nerofity never goes to the rigour of Matters, nor delights in giving Pain and Punishment. A noble Temper regards the Happiness of Mankind, and is govern'd by Sympathy and Affection. Whereas Vindictiveness proceeds from the Exceffes of Self-love, minds no Interest but its own, and is a perfect Stranger to Humanity. Revenge when improv'd into Habit and Inclination, is the Temper of a Tyrant: 'Tis a strong Compofition of Pride and Cruelty: Impatient of the leaft Provocation, and unconcern'd at the Mifchief of a return. Now he that's fenfible of no Evil, but what he feels, has a hard Heart; and he that can fpare no Kindness from himself, has a narrow Soul. A Temper that's generous and humane, is willing to overlook, to excufe, and wait for better Ufage: To pity the uneven Starts, and Mifperformances of Life, and Converfation. There's a great Backwardnefs in fuch a Temper to expoftulate and complain; to expofe Defects, and demand Reparations. Good Nature will teach us to ftifle our Refentments; to diffemble the Pain, and fmother the Injury, rather than let them break out to the Disturbance of another: But to be of a touchy, a peevish, and proD 4 fecuting

fecuting Humour; to be quick in Discovering a Fault, and ready to fpring out into Revenge; to kindle and rage like Gunpowder, at the leaft Spark; this is a fign we are perfectly wrapt up in our own Interest, and over-grown with Selfishness and Conceit. Now fuch a favage and inhospitable Difpofition, is the most unbelov'd Quality. All the Advantages of Perfon, all the Improvements of Nature, can never make amends. When a Man is known to be thus unfociable and unfympathizing; to have no Principles of Friendship and Generofity, nothing of Sweetness or Balfam in his Blood, when this once appears, he'll find as few Friends as he deferves, and little Love will be loft between him and his Neighbours.

Philot. Most likely; and because I am not willing to fall under the Character and Inconveniencies you mention, I shall endeavour to fweeten my Humour, and keep the Ferment down: I confess, the World affords Provocations enough, and fome Men deserve to be mortified: But I see the Remedy is worse than the Difeafe: 'Tis more advifeable to be quiet than to move for Reparation: For as it happens in Law-Suits, the firft Lofs is commonly the best: And therefore I shall

alter

alter my Refolution, and leave my unfriendly Neighbours to the Correction of their own Folly.

Philal. You are certainly in the right. And to make us the more easy under the Expedient, let us arm our selves with thinking, and keep Reafon upon the Guard. Thus the Mind will be too hard for a Blow, and either fence, or not feel. Thus we shall disappoint the Pleasure of Malice and ill Nature: This is the way to break the Force of an Affront; and make an Injury fall upon us like Hail upon Tiles, rattle without Mifchief, and tumble into Dirt. In a word, Let us always look out for the best Conftruction, wish every Body well, pity Ignorance, and defpife ill Usage.

Philot. I fhall endeavour to follow your Advice.

Your Servant.

OF

OF

AUTHORS.

In a DIALOGUE between

Eulabius and Crito.

Eulabius.

G

Ood Morrow to you Șir, I'm glad to fee you: I hope you are perfectly recover'd of your last Illness

Crito. Sir, I thank you, I am pretty well; but fome what in hafte; and therefore fince we are old Acquaintance, I fhall beg you to be as brief in your Queftions as you can.

Eulab. Why in fuch a hurry? Come, you must oblige me with one Quarter of an Hour.

Crit. Well! If you are so kind to infift on't, that time fhall be at your Service; tho' I muft tell you, I'm going to meet Company upon earnest Bufinefs.

Eulabius. You have an enterprizing Head, pray what Project are you upon

now?

Crit. Don't you know there's a Book

intituled,

Morning?

to be publish'd this

Eulab. What then?

Crit. In Confidence then I'll tell you, we are going to bring my Gentleman to the Touchstone, and try what Metal he is made of: I fancy we shall fift him to the Bran, and make him run the Gantlet before he gets clear of us.

Eulab. If that be all the Business, you need not be in fuch hafte; you have time enough for Sentence and Execution, and may Hang and Draw at your Leifure. For when the Book is once out, the Rubicon is past, the Dye is thrown, and the Chance must be ventur'd.

Crit. With Submiffion, you seem unpractis'd in the Mystery of a Critick: If you would fucceed, you must deal with an Author, as they do with an Enemy, fire the Beacons, and draw down the Poffe at his firft Landing, and charge him while he is ftaggering upon the Beach; to give him time to find his Limbs, and march, may be of ill Confequence, he may be join'd by his Friends, and gain upon the Country, and then 'twill be too late to stop his Progrefs.

Enlab.