NUMB. 57.

SATURDAY, May 19, 1759.

RUDENCE is of more frequent ufe than any other intellectual quality; it is exerted on flight occafions, and called into act by the curfory bufinefs. of common life.

Whatever is univerfally neceffary, has been granted to mankind on eafy terms. Prudence, as it is always wanted, is without great difficulty obtained. It requires neither extenfive view nor profound search, but forces itfelf, by fpontaneous impulfe, upon a mind neither great nor bufy, neither ingroffed by vaft defigns nor diftracted by multiplicity of attention.

Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rules on compofition; it produces vigilance rather than elevation, rather prevents lofs than procures advantage; and often efcapes mifcarriages, but feldom reaches either power or honour. It quenches that ardour of enterprize, by which every thing is done that can claim praise or admiration; and repreffes that generous temerity which often fails and often fucceeds. Rules may obviate faults, but can never confer beauties; and prudence keeps life fafe, but does not often make it happy. The world is not amazed with prodigies of excellence, but when wit tramples upon rules, and magnanimity breaks the chains of prudence.

One of the most prudent of all that have fallen within my obfervation, is my old companion Sophron, who has paffed through the world in quiet, by per

petual

petual adherence to a few plain maxims, and wonders how contention and diftrefs can so often happen.

The first principle of Sophron is to run no hazards. Though he loves money, he is of opinion, that frugality is a more certain fource of riches than industry. It is to no purpose that any prospect of large profit is fet before him; he believes little about futurity, and does not love to truft his money out of his fight, for nobody knows what may happen. He has a small eftate, which he lets at the old rent, because it is better to have a little than nothing; but he rigorously demands payment on the stated day, for be that cannot pay one quarter cannot pay two. If he is told of any improvements in agriculture, he likes the old way, has obferved that changes very seldom answer expectation, is of opinion that our forefathers knew how to till the ground as well as we; and concludes with an argument that nothing can overpower, that the expence of planting and fencing is immediate, and the advantage diftant, and that he is no wife man who will quit a certainty for an uncertainty. Another of Sophron's rules is, to mind no business but bis own. In the ftate he is of no party; but hears and speaks of publick affairs with the fame coldness as of the adminiftration of fome ancient republick. If any flagrant act of fraud or oppreffion is mentioned, he hopes that all is not true that is told: if mifconduct or corruption puts the nation in a flame, he hopes that every man means well. At elections he leaves his dependants to their own choice, and declines to vote himself, for every candidate is a good man, whom he is unwilling to oppofe or offend.

If difputes happen among his neighbours, he obferves an invariable and cold neutrality. His punctuality has gained him the reputation of honefty, and his caution that of wisdom, and few would refuse to refer their claims to his award. He might have prevented many expenfive law-fuits, and quenched many a feud in its firft fmoke, but always refufes the office of arbitration, because he muft decide against one or the other.

With the affairs of other families he is always unacquainted. He fees eftates bought and fold, fquandered and increased, without praising the economist, or cenfuring the fpendthrift. He never courts the rifing, left they fhould fall; nor infults the fallen, left they fhould rife again. His caution has the appearance of virtue, and all who do not want his help praife his benevolence; but if any man folicits his affiftance, he has juft fent away all his money; and when the petitioner is gone, declares to his family that he is forry for his misfortunes, has always looked upon him with particular kindnefs, and therefore could not lend him money, left he should destroy their friendship by the neceffity of enforcing payment.

Of domeftick misfortunes he has never heard. When he is told the hundredth time of a gentleman's daughter who has married the coachman, he lifts up his hands with aftonishment, for he always thought her a very fober girl. When nuptial quar rels, after having filled the country with talk and laughter, at laft end in feparation, he never can conceive how it happened, for he looked upon them as a happy couple.

If his advice is afked, he never gives any particular direction, becaufe events are uncertain, and he will bring no blame upon himself; but he takes the confulter tenderly by the hand, tells him he makes his cafe his own, and advises him not to act rafhly, but to weigh the reafons on both fides; obferves, that a man may be as easily too hafty as too flow, and that as many fail by doing too much as too little; that a wife man has two ears and one tongue; and that little faid is foon amended; that he could tell him this and that, but that after all every man is the beft judge of his own affairs.

With this fome are fatisfied, and go home with great reverence of Sophron's wifdom, and none are offended, because every one is left in full poffeffion of his own opinion.

Sophron gives no characters. It is equally vain to tell him of vice and virtue, for he has remarked that no man likes to be cenfured, and that very few are delighted with the praifes of another. He has a few terms which he uses to all alike. With refpect to fortune, he believes every family to be in good circumstances; he never exalts any understanding by lavish praise, yet he meets with none but very fsenfible people. Every man is honeft and hearty, and every woman is a good creature.

Thus Sophron creeps along, neither loved nor hated, neither favoured nor oppofed: he has never attempted to grow rich, for fear of growing poor; and has raised no friends, for fear of making enemies.

NUMB. 58. SATURDAY, May 26, 1759.

LEASURE is very feldom found where it is fought. Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected fparks. The flowers which fcatter their odours from time to time in the paths of life, grow up without culture from feeds fcattered by chance.

Nothing is more hopeless than a fcheme of merriment. Wits and humourifts are brought together from diftant quarters by preconcerted invitations; they come attended by their admirers prepared to laugh and to applaud: they gaze a-while on each other, afhamed to be filent, and afraid to speak; every man is difcontented with himself, grows angry with thofe that give him pain, and refolves that he will contribute nothing to the merriment of fuch worthlefs company. Wine inflames the general malignity, and changes fullennefs to petulance, till at last none can bear any longer the prefence of the reft. They retire to vent their indignation in fafer places, where they are heard with attention; their importance is reftored, they recover their good humour, and gladden the night with wit and jocularity.

Merriment is always the effect of a fudden impreffion. The jeft which is expected is already deftroyed. The most active imagination will be fometimes torpid under the frigid influence of melancholy,