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Difcretion, the more it is difcovered, gives the greater authority to him who poffeffes it: cunning, when it is once detected, lofes its force, and makes a man incapable of bringing about even thofe events which he might have done, had he paffed only for a plain man. Difcretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life: cunning is a kind of inftinct, that only looks out after our immediate intereft and welfare. Difcre

tion is only found in men of ftrong fenfe, and good understandings: cunning is often to be met with in brutes themselves, and in perfons who are but the feweft removes from them. In fhort, cunning is only the mimic of difcretion; and may pass upon weak men, in the same manner as vivacity is often mistaken for wit, and gravity for wisdom.

THE caft of mind which is natural to a discreet man, makes him look forward into futurity; and confider what will be his condition, millions of ages hence, as well as what it is at prefent. He knows, that the mifery or happiness which is referved for him in another world, lofes nothing of its reality, by being placed at so great a distance from him. Future objects do not appear little to him, because they are remote. He confiders, that those pleasures and pains, which lie hid in eternity, approach nearer to him every moment, and will be prefent with him in their full weight and measure, as much as those pains and pleasures which he feels at this very inftant. For this reafon, he is careful to fecure to himself, that which is the proper happiness of his nature, and the ultimate defign of his being. He carries his thoughts to the end of every action, and confiders the most distant, as well as the most immediate effects of it. He fuperfedes every little profpect of gain and advantage which offers itself

here,

here, if he does not find it confiftent with the views of an hereafter. In a word, his hopes are full of immortality; his fchemes are large and glorious; and his conduct fuitable to one, who knows his true interest, and how to pursue it by proper methods.

X.

A CHARACTER.

DOG," fays one of the English poets," is an "honeft creature, and I am a friend to dogs." Of all the beasts that graze the lawn, or hunt the foreft, a dog is the only animal, that, leaving his fellows, attempts to cultivate the friendship of man. To man he looks, in all his neceffities, with a speaking eye, for affiftance; exerts, for him, all the little service in his power, with cheerfulness and pleasure ; for him, bears famine and fatigue, with patience and refignation: no injuries can abate his fidelity; no distress induce him to forfake his benefactor: ftudious to please, and fearing to offend, he is ftill an humble, fted faft dependent; and in him alone, fawning is not flattery. By him, the midnight robber is kept at a distance, and the infidious thief is often detected: the healthful chace repairs many a worn conftitution; and the poor man finds, in his dog, a willing affiftant, eager to leffen his toil, and content with the fmalleft retribution.-How unkind, then, to torture this faithful creature, who has left the foreft, to claim the protection of man! How ungrateful a return to the trufty animal, for all its fervices!

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XI.

DESCRIPTION OF GENTLENESS.

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RUE gentleness is founded on a fenfe of what we owe to him who made us, mon nature of which we all share. flection on our own failings and wants; and from juft views of the condition, and the duty of man. It is native feeling, heightened and improved 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 kindnefs towards friends, courtesy to ftrangers, long-fuffering to enemies. It exercifes authority with moderation; adminifters reproof with tenderness; confers favours with ease and modesty. It is unaffuming in opinion, and temperate in zeal. It contends not eagerly about trifles; is flow to contradict, and still flower to blame; but prompt to allay diffention, and to reftore peace. It neither intermeddles unneceffarily with the affairs, nor pries inquifitively into the fecrets, of others. It delights, above all things, to alleviate diftrefs; and, if it cannot dry up the falling tear, to foothe, at least, the grieving heart. Where it has not the power of being useful, it is never burdenfome. It feeks to please, rather than to fhine and dazzle; and conceals, with care, that fuperiority, either of talents, or of rank, which is oppreffive to those who are beneath it. In a word, it is that spirit, and that tenour of manners, which the gospel of Chrift enjoins, when it comB

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PART I. mands us to bear one another's burdens; to rejoice "with those who rejoice, and to weep with thofe "who weep; to please every one his neighbour for "his good; to be kind and tender-hearted; to be 66 pitiful and courteous; to fupport the weak, and to be patient towards all men."

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XII.

CONJUGAL AFFECTION EXEMPLIFIED.

F all the pleasures that endear human life, there are none more worthy the attention of a rational creature, than those that flow from the mutual return of conjugal love.

WHEN two minds are thus engaged by the ties of reciprocal affection, each alternately receives and communicates a tranfport, inconceivable to all, but, those that are in this fituation: whence arifes, that heart-ennobling folicitude for one another's welfare; that tender sympathy, which alleviates affliction; and that participated pleasure, which heightens profperity, and joy itself.

THE following is a beautiful inftance of this exalted paffion.

CYRUS, king of Perfia, had taken captive, the young prince of Armenia, together with his beautiful and blooming princess, whom he had lately married, and of whom he was paffionately fond. When they, along with other prifoners, were brought before the tribunal,

tribunal, Cyrus afked the prince, "What he would "give, to be reinftated in his kingdom?" He anfwered with an air of indifference, "That, as for "his crown, and his own liberty, he valued them at "a very low rate: but, if Cyrus would reftore his "beloved princefs to her native dignity, and heredi"tary poffeffions, he should infinitely rejoice; and "would pay (this he uttered with tenderness and "ardor) would willingly pay his life for the pur"chase."

WHEN all the prifoners were difmiffed with freedom, it is impoffible to express how much they were charmed with their royal benefactor. Some celebrated his martial abilities; fome applauded his focial virtues all were prodigal of their praise, and lavish in grateful acknowledgments. "And you," faid the prince, addreffing himself to his bride'; "What "think you of Cyrus ?" "I did not obferve him," faid the princess." Not obferve him! Upon what "then was your attention fixed ?"— -Upon that "dear and generous man, who declared, that he "would purchase my liberty, at the expenfe of his own life!"

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XIII.

ON DISPUTATION.

VOID disputes as much as poffible. In order to appear easy and well-bred in conversation, you may affure yourself, that it requires more wit, as well as more good humour, to improve, than to contradict the notions of another: but, if you are at any

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