fortune, by an inceffant attention to changes of countenance, bursts of inconsideration, fallies of paffion, and all the other cafualties by which he ufed to trace a character; yet they could not deny the study of human nature to be worthy of a wife man. They therefore flattered his vanity, applauded his difcoveries, and liftened with attentive fubmiffion to his lectures on the uncertainty of inclination, the weakness of refolves, and the inftability of temper; his display of the various motives which agitated the mind, and his ridicule of the modern dream of a ruling paffion. Such was the first incitement of Nugaculus to a clofe inspection into the conduct of mankind. He had no interest in view, and therefore no defign of fupplantation; he had no malevolence, and therefore detected faults without any intention to expose them but having once found the art of engaging his attention upon others, he had no inclination to call it back to himfelf; but has paffed his time in keeping a watchful eye upon every rifing character, and lived upon a fmall eftate without any thought of increasing it." He is, by continual application, become a general mafter of fecret hiftory; and can give an account of the intrigues and private marriages, competitions and ftratagems, of half a century. He knows the mortgages upon every man's estate, the terms upon which every fpendthrift raises his money, the real and reputed fortune of every lady; the jointure ftipulated by every contract, and the expectations of every family from maiden aunts and childlefs acquaintances. He can relate the economy of every houfe, knows how much one man's man's cellar is robbed by his butler, and the land of another underlet by his fteward: he can tell where the manor-houfe is falling, though large fums are yearly paid for repairs; and where the tenants are felling woods without the consent of the owner. To obtain all this intelligence, he is inadvertently guilty of a thousand acts of treachery. He fees no man's fervant without draining him of his trust; he enters no family without flattering the children into discoveries; he is a perpetual spy upon the doors of his neighbours; and knows, by long experience, at whatever diftance, the looks of a creditor, a borrower, a lover, and a pimp. Nugaculus is not ill-natured; and therefore his industry has not hitherto been very mischievous to others, or dangerous to himself. But as he cannot enjoy this knowledge but by discovering it; and, if he had no other motive to loquacity, is obliged to traffic like the chymifts, and purchase one fecret with another, he is every day more hated as he is more known he is confidered by great numbers, as one who has their fame and their happiness in his power, and no man can much love him of whom he lives in fear. Thus has an intention, innocent at first, if not laudable, the intention of regulating his own behaviour by the experience of others, betrayed Nugaculus not only to a foolish, but vicious wafte of a life, which might have been honourably paffed in public fervices or domestic virtues. Such is the fate of all exceffive defires, and fuch the confequence of giving up the mind to employments that engrofs, but do not improve it. T HE apparent infufficiency of every individual to his own happinefs or fafety, compels us to feek from one another affiftance and fupport; and not only the neceffity of joint efforts for the execution of any great or extenfive VOL. IV. defign, defign, but the variety of powers diffeminated in the fpecies, and the proportion between the defects and excellencies of different perfons, demands an interchange of help, and communication of enjoyments, and, by frequent reciprocations of beneficence, unites mankind in society and friendship. If it can be imagined, that there ever was a time when the inhabitants of any country were in a state of equality, it is reasonable to believe, that every man was then loved in proportion as he could contribute, by his ftrength or his fkill, to the fupply of natural wants; that there was little room for peevish diflike, or capricious favour; that the affection then admitted into the heart, was rather esteem than tendernefs; and that kindness was only purchased by benefits. But when, by force or policy, by wifdom or by fortune, diftinction and fuperiority were introduced and established, and many were condemned to labour for the fupport of a few, they whofe poffeffions fwelled above their wants, naturally laid out their fuperfluities upon pleasure; and they who could no longer be employed in effential affairs, nor purchase friendship by neceffary offices, endeavoured to promote their intereft by new gratifications, and to create wants which they might be courted to fupply. The defires of mankind are fo much more numerous than their enjoyments, and the capacity of real or imaginary poffeffion fo much too large to be filled up, that no power of bestowing can fatisfy ex pectation; and every diftant appearance of advantage muft excite struggles and competitions. That which can be obtained only by one, will be defired by multitudes, while there are multitudes unfatis▸ |