had they not happened' to wound a part remarkably tender. Gustulus, who valued himself upon the nicety of his palate, disinherited his eldest son for telling him that the wine, which he was then commending, was the same which he had sent away the day before not-sit to be drunk. Proculus withdrew his kindness from a nephew, whom he had always considered as the molt promising genius of the age, for happening to praise in his presence the gracesul horsemanship of Marius. And Fortunio, when he was privy counsellor, procured a clerk to be dismissed from one of the publick offices, in which he was eminent for his skill and assiduity, because he had been heard to say, that there was another man in the kingdom on whofe skill at billiards he would lay his money against Fortunio's. Felicia and Floretta had been bred up in one house, and shared all the pleasures and endearments of insancy together. They entered upon lise at the same time, and continued their confidence and friendship; consulted each other in every change of their dress, and every admission of a new lover; thought every diversion more entertaining whenever it happened that both were present, and when separated justified the conduct, and celebrated the excellencies, of one another. Such was their intimacy, and such their fidelity; till a birth-night approached, when Floretta took one morning an opportunity, as they were consulting upon new clothes, to advise her friend not to dance at the ball, and insormed her that her performance the year before had not answered the expectation which her other accomplishments had raised. Felicia commended S 2 her her sincerity, and thanked her for the caution; but told her that she danced to please herself, and was in very little concern what the men might take the liberty of faying, but that is her appearance gave her dear Floretta any uneasiness she would stay away. Floretta had now nothing lest but to make new protestations of sincerity and affection, with which Felicia was so well fatissied, that they parted with more than usual fondness. They still continued to visit, with this only difference, that Felicia was more punctual than besore, and often declared how high a value she put upon sincerity, how much she thought that goodness to be esteemed which would venture to admonish a friend of an error, and with what gratitude advice was to be received, even when it might happen to proceed from mistake. In a sew months Felicia, with great seriousness, told Floretta, that though her beauty was such as gave charms to whatever she did, and her qualisications so extensive, that she could not fail of excellence in any attempt, yet she thought herself obliged by the duties of friendship to insorm her, that is ever she betrayed want of judgment, it was by too freouent compliance with solicitations to sing, for that her manner was somewhat ungracesul, and her voice had no great compass. It is true, fays Floretta, when I sung three nights ago at lady Sprightly's, I was hoarse with a cold; but I sing for my own fatisfaction, and am not in the least pain whether I am liked. However, my dear Felicia's kindness is not the less, and I shall always think myself happy in so true a friend. From From this time they never saw each other without mutual prosessions of esteem, and declarations of confidence, but went soon aster into the country to visit their relations. When they came back, they were prevailed on, by the importunity of new acquaintance, to take lodgings in different parts of the town, and had frequent occasion when they met, to bewail the distance at which they were placed, and the uncertainty which each experienced of finding the other at home. Thus are the fondest and firmest friendships dissolved, by such openness, and sincerity, as interrupt our enjoyment of our own approbation, or recal us to the remembrance of those sailings, which we are more willing to indulge than to correct. It is by no means necessary to imagine, that he who is offended at advice, was ignorant of the sault, and resents the admonition as a salse charge; for perhaps it is most natural to be enraged, when there is the strongest conviction of our own guilt. While we can easily desend our character, we are no more disturbed at an accusation, than we are alarmed by an enemy whom we are sure to conquer; and whose attack, therefore, will bring us honour without danger. But when a man seels the reprehension of a friend seconded by his own heart, he is easily heated into resentment and revenge, either because he hoped that the sault of which he was conscious had escaped the notice of others; or thai his friend had looked upon it with tenderness and extenuation, and excused it for the sake of his other virtues; or had considered him as too wise to need advice, or too delicate to be shocked with reproach: or, because S j we we cannot seel without pain thofe reflections roused, which we have been endeavouring to lay asleep; and when pain has produced anger, who would not willingly believe, that it ought to be discharged on others, rather than on himself? The resentment produced by sincerity, whatever be its immediate cause, is so certain, and generally so keen, that very few have magnanimity sufficient for the practice of a duty, which, above most others, expofes its votaries to hardships and persecutions; yet friendship v. irhout it is of a very little value, since t,he great use of so clofe an intimacy is that our virtues may be guarded and encouraged, and our vices repressed in their first appearance by timely 'detection, and falutary remonstrances. It is decreed by providence, that nothing truly valuable shall be obtained in our present state, but wkh difficulty and danger. He that hopes for that advantage which is to be gained from unrestrained communication, must sometimes hazard, by unplcasing truths, that friendship which he aspires to merit. The chief rule to be observed in the exercise of tins dangerous office, is to preserve it pure from all mixture of interest or vanity; to forbear admonition or reproof, when our consciences leU us that they are incited, not by the hopes of reforming faults, but the desire of shewing our discernment, or gratifying our own pride by the mortiiicat'.on of another. Jt is not indeed certain that the m.rst mined caution will lind a proper time for biin^irg a man to the knowledge of his own failings, or the molt zealous benevolence reconcile him to th.it judgment, by which' thev arc detected, but he he who endeavours only the happiness of him whom he reproves, will always have either the fatisfaction of obtaining or aeierving kindness; is he succeeds, he benesits his friend, and if he fails, he has at least the consciousness that he suffers for only doing well. Numb, 41. Tuesday, August 7, 1750. Nulla recordanti lux eft ingrata gravisque, Ni«lla suit cujm non meminijse velit. Vbutre bis, 'vita frffe priore frui. Mart. No day's remembrance shall the good regret, Nor wish one bitter moment to forget; They stretch the limits of this narrow span, And, by enjoying, live past lise again. F. Lewis. SO sew of the hours of lise are silled up with objects adequate to the mind of man, and so frequently are we in want of present pleasure or employment, that we are forced to have recourse every moment to the past and suture for supplemental fatisfactions, and relieve the vacuities of our being, by recollection of former passages, or anticipation of events to come. I cannot but consider this necessity of searching on every side for matter on which the attention may be employed, as a strong proof of the superior and celestial nature of the soul of man. We have no reason to believe that other creatures have higher faculties, or more extensive capacities, than the pre S 4 scrvation , |