most interesting question, with a defence of his own consistency.

It is scarcely necessary to remark, that an argument upon an interesting question, is always much degraded, when it is suffered to involve with it a personal discussion.

Of personal discussions, that of consistency is one of the most frivolous.

Inconsistency is as unfortunate a test of a man's insincerity, as can be imagined.

If by inconsistency we understand some contradiction between one branch of a man's creed and another, this is undoubtedly a defect.

It proves

that he is imperfect, not that he is dishonest.

But, if by inconsistency we understand, that he does not believe now what he once believed, that his character is changed, and his conduct regulated by different principles, this is scarcely any argument of present defect. Yet this is the sort of inconsistency, the charge of which is most frequently and vehemently repelled.

It is obvious that the man, who, in adjusting accounts with his own mind, is influenced as to the opinions he shall now receive, by the consideration of what it was that he formerly believed, is so far a vitiated character. He ought to be ready to receive the truth, however unlike it may be to his former habits of thinking.

But we are entitled to go further than this, and to affirm that inconsistency, in the sense last explained, is glorious, instead of being shameful. Who is it that is likely, through Shakespear's seven ages of man, to think always alike? The slave of prejudice, or the slave of idleness. The active and independent mind, the genuine lover of and enquirer after truth, will inevitably pass through certain revolutions of opinion.

It may be alleged in behalf of those who are eager in the vindication of the unalterableness of their opinions and principles, that great stress is laid upon this point by the vulgar.

But then, on the other hand, it is to be remarked that, when great and illustrious characters lend their aid to the prejudices of the vulgar, they add much to the vigour of prejudice, and are so far the enemies, not the friends, of the improvement and happiness of mankind.

ESSAY X.

OF POLITENESS.

SECT. I.

BENEFITS OF POLITENESS.

Ir has been no unfrequent profession among men of a bold temper, and who are smitten with a love

for the sublimer virtues, that they are enemies to politeness.

One of the greatest misfortunes incident to morality, as well as to a majority of sciences, flows from the ambiguity of words.

By politeness many persons understand artificial manners, the very purpose of which is to stand between the feelings of the heart and the external behaviour. The word immediately conjures up to their mind a corrupt and vicious mode of society, and they conceive it to mean a set of rules, founded in no just reason, and ostentatiously practised by those who are familiar with them, for no purpose more expressly, than to confound and keep at a distance those who, by the accident of their birth or fortune, are ignorant of them.

In this sense no doubt politeness is worthy of our decisive disapprobation, and in this sense it is to be regretted that there is vastly too much politeness in the world.

Urbanity is a term that has met with a better fortune among our contemporaries, than politeness. Yet, if we have recourse to their etymology, politeness is certainly not less appropriate and laudable. As it descends to us from the Greek, its nature is precisely coincident; as it comes to us through the medium of the Latin word, which signifies to polish, to make smooth, agreeable to the eye, and pleasant to the touch, it is sufficiently

adapted to that circumstance in morals which may admit of a substantial vindication.

Morality, or the exercise of beneficence, consists of two principal parts, which may be denominated the greater morality, and the less. Those actions of a man's life, adapted to purposes of beneficence, which are fraught with energy, and cannot be practised but in an exalted temper of mind, belong to the greater morality; such as saving a fellow being from death, raising him from deep distress, conferring on him a memorable advantage, or exerting one's self for the service of multitudes. There are other actions, in which a man may consult the transitory feelings of his neighbours, and to which we can seldom be prompted by a lofty spirit of ambition; actions which the heart can record, but which the tongue is rarely competent to relate. These belong to the lesser morality.

It should seem as if our temper and the permanent character of our minds, should be derived from the greater morality; but that the ordinary and established career of our conduct, should have reference to the less.

No doubt a man of eminent endowments and fortunate situation may do more good by the prac tice of the greater morality, than he can do mischief by the neglect of the less. But, even in him, the lesser moralities, as they are practised or neg

lected, will produce important effects. The neglect of them, however illustrious may be the tenour of his life, and however eminent his public services, will reflect a shade of ambiguity upon his character. Thus authors, whose writings have been fraught with the seeds of general happiness, but whose conduct towards their relatives or acquaintance has been attended with any glaring defect, have seldom obtained much credit for purity of principle. With the ordinary rate of mankind it is worse when they have parted with the lesser moralities, they have nearly parted with every thing.

The great line of distinction between these two branches of morality, is that the less is of incomparably more frequent demand. We may rise up and lie down for weeks and months together, without being once called upon for the practice of any grand and emphatical duty. But it will be strange if a day pass over our heads, without affording scope for the lesser moralities. They furnish therefore the most obvious test as to the habitual temper of our lives.

Another important remark which flows from this consideration, is that the lesser moralities, however minute in their constituent particles, and however they may be passed over by the supercilious as unworthy regard, are of great importance in the estimate of human happiness. It is