nefs of my cheeks, and the vigour of my step; and, like him, gave way to no thoughts but of enjoying the wealth which my aunts were hoarding.

At length the eldest fell ill. I paid the civilities and compliments which fickness requires with the utmost punctuality. I dreamed every night of efcutcheons and white gloves, and enquired every morning at an early hour, whether there were any news of my dear aunt. At last a messenger was fent to inform me that I must come to her without the delay of a moment. I went and heard her last ad-. vice, but opening her will, found that fhe had left her fortune to her fecond fifter.

I hung my head; the youngest fifter threatened to be married, and every thing was difappointment and discontent. I was in danger of lofing irreparably one third of my hopes, and was condemned ftill to wait for the rest. Of part of my terror I was foon eased; for the youth, whom his relations would have compelled to marry the old lady, after innumerable ftipulations, articles, and settlements, ran away with the daughter of his father's groom; and my aunt, upon this conviction of the perfidy of man, refolved never to liften more to amorous addresses.

Ten years longer I dragged the fhackles of expectation, without ever fuffering a day to pass, in which I did not compute how much my chance was improved of being rich to-morrow. At laft the fecond lady died, after a fhort illness, which yet was long enough to afford her time for the difpofal of her eftate, which she gave to me after the death of her fifter.

* I was

I was now relieved from part of my mifery; a larger fortune, though not in my power, was certain and unalienable; nor was there now any danger, that I might at last be frustrated of my hopes by a fret of dotage, the flatteries of a chamber-maid, the whispers of a tale-bearer, or the officioufness of a nurse. But my wealth was yet in reverfion, my aunt was to be buried before I could emerge to grandeur and pleasure; and there were yet, according to my father's obfervation, nine lives between me and happiness.

I however lived on, without any clamours of difcontent, and comforted myself with confidering, that all are mortal, and they who are continually décaying. muft at last be destroyed.

But let no man from this time suffer his felicity to depend on the death of his aunt. The good gentlewoman was very regular in her hours, and fimple in her diet, and in walking or fitting still, waking or fleeping, had always in view the prefervation of her health. She was fubject to no diforder but hypochondriac dejection; by which, without intention, she increased my miseries, for whenever the weather was cloudy, fhe would take her bed and fend me notice that her time was come. I went with all the haste of eagernefs, and fometimes received paffionate injunctions to be kind to her maid, and directions how the laft offices fhould be performed; but if before my arrival the fun happened to break out, or the wind to change, I met her at the door, or found her in the garden, bustling and vigilant, with all the tokens of long life.

Sometimes, however, fhe fell into diftempers, and was thrice given over by the doctor, yet she found means of flipping through the gripe of death, and after having tortured me three months at each time with violent alternations of hope and fear, came out of her chamber without any other hurt than the lofs of flesh, which in a few weeks fhe recovered by broths and jellies.

As most have fagacity fufficient to guess at the defires of an heir, it was the conftant practice of those who were hoping at fecond hand, and endeavoured to fecure my favour against the time when I fhould be rich, to pay their court, by informing me that my aunt began to droop, that fhe had lately a bad night, that the coughed feebly, and that she could never climb May hill; or at least, that the autumn would carry her off. Thus was I flattered in the winter with the piercing winds of March, and in fummer, with the fogs of September. But fhe lived through spring and fall, and fet heat and cold at defiance, till after near half a century, I buried her on the fourteenth of last June, aged ninety-three years, five \/ months, and fix days.

For two months after her death I was rich, and was pleased with that obfequioufness and reverence which wealth instantaneously procures. But this joy is now paft, and I have returned again to my old habit of wifhing. Being accuftomed to give the future full power over my mind, and to ftart away from the scene before me to fome expected enjoyment, I deliver up myfelf to the tyranny of every defire which fancy fuggefts, and long for a thoufand things which I am unable to procure. Money VOL. V.

C

has

has much less power than is afcribed to it by those that want it. I had formed fchemes which I cannot execute, I had supposed events which do not come to pass, and the rest of my life must pass in craving folicitude, unless you can find fome remedy for a mind, corrupted with an inveterate difeafe of wifhing, and unable to think on any thing but wants, which reafon tells me will never be supplied.

ME

For nought tormented, flie for nought torments.

ELPHINSTON.

EN feldom give pleafure, where they are not pleased themselves; it is neceffary, therefore, to cultivate an habitual alacrity and cheerfulness, that in whatever state we may be placed by Providence, whether we are appointed to confer or receive benefits, to implore or to afford protection, we may fecure the love of those with whom we tranfact. For though it is generally imagined, that he who grants favours, may fpare any attention to his behaviour, and that usefulness will always procure friends; yet it has been found, that there is an art of granting requests, an art very difficult of attainment; that officiousness and liberality may be so

adul

adulterated, as to lofe the greater part of their effect; that compliance may provoke, relief may harass, and liberality distress.

No disease of the mind can more fatally difable it from benevolence, the chief duty of focial beings, than ill-humour or peevishness; for though it breaks not out in paroxyfms of outrage, nor bursts into clamour, turbulence, and bloodshed, it wears out happiness by flow corrofion, and fmall injuries inceffantly repeated. It may be confidered as the canker of life, that deftroys its vigour, and checks its improvement, that creeps on with hourly depredations, and taints and vitiates what it cannot confume.

Peevishness, when it has been fo far indulged, as to outrun the motions of the will, and difcover itself without premeditation, is a species of depravity in the highest degree disgusting and offenfive, because no rectitude of intention, nor softness of address, can enfure a moment's exemption from affront and indignity. While we are courting the favour of a peevish man, and exerting ourselves in the most diligent ci'vility, an unlucky fyllable difpleases, an unheeded circumstance ruffles and exafperates; and in the moment when we congratulate ourselves upon having gained a friend, our endeavours are fruftrated at once, and all our affiduity forgotten in the cafual tumult of fome trifling irritation.

This troublesome impatience is fometimes no. thing more than the fymptom of fome deeper malady. He that is angry without daring to confefs his resentment, or forrowful without the liberty of telling his grief, is too frequently inclined to give vent to the fermentations of his mind at the firft paf