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with all their ability, they were never able to acquire an undue afcendent over her. In her family, in her court, in her kingdom, fhe remained equally mistress. The force of the tender paffions was great over her, but the force of her mind was ftill fuperior and the combat which her victory vifibly coft her, ferves only to display the firmness of her refolution, and the loftinefs of her ambitious fentiments.

The fame of this princefs, though it has furmounted the prejudices both of faction and of bigotry, yet lies ftill expofed to another prejudice, which is more durable, becaufe more natural; and which, according to the differant views in which we furvey her, is capable either of exalting beyond measure, or diminishing, the luftre of her character. This prejudice is founded on the confideration of her fex. When we contemplate her as a woman, we are apt to be ftruck with the highest admiration of her qualities and extenfive capacity; but we are also apt to require fome more foftnefs of difpofition, fome greater lenity of temper, fome of thofe amiable weak nefies by which her fex is diftinguifhed. But the true method of eftimating her merit, is, to lay afide all these confiderations, and to confider her merely as a rational being, placed in authority, and intrufted with the government of mankind.

SECTION XII.

ON THE SLAVERY OF VICE.

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THE flavery produced by vice appears in the dependence under which it brings the finner, to circumstances of external fortune. One of the favourite characters of liberty, is the independence it beftows. He who is truly a freeman is above all fervile compliances, and abject fubjection. He is able to reft upon himself; and while he regards his fuperiors with proper deference, neither debafes himfelf by cringing to them, nor is tempted to purchase their favour by difhonourable means. But the finner has ferfeited every privilege of this nature. His paffions and habits render him an abfolute dependent on the world, and the world's favour; on the uncertain goods of fortune, and the fickle humours of men. For it is by those : he fubfis, and among thefe his happiness is fought; c

cording as his paffions determine him to purfue pleasures, riches, or preferments. Having no fund within himself. whence to draw enjoyment, his only refource is in things. without His hopes and fears all hang upon the world.. He partakes in all its viciffitudes; and is moved and fhaken by every wind of fortune. This is to be, in the ftricteft fenfe, a flave to the world.

Religion and virtue, on the other hand, confer on the mind principles of noble independence. "The upright man is fatisfied from himself." He defpifes not the advantages of fortune, but he centres not his happiness in them. With a moderate fhare of them he can be contented; and contentment is felicity. Happy in his own integrity, confcious of the efleem of good men, repofing firm truft in the providence, and the promifes of God, he is exempted from fervile dependence on other things. He can wrap himself up in a good confcience, and look forward, without terror, to the change of the world. Let all things fhift around him as they pleafe, he believes that, by the Divine ordination, they fhall be made to work together in the iffue for his good: and therefore, having much to hope from God, and little to fear from the world, he can be eafy in every state. One who poffeffes within himfelf fuch an establishment of mind, is truly free. But fhall I call that man free, who has nothing that is his own, no property affured; whofe very heart is not his own, but rendered the appendage of external things, and the sport of fortune? Is that man free, let his outward condition be ever fo fplendid, whom his imperious paffions detain at their call, whom they fend forth at their pleasure, to drudge and toil, and to beg his only enjoyment from the cafualties of the world? Is he free, who must flatter and lie to compaís his ends; who must bear with this man's caprice, and that man's fcorn; mutt profefs friendship where he hates, and refpect where he contemns; who is not at liberty to appear in his own colours, nor to speak his own fentiments; who dares not be honeft, left he fhould be poor ?-Believe it, no chains bind fo hard, no fetters are fo heavy, as those which falten the corrupted heart, to this treacherous world; no dependence is more contemptible than that under which the voluptuous, the covetous, or the ambitious man, lies to the means of pleasure, gain, i

or power. Yet this is the boafted liberty, which vice promises, as the recompenfe of fetting us free from the falutary restraints. of virtue..

SECTION XIII ̈

THE MAN OF INTEGRITY. *

BLAIR..

UNCLE

Ir will not take much time to delineate the characteri of the man of integrity, as by its nature it is a plain one, and easily understood. He is one, who makes it his conftant rule to follow the road of duty, according as the.. word of God, and the voice of his confcience, point it out to him. He is not guided merely by affections, which may fometimes give the colour of virtue to a loose and unftable character. The upright man is guided by a fixed principle of mind, which determines him to esteem nothing but what is honourable; and to abhor whatever: is base and unworthy, in moral conduct. Hence we find

him ever the fame; at all times, the trufty friend, the af fectionate relation, the confcientious man of business, the pious worshipper, the public fpirited citizen. He affumes no borrowed appearance. He feeks no mafk to cover him ; for he acts no ftudied part; but he is indeed what› he appears to be, full of truth, candour, and humanity. In all his purfuits, he knows no path but the fair and direct one; and would much rather fail of fuccefs, than attain it by reproachful means. He never fhows us a fmiling counte-:nance, while he meditates evil against us in his heart. Her never praises us among our friends; and then joins in tra- ducing us among our enemies. We fhall never find one. part of his character at variance with another. In his manners, he is fimple and unaffected; in all his proceedings, open and confiftent.

SECTION XIV.

G GENTLENESS.

BLAIR

I BEGIN with diftinguishing true gentleness from paffive tameness of fpirit, and from unlimited compliance with the manners of others. That paffive tamenefs, which fubmits, without oppofition, to every encroachment of the violent and affuming, forms no part of Chriflian duty; but, on the contrary, is deftructive of general happine's and order. That unlimited complaifance, which, on everyo

occafion, falls in with the opinions and manners of others, is fo far from being a virtue, that it is itself a vice, and the parent of many vices. It overthrows all steadiness of principle; and produces that finful conformity with the world, which taints the whole character. In the prefent corrupted ftate of human manners, always to affent and to comply, is the very worst maxim we can adopt. It is impoffible to fupport the purity and dignity of Chriftian morals, without oppofing the world on various occafions, even though we fhould ftand alone. That gentleness therefore which belongs to virtue, is to be carefully diftinguifhed from the mean fpirit of cowards, and the fawning affent of fycophants. It renounces no juft right from fear. It gives up no important truth from flattery. It is indeed not only confiftent with a firm mind, but it neceffarily requires a manly fpirit, and a fixed principle, in order to give it any real value. Upon this folid ground only, the polifh of gentlenefs can with advantage be fuperinduced.

It ftands oppofed, not to the most determined regard for virtue and truth, but to harfinefs and feverity, to pride and arrogance, to violence and oppreffion. It is properly, that part of the great virtue of charity, which makes us unwilling to give pain to any of our brethren. Compaffion prompts us to relieve their wants. Forbearance prevents us from retaliating their injuries. Meeknefs restrains our angry paffions; candour, our fevere judgments, Gentle nefs corrects whatever is offenfive in our manners; and, by a conftant train of humane attentions, ftudies to allevi ate the burden of common mifery. Its office, therefore, is extenfive. It is not like fome other virtues, called forth only on peculiar emergencies; but it is continually in action, when we are engaged in intercourfe with men. It ought to form our addrefs, to regulate our fpeech, and to diffufe itself over our whole behaviour.

We must not, however, confound this gentle "wisdom which is from above," with that artificial courtesy, that ftudied fmoothnefs of manners, which is learned in the fchool of the world. Such accomplishments, the most frivolous and empty may poffefs. Too often they are employed by the artful, as a fnare; too often affected by the hard and unfeeling, as a cover to the bafenefs of their

minds. We cannot, at the fame time, avoid obferving the homage, which, even in fuch inftances, the world is constrained to pay to virtue. In order to render fociety agreeable, it is found neceffary to affume fomewhat, that may at least carry its appearance. Virtue is the univerfal charm. Even its fhadow is courted, when the fubftance is wanting. The imitation of its form has been reduced into an art; and, in the commerce of life, the first study of all who would either gain the esteem, or win the hearts of others, is to learn the fpeech, and to adopt the manners, of candour, gentleness, and humanity. But that gentlenefs which is the characteristic of a good man, has, like every other virtue, its feat in the heart; and let me add, nothing except what flows from the heart, can render even external manners truly pleafing. For no affumed behaviour can at all times hide the real character. In that unaffected civility which fprings from a gentle mind, there is a charm infinitely more powerful, than in all the studied manners of the most finished courtier.

True gentleness is founded on a sense of what we owe to HIM who made us, and to the common nature of which we all fhare. It arifes from reflection on our own failings and wants; and from just views of the condition, and the duty of man. It is native feeling, heightened and im proved by principle. It is the heart which eafily relents; which feels for every thing that is human; and is backward and flow to inflict the leaft wound. It is affable in its addrefs, and mild in its demeanour; ever ready to oblige, and willing to be obliged by others; breathing habitual kindness towards friends, courtesy to strangers, long fuffering to enemies. It exercifes authority with moderation; adminifters reproof with tenderness; confers favours with eafe and modelty. It is unaffuming in opinion, and temperate in zeal. It contends not eagerly about trifles; flow to contradict, and still flower to blame; but prompt to allay diffenfion, and to restore peace. neither intermeddles unneceffarily with the affairs, nor pris inquifitively into the fecrets of others. It delights above all things to alleviate diftrefs; and, if it cannot dry up the falling tear, to footh at least the grieving heart. Where it has not the power of being uf ful, it is never burdenfome. It feeks to pleafe, rather than to fhine and.

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