being disgusted by its contrary; and may find at once, that by the folidity of the Reason, the parity and propriety of the Expreffion, and infinuating agreeablenefs of Addrefs, his Understanding is enlighten'd, his Affections fubdu'd, and his Will duly regulated.

This is indeed the true end of Writing, and it wou'd not be hard for every one to judge how well they had anfwer'd it, wou'd they but lay afide Self-love, fo much of it at least, as makes them partial to their own Productions. Did we confider our own with the fame Severity, or but Indifferency, that we do another's Writing, we might pafs a due Cenfure on it, might difcern what Thought was crude or ill-express'd, what Reasoning weak, what Paffage fuperfluous, where we were flat and dull, where extravagant and vain, and by criticizing on ourselves, do a greater kindness to the World than we can in making our Remarks on others. Nor fhou'd we be at a lofs, if we were impartial, in finding out Methods to inform, perfuade and please; for human Nature is for the moft part much alike in all, and that which has a good Effect on us will, generally fpeaking, have the fame on others. To guess what Succefs we are like to have, we need only suppose ourfelves in the Place of those we addrefs to, and confider how fuch a Difcourfe wou'd operate on us, if we had their Infirmities and Thoughts about us.

In doing this, we shall find there is nothing more improper than Pride and Pofitiveness, nor any thing more prevalent than an innocent Compliance with their Weaknefs: Such as pretends not to dictate to their Ignorance, but only to explain and illuftrate what they did or might have known before, if they had confider'd it, and fuppofes that their Minds being employ'd about fome other things, was the Reason why they did not difcern it as well as we: For human Nature is not willing to own its Ignorance. Truth is fo very attractive, there is such a natural Agreement between our Minds and it, that we care not to be thought fo dull, as not to be able to find out by

ourselves

ourfelves fuch obvious Matters. We fhould therefore be careful, that nothing pafs from us which upbraids our Neighbours Ignorance, but study to remove it, without appearing to take notice of it, and permit them to fancy, if they please, that we believe them as wife and good as we endeavour to make them. By this we gain their Affections, which is the hardest part of our Work, excite their Industry, and infufe a new Life into all generous Tempers, who conclude there is great Hopes, they may with a little pains attain what others think they know already, and are asham'd to fall short of the good Opinion we have entertain'd of them.

And fince many would yield to the clear Light of Truth, were it not for the fhame of being overcome, we fhou'd convince, but not triumph, and rather conceal our Conqueft than publish it. We doubly oblige our Neighbours, when we reduce them into the right Way, and keep it from being taken notice of that they were once in the wrong: which is certainly a much greater Satisfaction, than that blaze of Glory which is quickly out, that noise of Applaufe which will foon be over. For the gaining our Neighbour, at least, the having honestly endeavour'd it, and the leading our own Vanity in triumph, are real Goods, and fuch as we fhall always have the comfort of. It is to be wifh'd, that fuch Propofitions as are not attended with the clearest Evidence, were deliver'd only by way of Enquiry, fince even the brighteft Truth, when dogmatically dictated, is apt to offend our Reason, and make Men imagine their Liberty is impos'd upon; fo far is Pofitiveness from bringing any body over to our Sentiments. Befides, we are all of us liable to mistake, and few have Humility enough to confefs themselves deceiv'd in what they have confidently afferted, but think they are oblig'd in honour to maintain an Opinion they have once been zealous for, how defirous foever they may be to get rid of it, cou'd they do it handfomly. Now a modest way of delivering our Sentiments affifts us in this, and leaves

us at liberty to take either fide of the Queftion, as Reason and riper Confideration fhall determine.

In fhort, As thinking conformably to the nature of things is true Knowledge, fo the expreffing our Thoughts in fuch a way, as moft readily, and with the greatest Clearness and Life, excites in others the very fame Idea that was in us, is the best Eloquence. For if our Idea be conformable to the nature of the thing it represents, and its Relations duly stated, this is the most effectual way both to inform and perfuade; fince Truth being always amiable, cannot fail of attracting, when she is placed in a right Light, and thofe to whom we offer her are made able and willing to difcern her Beauties. If therefore we thoroughly understand our Subject, and are zealously affected with it, we fhall neither want suitable Words to explain, nor perfuafive Methods to recommend it.

True Chriftians have really that Love for others, which all who defire to perfuade, muft pretend to : They have that Probity and Prudence, that Civility and Modefty, which the Masters of this Art fay a good Orator must be endow'd with, and have pluck'd up those vicious Inclinations, from whence the most diftafteful faults of Writing proceed. For why do we choose to be obfcure, but because we intend to deceive, or would be thought to see much farther than our Neighbour? One fort of Vanity prompts us to be rugged and severe, and fo poffefs'd with the imagin'd Worth and Solidity of our Discourse, that we think it beneath us to polish it: Another difpofes us to elaborate and affected ways of Writing, to pompous and improper Ornaments; and why are we tediously copious, but that we fancy every Thought of ours is extraordinary? Contradiction is indeed for our Advantage, as tending to make us wifer; yet our Pride makes us impatient under it, because it feems to leffen that Efteem and Deference we defire fhould be paid us. Whence come those sharp Reflexions, those imagin'd ftrains of Wit, not to be endur'd among Chriftians, and which serve not to convince but to pro

voke, now arriv'd to a more fcandalous degree of Rage and Infolence than ever? whence come they but from Ill-nature and Revenge, from a Contempt of others, and a defire to fet forth our own Wit? Did we write lefs for ourselves, we fhould fooner gain our Readers, who are many times disgusted at a well-writ Discourse, if it carries a twang of Oftentation: And were our Temper as Christian as it ought to be, our Zeal wou'd be fpent on the most weighty Things, not on little differences of Opinions.

I have made no Distinction in what has been faid between Speaking and Writing, because tho' they are Talents which do not always meet, yet there is no material Difference between them. They write beft, perhaps, who do it with the gentle and easy air of Converfation; and they talk best, who mingle folidity of Thought with the agreeableness of a ready Wit. As for Pronunciation, tho' it takes more with fome Auditors many times than good Senfe; there needs little to be faid, in a Difcourfe which is not address'd to those that have business with the Pulpit, the Bar, or St. Stephen's Chapel; but to Gentlemen and Ladies, especially the latter, whom Nature does for the most part furnish with such a mufi, cal Tone, perfuafive Air, and winning Addrefs, as renders what they fay fufficiently agreeable in private Converfation. And as to Spelling, which they are faid to be defective in, if they do not believe, as they are ufually told, that it is fit for them to be fo, and that to write exactly is too pedantick, they may foon correct that Fault, by pronouncing their Words aright, and spelling them accordingly. I know this Rule will not always hold, because of an Imperfection in our Language, which has been often complain'd of, but is not yet amended: However, a little Observation in this Cafe, or Recourse to Books, will affift us; and if at any time we happen to mistake, by fpelling as we pronounce, the Fault will be very venial, and Custom rather to be blamed than we.

Nothing

Nothing has been faid of Grammar, tho' we cannot write properly if we tranfgrefs its Rules, fuppofing that Custom, and the reading of English Books, are fufficient to teach us the Grammar of our own Tongue, if we do but in any measure attend to them. And tho' the Ladies are generally accus'd of writing falfe English, if I may Speak my own Experience, their Mistakes are not fo common as are pretended, nor are they the only Perfons guilty. What they moft commonly fail in, is the Particles and Connexion: and that generally thro' a Brisknefs of Temper, which makes them forget; or Hafte, which will not fuffer them to read over again what went before. And indeed, those who speak true Grammar, unless they are very careless, cannot write falfe, fince they need only peruse what they have writ, and confider whether they would exprefs themselves thus in Converfation.

T

PRID E.

HE Sobriety of the Soul ftands in a right governing its Paffions and Affections, and to that there are many Virtues requir'd. Humility may well have the first Place, not only in respect of the Excellency of the Virtue, but also of its Usefulness towards the obtaining of all the reft; this being the Foundation on which all the others must be built: And he who hopes to gain them without this, will prove like the foolish Builder who built his Houfe upon the Sand.

There are two forts of Humility: As, the having a low and mean Opinion of ourselves, and the being content that others fhould have so of us. The former is contrary to Pride, the latter to Vain-glory; both are as abfolutely neceffary to Chriftians as it is to avoid the contrary Vices,

The