty of our duties, and providing rather excuses for vice, than incentives to virtue.

But, fince to moft it will happen often, and to all fometimes, that there will be a deviation towards one fide or the other, we ought always to employ our vigilance, with moft attention, on that enemy from

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