being eternal and independent, was incapable of change in any of its properties, even by the Almighty Mind, who, when he came to fafhion it into a world of beings, muft take it as he found it. This notion, as most others of theirs, is a compofition of truth and error. That matter is eternal, that, from the firft union of foul to it, it perverted its inclinations, and that the ill influence it hath upon 'the mind is not to be corrected by God himfelf, are all very great errors, occafioned by a ⚫ truth as evident, that the capacities and difpofitions of the Soul depend, to a great degree, on the bodily temper. As there are fome fools, others are knaves by conftitution; and particularly it may be faid of many, that they are born with an illiberal caft of mind the matter that compofes them is tenacious as birdlime; and a kind of cramp draws their hands and their hearts together, that they never care to open them, unlefs to grasp at more. "It is a melancholy lot this; but attended with one advantage above theirs, to whom it would be as painful to forbear good offices as it is to thefe men to perform them; that whereas perfons naturally beneficent often mistake inftinct for virtue, by reafon of the difficulty of diftinguishing when one rules them and when the other, men of the oppofite character may be more certain of the motive that predominates ' in every action. If they cannot confer a be'nefit with that eafe and franknefs which are neceflary to give it a grace in the eye of the world, in requital, the real merit of what 6 • they they do is enhanced by the oppofition they • furmount in doing it. The ftrength of their • virtue is feen in rifing againft the weight of 6 nature; and every time they have the refolution to discharge their duty they make a facrifice of inclination to confcience, which is always too grateful to let its followers go without fuitable marks of its approbation. Perhaps the entire cure of this ill quality is no more poffible than of fome diftempers that defcend by inheritance. However, a great deal may be done by a courfe of beneficence obftinately perfifted in; this, if any thing, being a likely way of cftablishing a moral habit, which fhall be fomewhat of a counterpoife to the force of mechanifm. Only it must be remembered that we do not intermit, upon any pretence whatfoever, the cuftom of doing good, in regard, if there be the least ceffation, nature will watch the opportunity to return, and in a fhort time to recover the ground it was fo long in quitting; for there 6 is this difference between mental habits and fuch as have their foundation in the body; these last are in their nature more forcible and violent; and, to gain upon us, need only not to be opposed; whereas the former must be continually reinforced with fresh fupplies, or they will languifh and die away. And this fuggefts the reafon why good habits in general require longer time for their fettlement than bad, and yet are fooner difplaced; the reason is, that vicious habits, as drunkennefs 6 • for for inftance, produce a change in the body, which the others not doing, must be main⚫tained the fame way they are acquired, by the mere dint of induftry, refolution, and vigi lance. Another thing which fufpends the opera tions of benevolence, is the love of the world; proceeding from a false notion men have taken up, that an abundance of the world is an effential ingredient in the happiness of life. Worldly things are of fuch a quality as to leffen upon dividing, fo that the more partners there are the lefs muft fall to every 'man's private fhare. The confequence of this is that they look upon one another with an ' evil eye, each imagining all the rest to be embarked in an intereft that cannot take place but to his prejudice. Hence are thofe eager competitions for wealth or power; hence one man's fuccefs becomes another's difappointment; and, like pretenders to the fame miftrefs, they can feldom have common charity for their rivals. Not that they are naturally difpofed to quarrel and fall out; but it is natural for a man to prefer himself to all others, and to fecure his own intereft first. If that which men efteem their happinefs were, like the light, the fame fufficient and unconfined good, whether ten thousand enjoy the benefit of it or but one, we fhould fee men's goodwill and kind endeavours would be as univerfal. VOL. VIII. R Homo Homo qui erranti comiter monftrat viam To direct a wanderer in the right way, is to light another man's candle by one's own, which ⚫lofes none of its light by what the other gains.' 6 But, unluckily, mankind agree in making • choice of objects which inevitably engage them in perpetual differences. Learn, therefore, like a wife man, the true eftimate of σ things. Defire not more of the world than is neceffary to accommodate you in paffing through it; look upon every thing beyond not as ufelefs only, but burdenfome. Place not your quiet in things which you cannot have without putting others befides them, and thereby making them your enemies; and which, when attained, will give you more trouble to keep than fatisfaction in the enjoyment. Virtue is a good of a nobler kind; it grows by communication; and fo little refembles earthly riches, that the more hands it is lodged in the greater is every man's particular ftock. So, by propagating and mingling their fires, not only all the lights of a branch together caft a more extenfive brightness, but each fingle light burns with a stronger flame. And laftly, take this along with you, that if wealth be an inftrument of pleasure, the ¿ greatest pleafure it can put into your power is that of doing good. It is worth confidering, that the organs of fenfe act within a narrow narrow compafs, and the appetites will foon fay they have enough. Which of the two therefore is the happier man-he who, confining all his regard to the gratification of his appetites, is capable but of fhort fits of pleafure-or the man who, reckoning himself a 'fharer in the fatisfactions of others, efpecially thofe which come to them by his means, enlarges the fphere of his happinefs? The last enemy to benevolence I fhall mention is uneafinefs of any kind. A guilty, or • a discontented mind, a mind ruffled by ill'fortune, difconcerted by its own paffions, foured by neglect, or fretting at difappointments, hath not leisure to attend to the neceflity or unreafonablenefs of a kindness defired, nor a tafte for thofe pleasures which wait on beneficence, which demand a calm and unpolluted heart to relifh them. The moft miferable of all beings is the most en'vious; as, on the other hand, the most communicative is the happieft. And if you are in fearch of the feat of perfect love and friendship, you will not find it until you come to 'the region of the bleffed, where happinefs, like a refreshing stream, flows from heart to heart in an endless circulation, and is preferved 'fweet and untainted by the motion. It is old advice, if you have a favour to request of any one, to obferve the fofteft times of addrefs, when the foul, in a flath of good-humour, 'takes a pleasure to fhew itfelf pleafed. Perfons 'confcious of their own integrity, fatisfied R 2 • with . 6 |