and condition has to do at all in this affair. It is the quantum, and not the mode of happiness, that is here infifted on. The maxim afferts, that we never put ourselves into the place of, or have a fellow-feeling with, those who are more happy than ourfelves; [des gens qui font plus heureux que nous.] Is the happinefs [du bonheur] of the meaner fort, by which we are faid to be affected, fuppofed to be greater or less than our own? If greater, it makes the maxim falfe; if lefs, we do not fee the propriety of calling it in this place happiness at all. So that in any cafe, our Author's illuftration renders his propofition obfcure. What he meant to fay, we apprehend, to be to this effect; The human heart is incapable, on account of envy, of taking pleafure in the pleasure of others who are conceived to be in a more happy fituation than itself; but is fupfceptible only, through the timidity of felf-love, of suffering by the fuffering of thofe who are more miferable. This maxim, however, argues a ftrange malignity in the human heart, if fuch be its natural and uncorrupted tendency; but we conceive the Author hath here attributed one of the prudential maxims, founded on a knowlege of the world, to the fimple dictates of fentiment. This will appear fufficiently evident on confidering his other maxims. 2d Maxim. We pity in others thofe evils only, from which we think our felves not exempt. It is plain, from this affertion, that our Author cannot speak here of the fimple dictates of the human heart, or of that inftantaneous impulfe which is the effect of fentiment in which lelf-intereft, and even felf-prefervation are fometimes fo little concerned, that both are voluntarily facrificed to the relief of the diftreffed object. How often do we melt into tears, and are affected with the moft fympathetic forrow, on the reprefentation, or even relation, of a fpecies of diftrefs into which there is a moral impoffibility of our ever falling? That fuch forrow is increased, when it comes nearer home, when reflection confirms it, and awakens our apprehenfions for ourselves, we readily grant; but, that impulfe by which the heart is firft induced to compaffionate, and feel for, the unhappy, is the effect of a different motive. Our Author thinks nothing more beautiful, affecting, and true than the following line; Non ignara mali, miferis fuccurrere difco. It is our opinion, nevertheless, and that founded on observation, that perfons who have been themfelves unfortunate, are not the most remarkable for fympathizing with, and relieving the diftreffes of, others. On the contrary, the young, the ignorant, the delicate and unexperienced, are thote whole bearts and hands are the most open, to feel and relieve the fuf B 2 ferings ferings of their fellow-creatures; at the fame time it must be confeffed alfo, that these are ever the most ready to take a pleafure in the happinefs of others, and fhare equally in their joys and their forrows. That felf-love is the grand motive of human actions, and, perhaps, the only one by which the understanding influences the will, we readily admit; but we do not think it the fole motive of fuch actions, and much lefs the fpring which influences the heart, and actuates the paffions. 3d Maxim. Our pity for the misfortunes of others, is not meafured by the quantity of evil, but by the fuppofed fenfibility of the fufferer. "We pity the wretched only in proportion, fays Mr. Rouffeau, as we believe them fenfible of their own wretchedness." If we reflect, indeed, profoundly on the matter, and can reduce our paffions under the command of our reafon, this may, in fome cafes, tell us, it is abfurd to pity the fufferings of a man who doth not suffer at all; but if we appeal to the fact, the very reverfe of our Author's affertion is true. Is it not notorious, that we often pity perfons, whom we know to be infenfible of their misfortunes? To inftance only the idiot and the madman, perhaps the greatest objects of human pity! Are not thofe people often the objects of our compaffion, who account themselves much happier than we? Nay, do we not fometimes even pity them for thinking fo; and for being of fuch a difpofition, as to reap a fatisfaction from circumftances under which we think we thould be miferable? We might expatiate more largely on this fubject, were not what has been already faid, fufficient to fhew, that the above maxims are those of the head, and not of the heart. In applying thefe maxims alfo, our Author betrays his errour still more egregiously, and fhews, that if fome Philofophers have attributed too much to phyfical, and too little to moral, caufes, he hath been guilty of a contrary fault. "If the first object, fays he, which prefents itfelf to my Pupil, happen to exhibit a melancholy fpectacle, the fenfation is immediately fucceeded by a pleafing idea: perceiving himfelf exempt from the evils with which others are afflicted, he finds that he is happier than he imagined. He fympathifes in the fufferings of his fellow-creatures; but that fympathy is voluntary and agreeable." That the reflection of being exempted from the miferies by which others are afflicted, is agreeable or pleafing, cannot be doubted: but if he truly fympathize with the diftreffed, he will feel as much pain from a fenfe of their fufferings, as he will receive pleasure from the reflection on his own fecurity. Our Author feems feems to be quite a ftranger to the nature of fympathy, or that fellow-feeling we have in the sufferings and enjoyments of others. We would recommend it to him, therefore, to confider with attention, what Dr. Smith hath profeffedly, and Mr. Hume occafionally, written on this fubject. He would do well also, to fpeak with a little more refpect of modern Phi ofophers, till he is in a capacity to prove their tenets fo ridiculous and abfurd as he hath endeavoured to reprefent them. He may venture fafely to differ from the herd of mankind, and laugh at vulgar prejudices; it would be prudent in him, however, even to respect the prejudices of Philofophers, unlefs he was better qualified to explode them. We are forry there fhould be any occafion for reminding a Writer of fuch extraordinary abilities, that phyfical science is the foundation of all moral and political knowlege, and that no man ever treated Metaphyfics with contempt, except those who were incapable of that most elevated and fublime exercife of the human understanding. There is not, in our opinion, a more confolatory and wellfounded tenet in all modern philofophy, than that happiness is not exclufively attached to any one ftate and condition of life; but that Providence hath wifely beftowed on all ranks the means of being equally happy. Yet this doth our Author mifreprefent and endeavour to explode. "There is, fay our Philofophers, an equal allotment of happiness and mifery to every rank of men; a maxim as dangerous as it is abfurd. If all mankind are equally happy, it would be ridiculous to give ourselves any trouble to promote their felicity. Let each remain in his fituation: let the flave endure the lafh, the lame his infirmity, and let the beggar perish, fince they would gain nothing by a change of fituation. The fame Philofophers enumerate the pangs of the rich, and expatiate on the vanity of their pleasures: was there ever fo palpable a fophifm! The pangs of a rich man are not effential to riches, but to the abufe of them. If he were even more wretched than the poor, he would deferve no compaffion, because he is the creator of his own mifery, and happiness was in his power. But the fufferings of the indigent are the natu Mr. Rouffeau takes frequent occafion to be fevere on the Philofo phers, and that fpirit of philofophizing which, he fays, infects the Writers of this age. I am, in doubt, continues he, whether truth gains any thing by their labours. A madness for fyftems hath got poffeffion of them all; they never fee things as they are, but as they beft agree with their hypothefes:We are in doubt, however, whether fome of Mr. Rouleau's Readers will not be apt to think a paffion for paradoxes as bad as a paffion for hypothefes; and that a fyftematical madman may Land as good a chance to be in the right, as one that has no fyftem at all. B 3 ral ral confequences of his state; he feels the weight of his hard lot; no length of time nor habit, can ever render him infenfible of fatigue and hunger: neither wisdom nor good humour can annihilate the evils which are infeparable from his fituation." Can there be a more grofs and palpable inftance of mifreprefentation and fallacy, than we meet with in this paffage? Is there no difference between ill treating a flave, or letting a beggar perish, and changing entirely their fituations? Doth our Author affert, that it is in the power of wealth to make people happy? And is it true, that no length of time, habit, wifdom, nor good humour, can alleviate, or even annihilate, many of the evils of poverty? That men, while they are men, must be fenfible of thofe neceffities which urge them to self-preservation, cannot be denied; but, as for all the happiness and mifery that is of a moral or political nature, we will venture to fay, there is not a maxim better established in all philofophy, than that it is equally distributed through every rank in life. fentiment beautifully illuftrated by the following lines of Mr. Pope: See fome ftrange comfort every state attend; The poor contents him with the care of heaven. The ftarving chymift in his golden views A There are, it is true, fome Philofophers who have gone fo far as to affert, that all mankind, confidered as individuals, are equally happy thefe, however, have always taken into the account, the fum of the pains and pleasures each was supposed to enjoy during his whole life; to which cafe, it is plain our Author's objections are by no means pertinent. But to return to his practical fyftem. After ftrenuously advifing opennefs and fincerity to be used on all occafions with a Pupil, he proceeds to direct what steps ought to be taken with him, as the critical age of puberty approaches. "Exhibit to him, fays he, fuch fcenes as may reftrain, rather than accelerate the growth of his paffions. Carry him from the town, where the immodeft drefs and behaviour of the women anticipate the inftructions of Nature; where every fcene prefents him with pleafures, with which he ought to remain unacquainted, till he is able to chufe with propriety. Carry him back to his first habitation, whofe rural fimplicity will fuffer his paffions to unfold in in their natural gradation. But if a tafte for the arts fhould attach him to the town, let that tafte ferve to prevent a dangerous inactivity. Be extremely circumfpect in the choice of his companions, his employment, his pleasures. Shew him fuch pictures as are affecting, but modeft; fuch as will nourish his fenfibility, without enflaming his defires. But let us not forget, that whilst we endeavour to avoid one extreme, there is a poffibility of falling into the other. It is not my intention to afflict my young Pupil continually with objects of horror and diftrefs; to carry him from hofpital to hofpital, and from one prifon to another. We muft not, by too frequent repetition, harden, inftead of foftening, his heart at the fight of human woes. What we too often behold, we ceafe to imagine, and it is in imagination only that we feel the miferies of others. Hence, from their conftant vifits to the dying and the fick, the hearts of Priefts and Phyficians grow callous and obdurate. Let your Pupil, therefore, be made acquainted with the lot of man, and the fufferings of his fpecies; but let him not be too frequent a witness of fuch calamity. A fingle cbject, judicioufy chofen, and fhewn at a proper time, will inpire him with tenderness, and afford him reflection for a whole month. It is not fo much the object itself, as his return to it in ista, which determÄLes Lis judgment; and the permanency of the impresion uYA, LA HJÁ depends alfo lefs upon the object, than the pout of view a which it is recalled to his mind. By magunit of of examples, leffons, and images, we fally be along life, bonis the dangerous edge of inclination, and man w nature whilft we follow her own Litices. "In proportion as he becomes menigtend which you mean to excite, be adapted as us wanderinany i and in proportion as his desires are ine, mis tuvos of ins objects as will not fetuly the the font. i rememver w have been told by an di mana that WAVELE diftinguished for his meras as for . courge, ter se bar. who was a fenfible may be mercy deve was naturally too much and women has 18 jane curb this property; tur finding, tone ruke odno that his fon fi perifer a ne vor, se sret sa is a be pital eftablished for the cure was a to vama writ and without any porous crimaten ý t a gallery full of the v piating the foy which tyger then the ter deous fpectacle, á ofnine z à me the ruinę grew fick. Gi tra fignificant look and email not be long defore dom wit home 1 I |