been a great deal of fire without producing any thing but smoke. If it be a science it is certainly one of the liberal ones; for the professors or followers of it have spent more money upon it than those of all other sciences together; and more than they ever will recover, without the philopher's stone.-Sir W. Temple.

DCCXCVI.

Good Breeding, like charity, not only covers a multitude of faults, but to a certain degree supplies the want of some virtues; for in the common intercourse of life it acts good-nature, and often does what mere good-nature cannot always do; it keeps both wits and fools within those bounds of decency, which the former are too apt to transgress, and which the latter never know.-The World.

DCCXCVII.

A Youth, introduced suddenly into life, feels as awkwardly as one immersed for the first time in water; and the chances are that he sinks as soon.-Zimmerman.

DCCXCVIII.

Anecdote of Voltaire.—When the English and French were disputing as to their respective rights to certain territories in America, Voltaire happily remarked, that they were quite agreed upon one point; viz., that the natives had no right at all to the land in question.

DCCXCIX.

Catherine de Medicis.-When the infamous Catherine of Medicis had persuaded Charles IX. of France to massacre all the Protestants in the kingdom, that detestable prince sent orders to the governors of the different provinces, to put all the Hugonots to death in their respective districts." Sire," answered one Catholic governor, who will ever be dear to humanity, "I have too much respect for your Majesty not to persuade myself that the order I have received must be forged; but if, which God forbid, it should be really your Majesty's order, I have too much respect for your Majesty to obey it."-Elegant Anecdotes.

DCCC.

The last Argument of the Poor, whenever they have recourse to it, will carry more, perhaps, than persuasion to parliament, or supplication to the throne.-Junius.

DCCCI.

Desire of Ease the principal Motive to Action.—Though happiness be the universal aim, yet the pursuit of it is as various as the constitution, habits, and age of the persons seeking it, and thus each man being moved by his prevalent desires, his faculties will be directed to the attainment of those things only, he considers at that time to make a necessary part of his individual happiness. All other good, however great in reality or appearance, excites not a man's desires who looks not on it, to form a part of that happiness wherewith he in his present thought can satisfy himself. Happiness under this view every

one constantly pursues, and desires what makes any part of it; other things acknowledged to be good he can look upon without desire, pass by, and be content without. There is no one, perhaps, so senseless as to deny that there is pleasure in knowledge; and for the pleasures of sense they have too many followers to let it be questioned, whether men are taken with them or no. Now let one man place his satisfaction in sensual pleasure, another in the delight of knowledge, though each of them cannot but confess there is great pleasure in what the other pursues, yet neither of them making the other's delight a part of his happiness, their desires are not excited, but each is satisfied without what the other enjoys, and so he is not determined to the pursuit of it. But as soon as the studious man's hunger and thirst make him uneasy, he whose de. sire was never moved by any allurements of good cheer, delicious wines, &c., is, by the uneasiness of hunger and thirst, presently determined to eating and drinking, though possibly with great indifference, what wholesome food comes in his way; and, on the other side, the epicure buckles to study when shame, or the desire to recommend himself to his mistress, shall make him uneasy in the want of any sort of knowledge.

Let a drunkard find that his health decays, his estate wastes, discredit, and diseases, and the want of all things, even of his beloved drink, attend him in the course he follows, still the returns of uneasiness at missing his companions, and the habitual thirst after his cups, drives him at the usual time to the tavern, though he at the same time admits, that the pleasures of health and plenty are far preferable to the tickling of his palate with a glass of wine, or the idle chat of a soaking club. His perseverance in vice is not for want of considering the greater good,

which, in the intervals of his drinking hours, he will make resolutions to pursue, but, on the return of his uneasiness, at the want of his accustomed delight, the greater acknowledged good loses its hold, and the present uneasiness determines him to the wonted action, and thereby gets stronger footing to prevail against the next occasion.-Locke.

DCCCII.

The Impolicy of Prosecution for Opinions.-All violence exerted towards opinions, which falls short of extermination, serves no other purpose than to render them more known, and ultimately to increase the zeal and number of their abettors. Opinions that are false may be dissipated by the force of argument; when they are true, their punishment draws towards them, infallibly, more of the public attention, and enables them to dwell with more lasting weight and pressure in the mind. The progress of reason is aided, in this case, by the passions, and finds in curiosity, compassion, and resentment, powerful auxiliaries.-Robert Hall.

DCCCIII.

Peace. If peace is not to be found at home, it is not natural to expect that we should look for it abroad? The parents, and husbands, who know not this, may be brought to repent of their ignorance.-Zimmerman.

DCCCIV.

Man's Nature.-The wisest observers of man's nature have pronounced him to be a creature gentle and sociable, inclinable to, and fit for conversation, apt to keep good order, to observe rules of justice, to embrace any sort of vir

tue if well managed, if instructed by good discipline, if guided by good example, if living under the influence of wise laws and virtuous governors. Fierceness, rudeness, craft, malice, all perverse and intractable, all mischievous and vicious dispositions do grow among men (like weeds in any, even the best, soil,) and overspread the earth, from neglect of good education; from ill-conduct, ill-habits, illexample; but man's soul hath appetites and capacities, by which, well guided and ordered, it soars and climbs continually in its affection and desire towards Divine Perfection.-Barrow.

DCCCV.

The Patient can oftener do without the doctor than the doctor without the patient.-Zimmerman.

DCCCVI.

Content, Discontent.-If we estimate things wisely, rich men are more liable to discontent than poor men. It is observable that men of highest fortune are apt, most easily to resent the smallest things; a little neglect, a slight word, an upleasing look doth affect them more than reproaches, blows, wrongs do those of a mean condition. Prosperity is a nice and squeamish thing, and it is hard to find any thing able to please men of a full and thriving estate; whereas a good meal, a small gift, a little gain, or good success of his labour, doth produce in a poor man a very solid pleasure: whence contentedness hath place, and is needful in every condition, be it in appearance never so prosperous, so plentiful, so pleasant.-Barrow.

VOL. II.-14