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When we confider we are bound to be Serviceable to Mankind, and bear with their Faults, we fhall perceive there's a common Tye of Nature, and Relation between us. But when we see Pecple grow troublefom, and difturb us in our Bufinefs, here we are to look upon Men, as indifferent fort of Things, neither Good, nor Bad to us, but according to our Management. 'Tis true, like a trofs Wind, they may hinder me in the Executing Part, but all this while my Inclination ftands firm, and the referve of a good Meaning, is fecur'd to me. Being rightly difpos'd, I can pafs on to the Exercise of another Vertue, and thus 'tis probable I may gain by the Oppofition, and turn the Disappointment to an Advantage.

A Man may be happy in any Ground, provided he have the Wit to chufe his Fortune. Now if his Manners be good, his Fortune can never be bad for Happiness lies in all the Functions of Reafon, in warrantable Defires, and Regular Practices.

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There's fcarce any Merit fufficient to balance an ill Action.

The best way of Revenge, is not to imitate the Injury.

Where Things appear moft plaufible and pretending, befure to bring them to the Teft, and look within them; and when the Paint is thus pull'd off, the Courfenefs of them will eafily be discover'd. Without this Care, Figure and Outfide are great Cheats; and when you think your Fancy is best employ'd, you'll be moft Fool'd. Even Vertue itfelf is fometimes Counterfeited, and Gravity is nothing else but Grimace. Thus Crates difcover'd Xenocrates's Philofophy to be only skin deep; G

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great Demurenefs without, and no less Vanity with

in.

Because you find a thing very difficult, don't presently conclude, that no Man can mafter it; But whatever you obferve practicable by another, believe likewife within your own Power.

To play the Knave, is to rebel against Religion; for all fort of Injustice, is no less than HighTreafon against Heaven.

Men are born to be Serviceable to one another: Therefore either reform the World, or bear with

it.

Omiffions, no less than Commissions, are oftentimes Branches of Injustice.

We must not expect Plato's Common-wealth; for as the World goes, a moderate Reformation is a great Point. If we can but govern People's Hands, we must let their Hearts and their Heads go free. To cure them all of their Folly and ill Principles, is Impracticable.

When any Body's Misbehaviour disturbs you, difmifs the Image of the Injury, and bethink your felf, whether you have not been guilty of the fame Fault. Such a Reflection will quickly make you cool and come to Temper; efpecially if you confider the Offender was not altogether his own man, but under the force of fome untoward Paf fion or other; you would do well therefore, if you can, to ftep in to the Refcue, and free him from the cause of his Disorder.

Beauty,

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Beauty, Homeliness.

we confider Agreeablenefs diftinct from Beauty, we may call it a fort of Symmetry or Proportion,the Rules of which no body can pofitively define; or a fecret Relation and Affinity of the Features one to another, and of all thefe together to the Complexion, Looks and Air of the Perfon.

Few Women's Worth out-lives their Beauty.

Gracefulness is to the Body, what good Senfe is to the Mind.

There is nothing fo natural to Perfons of the Fair-Sex, as to take a pleasure in their own Beauty. They please themfelves as much as 'tis poffible for others to please them, and are the firft that discover their own Charms, and fall in Love with them.

A Beautifull Woman is more concern'd to preferve her Beauty than her Lover, and fhews lefs Tenderness for a Heart already vanquifh'd than fhe expreffes Vanity and Oftentation in extending her Conquefts: Not but that fhe may very well be fenfible for her Gallant, but in all proba bility she will fooner refolve to fuffer the lofs of what she loves, than to lofe what causes her to be belov❜d.

As long as a Woman is in full Poffeffion of her Beauty, no Misfortune can befall her, which fhe cannot in fome meafure alleviate: But when once that Bleffing has left her, all the other advantages of Fortune will never be able to give her any tolerable Satisfaction.

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The laft Tears that Beautiful Eyes referve, are fpent in bewailing themselves after they are defac'd out of all Hearts. The only Perfon that ftill laments a loft Beauty is the miferable Poffeffor.

'Tis no fmall wonder to fee how Women that are fo mightily fond of their Beauty can use so much Art to anticipate its ruin.

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* Beauty is fo ncceffary to the Toung, that thofe who are without it, feem to be to no other purpose, than to wait on the Triumph of the Fair.

* Some Women fet up for Beauty, as much inIpite of Nature, as fome Men do for Wit.

* Ill-favour'd-Women are never fo naufeous, as when they would be Beauties; adding to their Natural Deformity, the Artificial Ugliness of Affectation.

Homely Women are as malicious to the Fair, as Blockheads are to Witty Men; for they look upon other Womens Accomplishments as the upbraiding of their Deformities.

The Contempt of Beauty in the Ill-favour'd, is as falfe as the Contempt of Riches in fome Philofophers.

Agreeableness is arbitrary, but Beauty is fomething more real and Independent upon the Palate and Opinion.

* Whofoever has any thing contemptible in his Perfon, has alfo a perpetual Spur upon him to refcue and deliver himfelf from fcorn, Therefore all Deformed Perfons are extream bold, Firft, in their own defence, as being expos'd to Scorn; but in procefs of Time, by a general Habit. Befides, it ftirreth them up to Industry, to watch and

obferve

obferve the Weakness of others, that they may have fomewhat to repay.

Benefits, Gratitude, Ingratitude.

A Man had rather meet with those who de

pend upon him, than that are thankful to him. To keep People in Hopes, is Prudence; to truft to their Gratitude, Simplicity. For it is as common for Gratitude to be forgetful, as for Hopes to be mindful. You get always more by this, than by the other. So foon as the Orange is Squeez'd, it's thrown upon the Ground; and likewife when Dependance ceafes, there's an end of Correfpondence and Efteem alfo.

That Man who never grants a Favour without a great deal of Intreaty and Importunity, does as it were, pay himself by his own Hands, and forfeits his claim to our Gratitude.

The acknowledging Benefits never done, is with fome People,the most effectual way to engage them to oblige us.

'Tis the Art of great Polititians to make that a Favour, which would have been afterwards but a Reward. Favours which go before Merit, have two Perfections; one is the Promptitude, which obliges the Receiver to greater Gratitude; and the other, because the fame Gift, which coming later, would be a Debt, by anticipation is a pure Favour. A cunning way of transforming Obligations, fince he who would have deferv'd to be Rewarded, is oblig'd to a thankful Acknowledg

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