NUMB. 14. SATURDAY, May 5, 1750.

Nil fuit unquam

Sic difpar fibi

HOR.

Sure fuch a various creature ne'er was known. FRANCIS.

A

MONG the many inconfiftencies which folly.

produces, or infirmity fuffers in the human mind, there has often been observed a manifest and ftriking contrariety between the life of an author and his writings; and Milton, in a letter to a learned ftranger, by whom he had been vifited, with great reafon congratulates himself upon the consciousness of being found equal to his own character, and having preferved, in a private and familiar interview, that reputation which his works had procured him.

Thofe whom the appearance of virtue, or the evidence of genius, have tempted to a nearer knowledge of the writer in whofe performances they may be found, have indeed had frequent reafon to repent their curiofity; the bubble that sparkled before them has become common water at the touch; the phantom of perfection has vanished when they wished to prefs it to their bofom. They have lost the pleasure of imagining how far humanity may be exalted, and, perhaps, felt themfelves lefs inclined to toil up the fteeps of virtue, when they obferve those who seem beft able to point the

way,

way, loitering below, as either afraid of the labour, or doubtful of the reward.

It has been long the cuftom of the oriental monarchs to hide themfelves in gardens and palaces, to avoid the converfation of mankind, and to be known to their fubjects only by their edicts. The fame policy is no lefs neceffary to him that writes, than to him that governs; for men would not more patiently submit to be taught, than commanded, by one known to have the fame follies and weakneffes with themselves. A fudden intruder into the closet of an author would perhaps feel equal indignation with the officer, who having long folicited admiffion into the prefence of Sardanapalus, faw him not confulting upon laws, enquiring into grievances, or modelling armies, but employed in feminine amusements, and directing the ladies in their work.

It is not difficult to conceive, however, that for many reasons a man writes much better than he lives. For without entering into refined fpeculations, it may be fhewn much easier to defign than to perform. A man propofes his fchemes of life in a state of abstraction and difengagement, exempt from the enticements of hope, the folicitations of affection, the importunities of appetite, or the depreffions of fear, and is in the fame ftate with him that teaches upon land the art of navigation, to whom the fea is always fmooth, and the wind always profperous.

The mathematicians are well acquainted with the difference between pure science, which has to do only with ideas, and the application of its laws

to

to the use of life, in which they are constrained to fubmit to the imperfection of matter and the influence of accidents. Thus, in moral difcuffions, it is to be remembered that many impediments obftruct our practice, which very easily give way to theory. The fpeculatift is only in danger of erroneous reafoning, but the man involved in life has his own paffions, and those of others, to encounter, and is embarraffed with a thousand inconveniencies, which confound him with variety of impulfe, and either perplex or obftruct his way. He is forced to act without deliberation, and obliged to chufe before he can examine: he is furprised by sudden alterations of the state of things, and changes his meafures according to fuperficial appearances; he is led by others, either because he is indolent, or because he is timorous; he is fometimes afraid to know what is right, and fometimes finds friends or enemies diligent to deceive him.

We are, therefore, not to wonder that most fail, amidst tumult, and fnares, and danger, in the observance of those precepts, which they lay down in folitude, safety, and tranquillity, with a mind unbiaffed, and with liberty unobstructed. It is the condition of our prefent ftate to fee more than we can attain; the exacteft vigilance and caution can never maintain a fingle day of unmingled innocence, much less can the utmost efforts of incorporated mind reach the fummit of speculative virtue.

It is, however, neceffary for the idea of perfection to be proposed, that we may have some object to which our endeavours are to be directed; and he that is most deficient in the duties of life, makes

fome

some atonement for his faults, if he warns others. against his own failings, and hinders, by the falubrity of his admonitions, the contagion of his example.

Nothing is more unjuft, however common, than to charge with hypocrify him that expreffes zeal for those virtues which he neglects to practise; fince he may be fincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his paffions, without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honeftly recommend to others, those attempts which he neglects himself.

The intereft which the corrupt part of mankind have in hardening themselves against every motive to amendment, has difpofed them to give to these contradictions, when they can be produced against the cause of virtue, that weight which they will not allow them in any other cafe. They fee men act in oppofition to their intereft, without fuppofing, that they do not know it; those who give way to the fudden violence of paffion, and forfake the most important pursuits for petty pleasures, are not sup posed to have changed their opinions, or to approve their own conduct. In moral or religious questions alone they determine the fentiments by the actions, and charge every man with endeavouring to impofe upon the world, whofe writings are not confirmed by his life. They never confider that themselves neglect or practise fomething every day inconfiftently with their own fettled judgment, nor difcover that the conduct of the advocates

advocates for virtue can little increase, or leffen, the obligations of their dictates; argument is to be invalidated only by argument, and is in itself of the fame force, whether or not it convinces him by whom it is proposed.

Yet fince this prejudice, however unreasonable, is always likely to have fome prevalence, it is the duty of every man to take care left he fhould hinder the efficacy of his own instructions. When he defires to gain the belief of others, he should fhew that he believes himself; and when he teaches the fitness of virtue by his reafonings, he should, by his example, prove its poffibility: Thus much at least may be required of him, that he fhall not act worse than others because he writes better, nor imagine that, by the merit of his genius, he may claim indulgence beyond mortals of the lower claffes, and be excused for want of prudence, or neglect of virtue.

Bacon, in his hiftory of the winds, after having offered fomething to the imagination as defirable, often proposes lower advantages in its place to the reafon as attainable. The fame method may be fometimes purfued in moral endeavours, which this philofopher has obferved in natural enquiries; having first fet pofitive and abfolute excellence before us, we may be pardoned though we fink down to humbler virtue, trying, however, to keep our point always in view, and struggling not to lose ground, though we cannot gain it.

It is recorded of Sir Matthew Hale, that he, for a long time, concealed the confecration of himself to the ftricter duties of religion, left, by fome flagitious and fhameful action, he should bring piety