Many other things of this fort were difpos'd of, when on a fudden a little cafe was difcover'd, which when open'd prov'd to be a library confifting of but few books, at the head of which was the Bible.-I am before a chriftian company fays the auctioneer, fo I need not recommend this divine book. Here are fome treatifes of morality too, felected from the multitude that are written more to fhew the parts of the author, than to inform the mind of the reader. For books of entertainment and improvement united, continues he, the Spectators are first to be recommended, here they are, and lifted 'em to view.-Here too is the beautiful Clariffa, and the almost equally agreeable Foundling; I add befides, fays he, a little monthly performance, entituled, The STUDENT. I cou'd with pleasure have seen his further furniture for the mind produc'd; but here unluckily I nodded, and dropt my Lucian out of my hand, and the fall of it awoke me. An Efay on CONTENTMENT in PROSPERITY. Laudet diverfa fequentes. HERE are very few questions which have more THE puzzled philofophers, than one in particular relating to the regimen of ourselves in prosperity and adverfity. The conteft was never finally determined, whether it was the greater bravery to moderate ourselves in plenty, or to bear up with conftancy under the preffure of want. The difpute, I think, is not very material; but the neceffity of contentment appears manifeftly from both fides, in order to enjoy any felicity in either condition. Murmuring and complaint generally proceed from the difference of mens fituation in life. The fordid ate apprehenfive they fhall never have enough; and the profufe want more to animate their extravagance. They who have but fmall fortunes can't relish the fcantinefs of moderation; grandeur grandeur and gaiety don't always fit easy on the wealthy, and the neceffitous are diffatisfy'd that they are exposed to the severity of nothing. A ftrange variety of paffions thus daily distract the human mind, and for want of knowing how to be eafy, too many make themselves miferable. But all these repinings are in reality criminal: man is properly his own tormenter; he disquiets himself in vain, and by neglecting the observation of one easy virtue he, never tastes the fruit of genuine contentment. To regulate our defires and limit our pleasures is what I mean by contentment in a plentiful condition. A state which requires great circumfpection to keep the paffions from running into excess! Prosperity is a trying and dangerous state, in which, as we exercise our judgment, we shall display either the greateft folly, or the most exemplary wifdom. Good fortune is apt to delude us with its fmiles, and ftrangle us in its embraces. It unbends the mind, and flackens the powers of it; and, by a fradulent gratification of sense, it insensibly steals away the use of our reafon. Many have ftood inflexible under the shock of poverty, who have afterwards fell a facrifice in a plentiful fortune. Flattery frequently prevails, when blows are ineffectual; and temptations to a fatal fecurity are too prevalent, when the mind is lull'd into carelesness and neglect. We apprehend no difficulty, because we feel none; and we promise ourselves, fafety, because a treacherous confidence blinds us to our danger. But when fortune fmiles, let us rouze up our circumfpection. Our paffions then require a tight rein, least our actions should hurry us into infolence and prefumption. Confidence in our poffeffions is too apt to obliterate the remembrance of duty, and too great an opinion of our own merit fometimes creates a forgetfulness of our dependence on God. The defires, it is plain, have a tendency to violence; and an eafy affluence, instead of fatisfying, pushes them on Numb. III. Vol. II. N to further gratification. When the heart is thus enlarged, and the spirits too volatile, we are naturally inclined to embark in new undertakings: we are infenfible of any difficulties which should stop us in our career, and, for want of proper reftraint, our defires hurry us into extravagance, which feldom ends in any thing but ruin. Thus fallen from the fummit of grandeur, we fhall become the objects of fcorn and contempt. Whilft our fields ftood thick with corn, and our garners abounded with all manner of store, the fycophants were ready to attend our tables, din our ears with compliment, and try to perfuade us that we were more than men: but no fooner is the scene changed, and a fad alteration appears in our circumstances, than thefe infamous animals all vanifh, and (like vermin which fly from a tottering house) forfake and vilify us in our misfortunes. The virtue of contentment in the midft of profperity feems in this point very neceffary, as it tends to preserve a good fortune in hand, and to prevent a shame which must be grating on the lofs of it. A ftrict vigilance would keep paffion within due bounds. Our fall from an elevated station might be prevented by an evenness of temper, and a proper circumfpection; but for want of it our misfortune will be reflected on with remorfe, and the invidious will rejoice, and perfecute us with feverity. In fhort, let us embrace contentment, as a most amiable virtue; and restrain our pasfions, as moft conducive to our temporal as well as our eternal welfare. Then we fhall relifh our enjoyments without furfeiting, and have a true taste of the delights of life, without neglecting the duties of christianity. [ To be continued under Adverfity 1 Critical Critical Obfervations upon the Song of DEBORAH. Res antiquæ laudis & artis Ingredior fanétos aufus recludere fontes. (Continued from Number II.) HE divine writer, in the four preceding verses, (being Tinterrupted by admiration and gratitude) had, by a beautiful irregularity, fled from her subject, and seem'd in a manner to have loft fight of it. She now returns to the narration, in which she commends thofe tribes who affifted in the cause of ISRAEL, and rebukes those who thro' defpair of fuccefs fat idly at home. 13. Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. 14. Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amaleck; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people: out of Machir came down governours, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 15. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah: even Ifachar, and alfo Barak, he was fent on foot into the valley : for the divifions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16. Why abodeft thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? for the divifions of Reuben there were great fearchings of heart. 17. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in fhips? Afber continued on the fea-fhore, and abode in his breaches. 18. Zebulun and Naphthali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, in the high places of the field. The facred author, in order to give greater spirit and pason to this narration, employs the liveliest tropes and figures, and N 2 and most affecting turns. LONGINUS fays, There is nothing moves fo effectually as an affemblage of figures; and Mr. SMITH, in his notes to his ingenious traflation, observes, that the fong of DEBORAH is an inftance of this. There is scarce a thought that is not figur'd, scarce a figure that is not beautiful. In these verses we have the metaphor, the apoftrophe, the interrogation and repetition. The apoftrophe to God in the 14th verfe is a moft delicate and affecting turn, to engage God in the caufe of ISRAEL; and the more beautiful in speaking of the tribe of BENJAMIN, which was the least of all: after thee, Benjamin, among thy people. The tribe of BENJAMIN, inconfiderable as it was, was not afraid to endanger itfelf for thee, O God, and the people which thou haft chosen to serve thee. By this way of speaking, she very artfully makes the cause of ISRAEL the cause of religion, and God himself. The latter part of the next verse seems somewhat obfcure; the meaning of which is, the tribes there mentioned were in despair; for many when they heard that JABIN had 900 armed chariots, were fo terrified, that, they, thro' despair of relief, were preparing to transport themselves into another country, and neglected to defend their own. From this DEBORAH takes occafion, by a beautiful apoftrophe, to rebuke ISSACHAR among the reft for his idlenefs. This anfwers to the character given of him in Genefis xlix verse 14, Iffachar is a strong ass, couching down between two burdens. She rebukes fome other tribes, and paffes an encomium on ZEBULUN and NAPHTHALI. Then the confirms the juftnefs of her praife, by fhewing the ap-. probation of God, fo plainly fignified by his miraculous mercies to them, and his curfe on those who affifted not their brethren. [ To be continued. ] On |