PART I.

PIECES IN PROSE.

CHAP. I.

SELECT SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS.

CHAP. II.

NARRATIVE PIECES.

Sect. I. No rank or possessions can make the guilty mind

happy

Sect. II. Change of external condition often adverse to virtue

Sect. III. Haman; or the misery of pride

Sect. IV. Motives to the practice of gentleness

Sect. V. A suspicious temper the source of misery to its

possessor

Sect. VI. Comforts of religion

Sect. VII. Diffidence of our abilities a mark of wisdom

Sect. VIII. On the importance of order in the distribution

Sect. IV. Ortogrul; or the vanity of riches

Sect. V. Lady Jane Grey

Sect. VI. The hill of science

Sect. VII. The journey of a day; a picture of human life

CHAP. III.

of our time

Sect. IX. The dignity of virtue amidst corrupt examples

Sect. X. The mortifications ef vice greater than those of virtue

Sect. XI. On contentment

Sect. XII Rank and riches afford no ground for envy

Sect. XIII. Patience under provocations our interest as

well as duty

Sect. XIV. Moderation in our wishes recommended

Sect. XV. Omniscience and omnipresence of the Deity,

the source of consolation to good men

CHAP. IV.

ARGUMENTATIVE PIECES.

Sect. I. Happiness is founded in rectitude of conduct

Sect. II. Virtue man's highest interest

Sect. III. The injustice of an uncharitable spirit

Sect. IV. The misfortunes of men mostly chargeable on

themselves

Sect. V. On disinterested friendship

Sect. VI. On the immortality of the soul

CHAP. V.

DESCRIPTIVE PIECES.

Sect. I. The seasons

Sect. II. The cataract of Niagara, in Canada, North America

Sect. III. The grotto of Antiparos

70

Sect. IV. The grotto of Antiparos, continued

72

Sect. V. Earthquake at Catanea

73

Sect. VI. Creation

ib.

Sect. VII. On charity

Sect. VIII. Prosperity is redoubled to a good man

Sect. IX. On the beauties of the Psalms

75

Sect. X. Character of Alfred, King of England

Sect. XI. Character of queen Elizabeth

Sect. XII. On the slavery of vice

Sect. XIII. The man of integrity

78

82

68

69

76

80

ib.

Sect. XIV. On gentleness

CHAP. VI.

PATHETIC PIECES.

Sect. I. Trial and execution of the earl of Strafford

Sect. II. An eminent instance of true fortitude of mind

Sect. III. The good man's comfort in affliction

Sect. IV. The close of life

Sect. VI. The clemency and amiable character of the pa-
triarch Joseph

Sect. VII. Altamont

CHAP. VII.

DIALOGUES.

Sect. I. Democritus and Heraclitus

Sect. II. Dionysius, Pythias, and Damon

Sect. III. Locke and Bayle

Sect. V. Exalted society, and the renewal of virtuous con-

nexions, two sources of future felicity

CHAP. VIII.

PUBLIC SPEECHES.

Sect. I. Cicero against Verres

107

Sect. II. Speech of Adherbal to the Roman Senate, implor-

ing their protection against Jugurtha

110

Sect. III. The apostle Paul's noble defence before Festus

and Agrippa

113

Sect. IV. Lord Mansfield's speech in the House of Lords,

1770, on the bill for preventing the delays of

justice, by claiming the privilege of Parliament

Sect. V. An address to young persons

CHAP. IX.

PROMISCUOUS PIECES.

Sect. I. Earthquake at Calibria, in the year 1638

Sect. II. Letter from Pliny to Geminius

Sect. III. Letter from Pliny to Marcellinus, on the death

of an amiable young woman

Sect. IV. On Discretion

115

119

123

126

127

128

Sect. V. On the government of our thoughts

131

Sect. VI. On the evils which flow from unrestrained passions 133

Sect. VII. On the proper state of our temper, with respect

to one another

Sect. VIII. Excellence of the Christian religion

Sect. IX. Reflections occasioned by a review of the bless-

ings, pronounced by Christ on his disciples, in

his sermon on the mount

134

136

Sect. X. Schemes of life often illusory

Sect. XI. The pleasures of virtuous sensibility

Sect. XII. On the true honor of man

137

138

141

142

Sect. XIII. The influence of devotion on the happiness oflife 144

Sect. XIV. The planetary and terrestrial worlds compar-

Sect. XVII. Description of candor

Sect. XVIII. On the imperfection of that happiness which

atively considered

146

Sect. XVI. The pleasures resulting from a proper use of

our faculties

Sect. XV. On the power of custom, and the uses to which

it may be applied

Sect. XXIII. Virtue, when deeply rooted, is not subject

164

rests solely on worldly pleasures

Sect. XIX. What are the real and solid enjoyments of hu-

man life

Sect. XX. Scale of beings

Sect. XXI. Trust in the care of Providence recommended

Sect. XXII. Piety and gratitude enliven prosperity

to the influence of fortune

Sect. XXIV. The speech of Fabricus, a Roman Ambas-

sador, to king Pyrrhus, who attempted to

bribe him to his interests, by the offer of a

great sum of money

Sect. XXV. Character of James I. king of England

Sect. XXVI. Charles V. emperor of Germany, resigns his

dominions, and retires from the world

Sect. XXVII. The same subject continued

165

166

167

170

PART II.

PIECES IN POETRY.

CHAP. I.

SELECT SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS.

Sect. I. Short and easy sentences

Sect. II. Verses in which the lines are of different length

Sect. III. Verses containing exclamations, interrogations,

Sect. V. Verses in which sound corresponds to signification 181

Sect. VI. Paragraphs of greater length

183

CHAP. II.

NARRATIVE PIECES.

Sect. I. The bears and the bees

Sect. II. The nightingale and the glow worm

Sect. III. The trials of virtue

Sect. IV. The youth and the philosopher

185

186

187

189

Sect. V. Discourse between Adam and Eve, retiring to rest 190

Sect. VI. Religion and death

193

Sect. V. A paraphrase on the latter part of the sixth chap-

ter of Matthew

198

Sect. VI. The death of a good man, a strong incentive to

virtue

199

Sect. VII. Reflections on a future state, from a review of

ib.

winter

Sect. VIII. Adam's advice to Eve, to avoid temptation

Sect. IX. On procrastination

Sect. X. That philosophy, which stops at secondary causes,

reproved

Sect. XI. Indignant sentiments on national prejudices and

hatred; and on slavery

201

ib.

203

204

CHAP. IV.

DESCRIPTIVE PIECES.

Sect. I. The morning in summer

205

Sect. II. Rural sounds, as well as rural sights, delightful

206

Sect. VI. Charity. A paraphrase on the 13th chapter of

Sect. IX. The pleasure and benefit of an improved and well

Sect. V. Verses supposed to be written by Alex. Selkirk,

during his solitary abode in the Island of Juan

Fernandez

Sect. VI. Gratitude

219

220

Sect. VII. A man perishing in the snow; from whence re-

flections are raised on the miseries of life

Sect. VIII. A morning hymn

CHAP. VI.

Sect. I. Ode to content

PROMISCUOUS PIECES.

Sect. II. The shepherd and the philosopher

Sect. III. The road to happiness open to all men

Sect. IV. The goodness of Providence

222

224

225

227

229

230

Sect. V. The Creator's works attest his greatness

zb.

Sect. VI. Address to the Deity

231

Sect. VII. The pursuit of happiness often ill-directed

233

Sect. VIII. The fireside

234

Sect. IX. Providence vindicated in the present state of man 236

Sect. XIII. Ode to adversity

240

Sect. XIV. The creation required to praise its Author

Sect. XIX. Day. A pastoral in three parts

Sect. XX. The order of nature

247

250

Sect. XXI. Hymn composed durip sickness

Sect. XXII. Hymn on a review of the seasons

251

252