or infenfible to its dictates. The cafe, however, is not desperate, till we have formed our fyftem of politics, as well as manners; till we have fold our freedom for titles, equipage, and distinctions; till we fee no merit but profperity and power, no difgrace but poverty and neglect. What charm of inftruction can cure the mind that is tainted with this diforder? What fyren voice can awaken a defire of freedom, that is held to be meanness, and a want of ambition? or what perfuafion can turn the grimace of politenefs into real fentiments of humanity and candour?

SE C T. VII

Of Happiness.

HAVING had under our confideration the active powers and the moral qualities which diftinguish the nature of man, is it ftill neceffary that we fhould treat of his happiness apart? This fignificant term, the most frequent, and the most familiar, in our converfation, is, perhaps, on reflection, the leaft understood. It ferves to exprefs our fatisfaction, when any defire is gratified it is pronounced with a figh, when our object is diftant: it means what we wish to obtain, and what we feldom ftay to examine. We estimate the value of every fubject by its utility, and its influence on happiness; but we

think that utility itself, and happiness, require no explanation.

THOSE men are commonly esteemed the happiest, whofe defires are most frequently gratified. But if, in reality, the poffeffion of what they defire, and a continued fruition, were requifite to happiness, mankind for the most part would have reason to complain of their lot. What they call their enjoyments, are generally momentary ; and the object of fanguine expectation, when obtained, no longer continues to occupy the mind: a new paffion fucceeds, and the imagination, as before, is intent on a distant felicity.

How many reflections of this fort are fuggested by melancholy, or by the effects of that very languor and inoccupation into which we would willingly fink, under the notion of freedom from care and trouble?

WHEN we enter on a formal computation of the enjoyments or fufferings which are prepared for mankind, it is a chance but we find that pain, by its intenseness, its duration, or frequency, is greatly predominant. The activity and eagernefs with which we prefs from one stage of life to another, our unwillingness to return on the paths we have trod, our aversion in age to renew the frolicks of youth, or to repeat in manhood the amufements of children, have been accordingly ftated as proofs, that our memory of the paft, and our feeling of the prefent, are equal fubjects of diflike and difpleasure*.

THIS Conclufion, however, like many others, drawn from our fuppofed knowledge of caufes does not correfpond with experience. In every street, in every village, in every field, the greater number of perfons we meet, carry an aspect that is chearful or thoughtlefs, indifferent, compofed, bufy, or animated. The labourer whistles to his and the mechanic is at eafe in his calling; the frolickfome and gay feel a feries of pleafures, of which we know not the fource; even they who demonftrate the miseries of human life, when intent on their argument, efcape from their forrows, and find a tolerable pastime in proving that men are unhappy.

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THE very terms pleafure and pain, perhaps, are equivocal; but if they are confined, as they appear to be in many of our reafonings, to the mere fenfations which have a reference to external objects, either in the memory of the paft, the feeling of the prefent, or the apprehenfion of the future, it is a great error to fuppofe, that they comprehend all the conftituents of happiness or mifery; or that the good humour of an ordinary life is maintained by the prevalence of thofe pleafures, which have their feparate names, and are, on reflection, diftinctly remembered.

THE mind, during the greater part of its existence, is employed in active exertions, not in merely attending to its own feelings of pleasure or pain; and the lift of its faculties, understanding, memory, forefight, fentiment, will, and intention, only contains the names of its different operations.

IF, in the abfence of every fenfation to which we commonly give the names either of enjoyment or fuffering, our very existence may have its oppofite qualities of happiness or mifery; and if what we call pleofure or pain, occupies but a small part of human life, compared to what passes in contrivance and execution, in purfuits and expectations, in conduct, reflection, and focial engagements; it must appear, that our active pursuits, at least on account of their duration, deferve the greater part of our attention. When their occafions have failed, the demand is not for pleasure, but for fomething to do; and the very complaints of a fufferer are not fo fure a mark of diftrefs, as the ftare of the languid.

WE feldom, however, reckon any talk which we are bound to perform, among the bleffings of life. We always aim at a period of pure enjoyment, or a termination of trouble; and overlook the fource from which most of our prefent fatisfactions are really drawn. Afk the busy, Where is the happiness to which they afpire? they will anfwer, perhaps, That it is to be found in the object of fome prefent purfuit. If we afk, Why they are not miferable in the abfence of that happinefs? they will fay, That they hope to attain it. But is it hope alone that fupports the mind in the midst of precarious and uncertain profpects? and would affurance of fuccefs fill the intervals of expectation with more pleafing emotions? Give the huntsman his prey, give the gamester the gold which is ftaked on the game, that the one may

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not need to fatigue his perfon, nor the other to perplex his mind, and both will probably laugh at our folly the one will stake his money anew, that he may be perplexed; the other will turn his ftag to the field, that he may hear the cry of the dogs, and follow through danger and hardship. Withdraw the occupations of men, terminate their defires, exiftence is a burden, and the iteration of memory is a torment.

THE men of this country, fays one lady, fhould learn to fow and to knit; it would hin der their time from being a burden to themfelves, and to other people. That is true, fays another; for my part, though I never look abroad, I tremble at the prospect of bad weather; for then the gentlemen come mopping to us for entertainment; and the fight of a husband in diftrefs, is but a melancholy fpectacle.

THE difficulties and hardships of human life are fuppofed to detract from the goodness of God; yet many of the paftimes men devife for themfelves are fraught with difficulty and danger. The great inventor of the game of human life, knew well how to accommodate the players. The chances are matter of complaint: but if these were removed, the game itself would no longer amufe the parties. In devifing, or in executing a plan, in being carried on the tide of emotion and fentiment, the mind feems to unfold its being, and to enjoy itself. Even where the end and the object are known to be of little avail, the talents and the fancy are often intenfely applied, and