with very little precaution, for they imagine that, without premeditated meafures, they shall be able to find expedients in all difficulties. They are naturally apt to confider all prudential maxims as below their regard, to treat with contempt thofe fecurities and refources which others know themselves obliged to provide, and difdain to accomplish their purposes by established means, and common gradations.

Precipitation thus incited by the pride of intellectual fuperiority, is very fatal to great defigns. The refolution of the combat is feldom equal to the vehemence of the charge. He that meets with an oppofition which he did not expect, lofes his courage. The violence of his firft onfet is fucceeded by a lafting and unconquerable languor; mifcarriage makes him fearful of giving way to new hopes; and the contemplation of an attempt, in which he has fallen below his own expectations, is painful and vexatious; he therefore naturally turns his attention to more pleafing objects, and habituates his imagination to other entertainments, till, by flow degrees, he quits his firft purfuit, and fuffers fome other project to take poffeffion of his thoughts, in which the fame ardour of mind promifes him again certain fuccefs, and which difappointments of the fame kind compel him to abandon.

Thus too much vigour in the beginning of an undertaking, often intercepts and prevents the steadinefs and perfeverance always neceffary in the conduct of a complicated fcheme, where many interefts are to be connected, many movements to be adjusted, and the joint effort of diftinct and independent powers to be directed to a fingle point. In all important events which have been fuddenly brought to pafs, chance has been the agent rather than reafon; and, therefore, however those who feemed to prefide in the tranfaction may have been celebrated by fuch as loved or feared them, fucceeding times have commonly confidered them as fortunate rather than prudent. Every defign in which the connection is regularly traced from the firft motion to the laft, must be formed and executed by calm intrepidity, and requires not only courage which danger cannot turn afide, but conftancy which fatigues cannot weary, and contrivance which impedimepts cannot exhauft.

All the performances of human art,

at which we look with praife or wonder, are inftances of the refifflefs force of per feverance: it is by this that the quarry becomes a pyramid, and that diftant countries are united with canals. If a man was to compare the effect of a fingle ftroke of the pick-ax, or of one impreffion of the fpade, with the general defign and laft refult, he would be overwhelmed by the fenfe of their difproportion; yet thofe petty operations, inceffantly continued, in time furmount the greatest difficulties, and mountains are levelled, and oceans bounded, by the lender force of human beings.

It is therefore of the utinoft importance that those who have any intention of deviating from the beaten roads of life, and acquiring a reputation fuperior to names hourly fwept away by time among the refufe of fame, fhould add to their reafon, and their fpirit, the pow er of perfifting in their purpofes; acquire the art of fapping what they cannot batter, and the habit of vanquishing obftinate refiftance by obftinate attacks.

The ftudent who would build his knowledge on folid foundations, and proceed by juft degrees to the pinacles of truth, is directed by the great philofopher of France to begin by doubting of his own exiftence. In like manner, whoever would complete any arduous and intricate enterprife, fhould, as foon as his imagination can cool after the first blaze of hope, place before his own eyes every poffible embarrafliment that may retard or defeat him. He should firit queftion the probability of fuccefs, and then endeavour to remove the objections that he has raifed. It is proper, fays old Markham, to exercife your horfe on the more inconvenient fide of the course, that if he fhould, in the race, be forced upon it, he may not be difcouraged: and Horace advifes his poetical friend to confider every day as the laft which he shall enjoy, because that will always give pleafure which we receive beyond our hopes. If we alarm ourfelves beforehand with more difficulties than we really find, we fhall be animated by unexpected facility with double fpirit; and if we find our cautions and fears juftified by the confequence, there will however happen nothing against which provifion has not been made, no fudden fhock will be received, nor will the main fcheme be difconcerted.

There

There is, indeed, fome danger left he that too fcrupulously balances probabilities, and too perfpicacioufly forefees obtacles, fhould remain always in a ftate of inaction, without venturing upon attempts on which he may perhaps fpend his labour without advantage. But previous defpondence is not the fault of thofe for whom this effay is defigned; they who require to be warned against precipitation, will not fuffer more fear to intrude into their contemplations than is neceffary to allay the effervefcence of an agitated fancy. As Des Cartes has kindly fhewn how a man may prove to himfelf his own existence, if once he can be prevailed upon to question it, fo the

ardent and adventurous will not be long without finding fome plaufible extenuation of the greateft difficulties. Such, indeed, is the uncertainty of all human affairs, that fecurity and despair are equal follies; and as it is prefumption and arrogance to anticipate triumphs, it is weakness and cowardice to prognofticate mifcarriages. The numbers that have been stopped in their career of happiness are fufficient to thew the uncertainty of human forefight; but there are not wanting contrary inftances of fuch fuccefs obtained against all appearances, as may warrant the boldeft Alights of genius, if they are fupported by unfhaken perfe

verance.

SIR,

Οναρ ἐν Διός ἐσιο

TO THE RAMBLER.

Had lately a very remarkable dream,

on me, that I remember it every word; and if you are not better employed, you may read the relation of it as follows.

per

Methought I was in the midst of a very entertaining fet of company, and extremely delighted in attending to a lively converfation, when on a fudden I ceived one of the moft fhocking figures imagination can frame, advancing towards me. She was dreft in black, her fkin was contracted into a thoufand wrinkles, her eyes deep funk in her head, and her complexion pale and livid as the countenance of death. Her looks were filled with terror and unrelenting feverity, and her hands armed with whips and fcorpions. As foon as she came near, with a horrid frown, and a voice that chilled my very blood, fhe bid me follow her. I obeyed, and the led me through rugged paths, befet with briars and thorns, into a deep folitary valley. Wherever the paffed the fading verdure withered bene hr teps; her peftilential breath infected the air with malignant vapours, obfcured the luftre of the fun, and involved the fair face of heaven in univerfal gloom. Difmal howlings refounded through the foreft, from

POPE.

every baleful tree; the night-raven uttered his dreadful note, and the profpect was filled with defolation and horror. In the midft of this tremendous scene

following manner:

me

Retire with me, O rafh unthinking mortal, from the vain allurements of a deceitful world, and learn that plea'fure was not defigned the portion of human life. Man was born to mourn and to be wretched; this is the condition of all below the ftars, and whoever endeavours to oppofe it, acts in contradiction to the will of Heaven, Fly then from the fatal enchantments of youth and focial delight, and here 'confecrate the folitary hours to lamentation and woe. Mifery is the duty of all fublunary beings, and every enjoyment is an offence to the Deity, who is to be worshipped only by the mortification of every fenfe of pleasure, and the everlafting exercife of fighs and

couragement to amend, the more innocent foul will be fupported with still fweeter confolations under all it's experience of human infirmities; fupported by the gladdening affurances that every fincere endeavour to outgrow them, fhall be aflifted, accepted, and rewarded. To fuch a one, the lovelieft felf-abafement is but a deep-laid foundation for the moft elevated hopes; fince they who faithfully examine and acknowledge what they are, fhall be enabled under my conduct to become what they defire. The chriftian and the hero are infeparable; and to afpirings of unaffuming truft, and filial confidence, are fet no bounds. To him who is animated with a view of obtaining approbation from the Sovereign of the univerfe, no difficulty is infurmountable. Secure in this purfuit of every needful aid, his conflict ⚫ with the fevereft pains and trials is little more than the vigorous exercifes of a mind in health. His patient dependence on that providence which looks through all eternity, his filent • refignation, his ready accommodation • of his thoughts and behaviour to it's infcrutable ways, is at once the most • excellent fort of felf-denial, and a fource ¶ of the most exalted tranfports. Society is the true fphere of human virIn focial, active life, difficulties will perpetually be met with; reftraints of many kinds will be neceffary; and studying to behave right in relpect of thefe is a difcipline of the human heart, ♦ useful to others, and improving to it

• tue.

by Mr Elizabeth Carter.

No XLV,

felf. Suffering is no duty but where it is neceffary to avoid guilt, or to do good; nor pleasure a crime, but where it ftrengthens the influence of bad inclinations, or leffens the generous activity of virtue. The happinefs allotted to man in his prefent flate is indeed faint and low, compared with his immortal profpects, and noble capacities; but yet, whatever portion of it the diftributing hand of Heaven offers to each individual, is a needful support and • refreshment for the prefent moment, fo far as it may not hinder the attaining of his final deftination.

Return then with me from continual mifery to moderate enjoyment, and ⚫ grateful alacrity. Return from the contracted views of folitude to the proper duties of a relative and dependent being. Religion is not confined to cells and closets, nor restrained to fullen retirement. Thefe are the gloomy doctrines of Superstition, by which the ' endeavours to break those chains of benevolence and focial affection, that link the welfare of every particular with that of the whole. Remember that the greatest honour you can pay to the Author of your being is by fuch a cheerful behaviour, as difcovers a • mind fatisfied with his difpenfations."

Here my preceptrefs paufed, and I was going to exprefs my acknowledgments for her difcourfe, when a ring of bells from the neighbouring village, and a new-rifen fun darting his beams through my windows, awaked me.

I am, yours, &c.

EURIP.

You feem, like moft of the writers that have gone before you, to have allowed, as an uncontested principle, that Marriage is generally unhappy: but I know not whether a man who profefles to think for himself, and concludes from his own obfervations, does not depart from his character when he follows the crowd thus implicitly, and receives maxims without recalling them to a new examination, efpecially when they comprife fo wide a circuit of life, and include fuch variety of circumftances. As I have an equal right with others to give my opinion of the objects about me, and a better title to determine concerning that ftate which I have tried, than many who talk of it without experience; I am unwilling to be reftrained by mere authority from advancing what, I believe, an accurate view of the world will confirm, that marriage is not commonly unhappy, otherwife than as life is unhappy; and that most of these who complain of connubial miferies, have as much fatisfaction as their nature would have admitted, or their conduct procured, in any other condition.

It is, indeed, common to hear both fexes repine at their change, relate the happiness of their earlier years, blame the folly and rafhnefs of their own choice, and warn thofe whom they fee coming into the world against the fame precipitance and infatuation. But it is to be remembered, that the days which they fo much with to call back, are the days not only of celibacy but of youth, the days of novelty and improvement, of ardour and of hope, of health and vigour of body, of gaiety and lightnefs of heart. It is not eafy to furround life with any circumstances in which youth will not be delightful; and I am afraid that whether married or unmarried, we fhail find the vesture of terrestrial existence more heavy and cumbrous, the longer it is worn.

That they cenfure themfelves for the indifcretion of their choice, is not a fufficient proof that they have chofen ill, fince we fee the fame difcontent at every other part of life which we cannot change. Converfe with almost any man, grown old in a profeffion, and you will find him regretting that he did not enter into fome different courfe, to which he too late finds his genius better adapted, or in which he difcovers that wealth and honour are more easily attained. The

'merchant,' fays Horace,, envies the foldier, and the foldier recounts the felicity of the merchant; the lawyer, when his clients harafs him, calls out for the quiet of the countryman; and the countryman, when bufinefs calls him to town, proclaims that there is no happiness but amidft opulence and crowds.' Every man recounts the inconveniences of his own station, and thinks those of any other lefs, becaufe he has not felt them. Thus the married praife the ease and freedom of a fingle ftate, and the fingle fly to marriage from the wearinefs of folitude. From all our obfervations we may collect with certainty, that mifery is the lot of man, but cannot discover in what particular condition it will find most alleviations; or whether all external appendages are not, as we use them, the causes either of good or ill.

Whoever feels great pain, naturally hopes for eafe from change of pofture; he changes it, and finds himself equally tormented: and of the fame kind are the expedients by which we endeavour to obviate or elude thofe uneafinesses to which mortality will always be fubject." It is not likely that the married ftate is eminently miferable, fince we fee fuch numbers, whom the death of their partners has fet free from it, entering it again.

Wives and husbands are, indeed, inceffantly complaining of each other; and there would be reafon for imagining that almoft every houfe was infefted with perverfeness or oppreffion beyond human fufferance, did we not know upon how fmall occafions fome minds burst out into lamentations and reproaches, and how naturally every animal revenges his pain upon those who happen to be near, without any nice examination of it's caufe. We are always willing to fancy ourselves within a little of happiness; and when, with repeated efforts, we cannot reach it, perfuade ourselves that it is intercepted by an ill-paired mate, fince, if we could find any other obstacle, it would be our own fault that it was not removed.

Anatomists have often remarked, that though our difeafes are fufficiently numerous and fevere, yet when we enquire into the structure of the body, the tendernefs of fome parts, the minuteness of others, and the immenfe multiplicity of animal functions that muft concur to the healthful and vigorous excrcife of

all