conceive to be impoffible. You now think yourself funk into the deepest abyss of suffering and forrow; but the time will foon arrive when you will perceive yourselves in that happy state in which the mind verges from earth and fixes its attention on heaven. You will then enjoy a calm repose, be susceptible of pleasures equally fubftantial and fublime, and poffefs, in lieu of tumultuous anxieties for life, the ferene and comfortable hope of immortality.-Bleffed, fupremely bleffed, is he who knows the value of retirement and tranquillity, who is capable of enjoying the filence of the groves, and all the pleasures of RURAL SOLITUDE. The foul then taftes celeftial delight even under the deepest impreffions of forrow and dejection, regains its strength, collects new courage, and acts with perfect freedom. The eye then looks with fortitude on the tranfient fufferings of difeafe; the mind no longer feels a dread of being alone; and we learn to cultivate, during the remainder of our lives, a bed of rofes round even the tomb of death. *«Explorant adverfa viros, perque afpera duro "Nittitur ad laudem virtus interrita clivo." SILIUS ITALICUS. "But oft ADVERSITY exalts the mind; "And fearless VIRTUE may, from perils, find And reach the heights of never-ending praise." THESE THESE reflections upon the general advantages resulting from RATIONAL SOLITUDE and occafional Retirement, bring me next to this important question, "Whether it is easier to live virtuously in SOLITUDE or in THE WORLD?" CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE QUESTION, WHETHER IT IS EASIER TO LIVE VIRTUOUSLY IN SOLITUDE, OR IN THE WORLD, CONSIDERED, THE are practifed merely from a sense of duty. The clergy afford inftruction to the ignorant and confolation to the afflicted. The Lawyers protect the innocent and vindicate the injured. The Phyficians vifit the fick, and adminifter relief to their complaints whether real or imaginary. But not, as they would infinuate, from charitable feelings, and for the fake of humanity. Inftruction, confolation, protection, and health, are in fuch cafes afforded not from any particular bias of the heart towards their respective objects, but from a sense of duty which the professors of Law, Divinity, and Phyfic, respectively entertain; a duty imposed upon them by their peculiar stations in fociety; and which it would be difgraceful in them not to perform. The words, "your known humanity," words which always hurt my feelings, when they introduce the fubjects of the letters I daily receive, are nothing but words of ceremony, a common falfehood introduced by flattery and fupported only by custom. HUMANITY is a high and important virtue, founded on a nobleness of foul of the first species; and how is it to be known whether a man performs certain actions from this warm and generous motive, or from a cold fense of duty? Good works certainly do not always proceed from motives completely virtuous. The bosom of a man whose mind is conftantly immersed in the corrupted currents of the world is generally shut against every thing that is truly good; he may however sometimes do good without being virtuous, for he may be great in his actions though little in his heart*. Virtue is a quality much more rare than is generally imagined: and therefore the words humanity, virtue, patriotifm, and many others of fimilar kinds, fhould be used with greater caution than they ufually are in the intercourses of mankind. It is only upon particular occasions that they ought to be called forth; for by making them too familiar their real import is weakened, and the fenfe of thofe excellent qualities they express in * "Viri poteftatibus fublimes," fays Lord Chancellor BACON, ipfi tibi ignoti funt. Et dum negotiis diftrahuntur, tempore carent, quò, * fanitati aut corporis, aut animæ fuæ caufulant.” a great a great degree deftroyed. Who would not blush to be called learned or humane, when he hears the moft ignorant complimented on their knowledge, and "the well-known humanity" of the most atrocious villain lavishly praised? MEN are, without doubt, more likely to become really virtuous in the bosom of rational Retirement, than amidst the corruptions of the world. VIRTUE, for ever frail as fair below, Her tender nature suffers in the crowd, Nor touches on THE WORLD without a ftain: Unthought before, or fix a former flaw. Nor is it ftrange: light, motion, concourse, noise, In fume and diffipation; quits her charge; VIRTUE indeed, of whatever defcription it may be, cannot be the produce of good example, for virtuous examples are very rarely seen in the world; but arifes from a conviction, which filent reflection infpires, that goodness is fuperior to every other poffeffion, I |