I have often experienced the Uneafiness you mention, at reading any thing that pleased me when you was not with me. One finds but a vague Enjoyment in any Pleasure, unshared by the Perfon beloved.

I think I have Reason to resent the Apology you make for writing upon Subjects above a tawdry Girl's Reflection. If you confider me in that Light, I must join with the World in condemning your Tafte: But if, as you have flattered me, my Perfon has the leaft Share in your Affection, that you love my Mind, and would improve it, in order to render it capable of the highest Enjoyment, that of conversing with you, why need you make any Apology for taking the proper Method of rendering it worthy of your Regard? I have often told you, that no Subject can appear dull or abftrufe to me, which you wrote on: Nay, I have gone farther, and fometimes fancied, that if you were to write in a Language I was wholly unacquainted with, I fhould certainly understand you; at least I am fure I fhould, if I was to hear and fee you speak it.

2

I have never met with any of Dr. Watts's Writings; but, from the Specimen you give, I take him to be a better Chriftian than Philo

fopher. Though I am fure there may be many ftronger Arguments against Suicide, than thofe you quote from him, yet I am pleafed at his confidering

confidering every Individual, though without vifible Tye or Connection, as neceflary to the Well-being of the whole Species; for, as the Great Artificer made nothing in vain, the Wretch who finds not Happiness in his own Bofom, or in any outward Objects, may, from this Principle alone, conclude Self-Murder to be a Crime.

But, after all, what are all Arguments about this Matter? Only fpeculative Effays: For T am convinced, that no Perfon ever committed the Act, but an Atheift or a Madman. Then it would be in vain to reason with the firft, upon Principles which he denies you; and it would be à Jeft to reason with the other at all.

After this Reflection, I do not look upon Suicide in that fhocking Light which other People do For, with Regard to the Atheist, I fear it is pretty equal, to his poor Soul, after what Manner he dies; and, as to the Madman, I throw him upon his Mercy, who could, had he pleased, have "made Reafon rule, and Paffion be it's Slave.

LETTER CXCII.

HENRY to FRANCES.

"I talked of dying; better Thoughts come "forward ;" and fince the Satisfaction I have had in this Day has made me fomewhat more in Love with Life, I fhall here give you a Supplement to my laft Letter, left you should imagine I was quite of a different Opinion from Watts, because I did not allow his Reasoning to be fufficiently ftrong upon the Subject.

I do not look upon Suicide, or indeed upon any Act, in the Light that Divines do, as criminal in itself, but regard all Actions, in a general View, as indifferent in themselves; for the fame Thing may be virtuous at one Time, and vicious at another: So that the Difference feems to lie merely in Circumftance. I think, with Deference to the Pulpit, that whoever understands the Nature of Vice in any other Sense, impioufly charges God with having originally generated Evil. Now, with Regard to this particular Instance we are upon, I confider a Suicide not as guilty of a particular Crime, but of so

much

much Vice, as the moral Confequences of the Act leave him chargeable with: And the Chain is fo extenfive, and the Dependencies fo nice, in this Life, that very few Men can be free enough, from Relation or Contingency, to be perfectly clear from Guilt in this Act: And, fo far as it is a Crime, it is of the highest Nature fo, as it has the Aggravation of Presumption, the Sin of acting against Nature, and the Impoffibility of Repentance.

However there may be particular Inftances where the Thing may be indifferent in itself; yet, even here, though the Action be innocent, the Turn of Mind, which prompts to it, muft be extremely vicious. It argues an Impatience and Rashness, which are the Signs of an Intemperance of Soul, a Difregard to the Opinion of this World, which every good Man should have Refpect for, or a Defpair of God's Providence, which a Man of Philofophy or Religion fhould never betray.

There are, I think, but three Things which can provoke a Perfon to this defperate A&t; Pain, Poverty, or Shame. If from the first Circumstance, then he has forgot what all the Trials in this Life were intended for; and fo foolishly refufes that Phyfic, which may give him Health to Immortality. If from the second, it is owing to a falfe Pride, and an unchristian Spirit, joined to a Habit of Idleness, which

creates

creates a flothful Despondency. If from the third, he but feals his Name with Infamy, makes that Shame the more public, and deprives himself of any Opportunity of retrieving his Character. It was finely faid, by fome great Man, upon hearing Libels had been wrote against him, "I will live fo, as to give the Lye "to their Reproach."

Suppofe a Criminal, leading forth to Execu tion, even he fhall have no Power over his own Life, though already forfeited and condemned ;* for he adds to his Crime, by rebelling against the Laws of his Country, and deprives the Community of a wholesome Example of public Juftice. Befide, as all human Inflictions may be confidered as Trials of our Virtue, fo may even legal Punishments, if undergone with Refignation, Contrition, and Hope, be confidered. as Attonements for our Crimes.

Thus you fee, that even in the most indif ferent Cafe, though the Action itself may be morally innocent, yet it can never be performed but by a vicious Actor..

In fhort, it is an Action contrary to the Laws of God and Man. The firft, without recurring to Authorities, may be proved from the natural Abhorrence we find in ourselves from the Act, which, to Demonftration, fhews the Senfe of Providence about the Matter: And the fecond: we know from the general Senfe of Mankind,

who