or dejected at an appearance fo common. The truth of it is, fhe muft either renounce her nobleft theatre of action, and seclude herself in cells and defarts, or be contented to enter upon the stage of the world with this fiend in her train. She cannot triumph, if she will not be traduced; and the should confider the clamors of cenfure, when joined with her own confcious applause, as fo many acclamations that confirm her victory.

LET those who harbor this worst of human difpofitions, confider the many wretched and contemptible circumftances which attend it: but it is the business of him who unjuftly fuffers from it, to reflect how it may be turned to his advantage. Remember then, my friend, that Generofity would lofe half her dignity, if malice did not contribute to her elevation; and he that has never been injured, has never had it in his power to exercise the nobleft privilege of he roic virtue. There is another confolation which may be derived from the rancor of the world, as it will inftruct one in a piece of knowledge of the moft fingular benefit in our progrefs thro it: It will teach us to

distinguish

distinguish genuine friendship from counterfeit. For he only who is warmed with the real flame of amity, will rile up to fupport his fingle negative, in oppofition to the clamorous votes of an undiftinguishing multitude.

HE indeed, who can fee a cool and deliberate injury done to his friend, without feeling himself wounded in his most fenfible part; has never known the force of the most generous of all the human affections. Every man who has not taken the facred name of friendship in vain, will subscribe to those fentiments which Homer puts into the mouth of Achilles, and which Mr. Pope has opened and enlarged with fuch inimitable ftrength and spirit:

A gen'rous friendship no cold medium knows, Burns with one love, with one refentment

glows;

One should our int'refts and our paffions be: My friend muft hate the man that injures me.

It may greatly also allay the pain which attends the wounds of defamation, and which are always most severely felt by those who

leaft

least deserve them; to reflect, thạt thô malice generally flings the firft ftone, it is folly and ignorance, it is indolence or irrefolution, which are principally concerned in fwelling the heap. When the tide of cenfure runs ftrongly against any particular character, the generality of mankind are too careless or too impotent to withstand the current: and thus, without any particular malice in their own natures, are of ten indolently carried along with others, by tamely falling in with the general stream. The number of those who really mean one harm, will wonderfully leffen after the deductions which may fairly be made of this fort and the cup of unjuft reproach must furely loose much of its bitterness, where one is perfuaded that malevolence has the leaft fhare in mingling the draught. For nothing, perhaps, ftings a generous mind more fenfibly in wrongs of this fort, than to confider them as evidences of a general malignity in human nature. But from whatever causes these storms may arise, Virtue would not be true to her own native privileges, if the fuffered herfelf to fink under them. It is from that ftrength and firm

nefs

nefs which upright intentions will ever fecure to an honeft mind, that Palamedes, I am perfuaded will ftand fuperior to those unmerited reproaches which affault his character; and preferve an unbroken repose amidst the little noife and ftrife of ignorant, or malicious tongues. Farewel.

TH

LETTER LXXI.

To PHILOTE S.

April 9, 1740.

HERE is no advantage which attends a popular genius that I am so much inclined to envy, as the privilege of rendering merit confpicuous. An author who has raised the attention of the public to his productions, and gained a whole nation for his audience, may be confidered as guardian of the temple of Fame, and invested with the prerogative of giving entrance to whomfoever he deems worthy of that glorious diftinction. But the praise of an ordinary writer obftructs rather than advances the honor due to merit, and fullies the luftre it means to celebrate. Impotent panegyric

A a

But

panegyric operates like a blight wherever it falls, and injures all that it touches. Accordingly, Henry the IV. of France was wont humoroufly to afcribe his early grey hairs, to the effect of numberless wretched compliments, which were paid him by a certain ridiculous orator of his times. tho the wreaths of Folly should not difgrace the temples they furround; they wither, at leaft, as foon as received: and if they should not be offenfive, moft certainly, however, they will be tranfient. Whereas thofe on the contrary, with which an Horace or a Boileau, an Addison or a Pope, have crowned the virtues of their contemporaries, are as permanent as they are illuftrious, and will preferve their colors and fragrance to remotest ages.

IF I could thus weave the garlands of unfading applaufe; if I were in the number of those chofen fpirits whofe approbation is fame; your friend fhould not want that distinguishing tribute which his virtues deferve, and you requeft. I would tell the world (and tell it in a voice that should be heard far and remembred long) that Eusebes, with all the knowledge and experience

of