ESSAY XII.

ON AFFECTATION.

"I hate the face, however fair,
That carries an affected air;

The lisping voice, the shape constrained,
The studied look, the passion feigned,
Are fopperies, which only tend

To injure what they strive to mend."

Moore's Fables.

AMONG the many vices and follies to which human nature is prone, there is not one that shews its imperfection and inconsistency in so glaring a light as that of affectation. If men only affected such qualities as they might reasonably be desirous of possessing, this failing might not be without its use the habit of assuming an appearance of virtue and good sense, would, perhaps, lead to the possession of them, or, at least, engender a certain degree of respect for all that is worthy and estimable; and many people would doubtless discover this very useful fact, that the attainment of excel

lence is easier than the affectation of it, which can seldom be practised with complete success. But, unfortunately, few take the pains to affect those endowments which, if really possessed, would do them credit. It is to the most childish, the most contemptible habits, that affectation commonly leads; and many a person assumes imperfections and weaknesses that are far from belonging to his character, and which, if he thought seriously on the subject, he would hasten to disclaim.

To be free from all pretence, and to maintain, as it is usually termed, a natural character, is considered with approval in either sex; and one would therefore suppose, that a commendation so easily deserved would be very generally laid claim to, and that perfect simplicity, that is, the absence of all affectation, must become too universal for remark. Yet we do not find it so: we see people make a great effort to appear easy and natural; but effort only leads them farther from nature, and even simplicity must be the effect of habit. We often hear a man of good education say coarse, blunt things; or a woman, who can speak rationally, chatter the most puerile nonsense, in order to pass for a natural character; forgetting that the propensities natural to one mind are foreign to

another; and debasing the nobler nature, to affect that which is mean and insipid. It should be remembered that, by long habit, that which was at first assumed, becomes natural; that the drawl, the swagger, the foolish lisp, or the vulgar idiom, adopted at the age of twenty, will be unconquerable at twenty-five; that common sense, however deeply implanted, will not thrive without cultivation; and that he who neglects to use his reason in youth, may be pretty sure of becoming a mere driveller before his hairs are grey.

At the first view it appears totally unaccountable how such a vice as affectation can exist, since we see no inducement that any one can have for rendering himself, in any respect, more imperfect than nature has already made him. But a moment's reflection will shew us, that the main spring of this, as well as of many other errors, is self-love, which, if not carefully checked, engenders a constant desire to attract notice, no matter by what means; an effort to shine without ceasing; and a total forgetfulness of a rule, admitting of very few exceptions, that the most beautiful objects lose a part of their attraction by being placed in too strong a light.

A person with only just sense enough to be

quiet, will always make a better figure than he who, in his anxiety to obtain applause, suffers his efforts to degenerate into affectation, and, intolerant of neglect, cannot fail to incur ridicule.

ESSAY XIII.

ON AN IMPATIENT TEMPER.

"Oh blest with temper! whose unclouded ray
Can make to-morrow cheerful as to-day."

POPE.

ALL things are great or small only by comparison. As some parts of the creation increase in immensity beyond our powers of comprehension, and others dwindle into minuteness imperceptible to our organs, so in the affairs of men; mount as we will, some soar beyond our reach; descend as we may, some lie below our observation. It remains, therefore, with ourselves to fix the standards of comparison, by which every transaction in life may be considered as great or small, momentous or trifling; and a correct judgment will shew itself in forming a just estimate of the relative importance of each.

One general rule we may observe on this head, with great advantage to ourselves; it is, never to