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fure being apt to carry us on to ob tain it, or the Means of procuring it in fuch a manner as Probably may expose us to greater Mischief than will be countervail'd by the Advantages which we may hope to reap from fuch Unreasonable, and Illegal Methods. Fortitude, and Patience are alfo Virtues, as whereby we are enabled bravely to fupport our felves under the Preffures to which our Humane State is conftantly liable, and even to fling off the Burthen; whereas a Feeble Mind gives way to Sloth, and finks, and is Crush'd under it; in fhort, Pru dence also is therefore a Virtue, because 'tis a Wife Management with regard to Time, Place, Perfons, and the Occafion, whereby we receive many Advantages, and avoid as many Inconveniencies. I must not enlarge; but by what has been faid it appears that in Reality Virque is the Qeconomy of Pleasure: 'tis a Re

a Restraint, that God, and Nature, and Wife Law-givers has put upon our Appetites: to what End? Spitefully to Retrench our Enjoyments? No, but to Enlarge, and Improve them. So that were I to paint the Fable of Prodicus as Annibale Caracci has done, I would not make the Way of Virtue Rough, and Stony, that of Vice fhould be fo: He, and other Moralifts have been injurious to Virtue when they have given us fuch Harsh Representations of her. Her Ways are Ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace.

'Tis in every man's power to feed as Deliciously as Lucullus: Nature is not only contented with a little, but he has the greatest Abundance when he has but what she wants; all the rest is an Enemy to Pleasure.

By Temperance, and

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Common Meal is a Feaft for an Epicure.

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Epicure. True Rational Appetite turns Water into Wine, and every Glafs is Tokay. He that fatisfies the true Demands of well Regulated Nature tho' never fo Cheaply

Blefjes his Stars, and calls it Luxury.

As Temperance gives us the highest Pleasure at a very Easy Rate, a Virtuous Man in that Sense has no Temptation to Injuftice. But what a Dignity of Mind does an Honest Man retain! How Eafily, and Securely does he walk in his Plain, and Open Way! with the Approbation, and Applause not only of his Own Mind (an Inestimable Treasure!) but of all the World. And he that has true Magnanimity (like Job's Leviathan) Laugheth at the fhaking of the Spear. He is as it were exempt from the Common Miseries of Life, and in the midst of Dangers and Misfortunes

Rides in the Whirlwind, and directs the Storm.

(I take leave to profit my self of the Words of a Great Man, admirably used by him to another Purpofe.) And as to the Advantages of Prudence they are well known, and the more Confiderable as being Perpetual; there is not a Day, nor an Hour in which we have not Occafion for the Exercise of this Virtue, and as often tafte the Fruits of it.

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I have only touch'd on the Pofitive Advantages of Virtue. By this means we moreover escape innumerable Inconveniencies, and Mischiefs, which I must not, and which I need not here enumerate. To conclude this head. Nature, Forgiveness of Injuries, Pity, Charity, and the like Social Virtues as they are never practifed but when Self-Love is at the Bot tom, however disguised it may happen to be; fo being guided by Pru

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dence (without which they lose their Properties, and become Vices) they always have a natural tendency to our Happiness; as Hatred, Malice, Averfion, Rage, and fuch like Turbulent, and Uneafy Distempers of the Mind; and even the above mentioned Virtues themselves not conducted by Prudence, are Enemies; and as Such are to be avoided: And thus the View of the Follies, Impertinencies, Ill Nature, or Wickedness of Others fhould not be permitted to interrupt our Tranquillity; Such is the Advice of the Pfalmift, Fret not thy Self because of Evil Doers; and which his Royal Son, renown'd for his Wifdom, as well as his being Infpir'd has repeated.

The next Step towards a Happy Life is to know how to Enjoy our Own.

Every Man is a distinct Being, an Island in the vaft Ocean of the

Univerfe;

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