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To No. 94. inftead of two lines, falfely attributed to H& race, by quoting without book, the reader is defired to prefix, Bonus atque fidus- Judex per obftantes catervasExplicuit fua victor arma. HOR. A good and faithful judge through oppofing numbershis arms victorious.

-difplays

I

THE

RAMBLER.

NUMBER LXXIX,

LONDON, Tuesday, December 18. 1750.

Tam fæpe noftrum decipi Fabullum, quid
Miraris, Aule? Semper bonus homo tiro eft.

MART.

S

USPICION, however neceffary it may be to our fafe paffage through ways beset on all fides by fraud and malice, has been always confidered, when it exceeds the common measures of prudent caution, as a token of depravity and corruption; and an old Greek writer of fententious precepts has laid down as a

VOL. IV.

A

standing

ftanding maxim, That he who believes not another on his oath, knows himself to be perjured.

We can form our opinions of that which we know not, only by placing it in comparison with fomething that we know. Whoever therefore is over-run with fufpicion, and detects artifice and ftratagem in every propofal, muft either have learned by experience the wickedness of mankind, and been taught to avoid fraud by having often been deceived; or he muft derive his judgment from the consciousness of his own disposition, and impute to others the fame inclinations which he feels predominant in himself.

To learn caution by turning our eyes upon life, and obferving the arts by which negligence is furprifed, timidity overborn, and credulity amufed, requires great latitude of converfe, and long acquaintance with bufinefs, or uncommon activity of vigilance, and acuteness of penetration. When therefore a young man, not distinguished by fuperior vigour of intellect, comes into the world full of fcruples and diffidence; makes a bargain with many provifional limitations; hefitates in his anfwer to a common question, left more should be intended than he can immediately difcover; has a long reach in detecting the projects of his acquaintance; confiders every carefs as an act of hypocrify; and feels neither gratitude nor affection from the tenderness of his friends, because he believes no one to have any real tendernefs but for himfelf: whatever expectations this early fagacity may raife of his future eminence or riches, I can feldom forbear to confider him as a wretch incapable of generofity or benevolence; as a vil

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