to be the companions of an idle hour. More folid qualities must recommend us to the wife, and mark us out for importance and confideration in fubfequent life.

DISSAPPOINTED PRIDE.

WHEN a man's fufferings arife from the bad

difpofitions of his own heart; when in the height of profperity he is rendered miferable folely by difappointed pride, every ordinary motive for communication ceafes. The violence of anguish drives him to confefs a paffion which renders him odious, and a weaknefs which rendershim defpicable.

In the eye of his family, every man wishes to appear refpectable, and to cover from their knowledge whatever may vilify or degrade him. Attacked or reproached abroad, he confoles himself with his importance at home; and in domestic attachment and respect, feeks for fome compenfation for the injuftice of the world. But the torments this folly occafions force him to break through all reftraints, and publish his fhame be fore those from whom all men feek moft to

.it.

le

PRINCIPLE AND SENTIMENT CONTRASTED.

SEN

ENTIMENT and Principle are often miftaken for each other; though in fact they wide ly differ.-Sentiment is the virtue of ideas, and Principle the virtue of action.-Sentiment has its feat in the head, Principle in the heart.-Sentiment fuggefts fine harangues, and fubtle diftinctions; Principle conceives just notions, and performs good actions in confequence of them.-Sentiment refines away the fimplicity of truth, and the plainness of piety; and, as Voltaire, that celebrated wit, has remarked of his no lefs celebrated contemporary Rouffeau, "gives us virtue in words and vice in deeds."-Sentiment may be called the Athenian, who knew what was right; and Principle the Lacedemonian, who practifed it.

Thefe qualities may be exemplified from confidering two characters beautifully drawn by the admirable pen of Milton.--Belial, who may be called, and not improperly, the Demon of fentiment; and Abdiel, the Angel of principle.

BELIAL.

BELIAL.

A fairer person loft not heaven; he seem'd
For dignity composed, and high exploit,
But all was falfe and hollow, tho' his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reafon, to perplex and dash
Matureft counfels; for his thoughts were low,
To vice induftrious, but to nobler deeds
Tim'rous and flothful; yet he pleased the ear.

ABDIEL.

Faithful found

Among the faithlefs, faithful only he
Among innumerable falfe, unmoved,
Unfhaken, unfeduced, unterrified;
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal.
Nor number, nor example with him wrought
To fwerve from truth, or change his conftant mind,
Tho' fingle.-

A

PROSPERITY.

SINGLE disappointment is fufficient to embitter all the pleasures of worldly profperity. Though it might be expected, one in

poffef

poffeffion of high power and station should difregard flight injuries. But prosperity debilitates, instead of strengthening the mind. Its common effect is, to create an extreme fenfibility to the flightest wound. It foments impatient defires; and raises expectations which no fuccefs can fatisfy. It fofters a falfe delicacy, which fickens in the midst of indulgence;-by repeated gratification, it blunts the feelings of men to what is pleafing; and leaves them unhappily acute to whatever is uneafy.

NECESSITY OF PRUDENCE IN EVERY
STAGE OF LIFE.

A

T the first fetting out in life, especially when yet unacquainted with the world and its fnares, when every pleasure enchants with its fmile, and every object fhines with the glofs of novelty, youth should beware of the feducing appearances which furround them; and recollect what others have fuffered from the power of headftrong defire. If any paffion be allowed, even though it fhould be efteemed innocent, to acquire an abfolute afcendant, their inward peace will be impaired. But if any, which has the taint of

guilt,

The certain caitquence of

is, that there fall come in eri b

anguifh of diappointment fill acknowledge tha all which we enjoy alleen us nothing.

REDEMP