rich, nor suffer the pain of feeling little when the sons of fortune walk at thy right hand for independency, whether with little or much, is good fortune, and places thee on even ground with the proudest of the golden fleece. Oh, then, be wise, and let industry walk with thee in the morning, and attend thee until thou reachest the evening hour for rest. Let honesty be as the breath of thy soul, and never forget to have a penny, when all thy expenses are enumerated and paid: then shalt thou reach the point of happiness, and independence shall be thy shield and buckler, thy helmet and crown; then shall thy soul walk upright, nor stoop to the silken wretch because he hath riches, nor pocket an abuse because the hand which offers it wears a ring set with diamonds.—Franklin. CCCVIII. To men addicted to delights, business is an interruption; to such as are cold to delights, business is an entertainment. For which reason it was said to one who commended a dull man for his application, No thanks to him; if he had no business, he would have nothing to do.'-Steele. CCCIX. 6 We are sometimes apt to wonder, to see those people proud who have done the meanest things: whereas a consciousness of having done poor things, and a shame of hearing it, often makes the composition we call pride.--Pope. CCCX. The truth is, like your coat of arms, To a melancholy lord.-Shirley. CCCXI. Some people take more care to hide their wisdom than their folly.-Swift. CCCXII. The true gentleman finds no more favour from his schoolmaster, than his schoolmaster finds diligence in him, whose rod respects persons no more than bullets are partiall in a battel.-Fuller. CCCXIII. To give and to lose is nothing; but to lose and to give still, is the part of a great mind.-Seneca. CCCXIV. To make a fine gentleman several trades are required, but chiefly a barber: you have undoubtedly heard of the Jewish champion, whose strength lay in his hair: one would think that the English were for placing all wisdom there. To appear wise nothing more is requisite here, than for a man to borrow hair from the heads of all his neighbours, and clap it like a bush on his own: the distributors of law and physic stick on such quantities, that it is almost impossible, even in idea, to distinguish be tween the head and hair.-Goldsmith. CCCXV. Cunning has only private selfish aims, and sticks at nothing which may make them succeed. Discretion has large and extended views, and, like a well-formed eye, commands a whole horizon: cunning is a kind of shortsightedness, that discovers the minutest objects which are near at hand, but is not able to discern things at a distance. Discretion, the more it is discovered, gives a greater authority to the person who possesses it: cunning, when it is once detected, loses its force, and makes a man incapable of bringing about even those events which he might have done, had he passed only for a plain man. Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life: cunning is a kind of instinct, that only looks out after our immediate interest and welfare. Discretion is only found in men of strong sense and good understandings: cunning is often to be met with in brutes themselves, and in persons who are but the fewest removes from them. In short, cunning is only the mimic of discretion, and may pass upon weak men, in the same manner as vivacity is often mistaken for wit, and gravity for wisdom.-Addison. CCCXVI. As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly. CCCXVII. Shakspeare. He that does good to another man, does also good to himself; not only in the consequence, but in the very act of doing it; for the conscience of well-doing is an ample reward.-Seneca. CCCXVIII. In love, the state which fills the heart with a degree of solicitude next that of an author, it has been held a maxim, that success is most easily obtained by indirect and unperceived approaches; he who too soon professes himself a lover, raises obstacles to his own wishes, and those whom disappointments have taught experience, endeavour to conceal their passion till they believe their mistress wishes for the discovery. The same method, if it were practicable to writers, would save many complaints of the severity of the age, and the caprices of criticism. If a man could glide imperceptibly into the favour of the public, and only proclaim his pretensions to literary honours when he is sure of not being rejected, he might commence author with better hopes, as his failings might escape contempt though he shall never attain much regard.-Johnson. CCCXIX. You may take my word, that nine parts in ten of a man's sense or his nonsense, his successes and miscarriages in this world depend upon their motions and activity, and the different tracks and trains you put them into, so that when they are once set a going, whether right or wrong, 'tis not a halfpenny matter,-away they go clattering like hey-go mad; and by treading the same steps over and over again, they presently make a road of it, as plain and as smooth as a garden-walk, which, when they are once used to, the d-I himself sometimes shall not be able to drive them off it.-Sterne. CCCXX. Love looks aloft, and laughs to scorn all such as griefs annoy, The more extreme their passions be, the greater is his joy; Thus Love, as victor of the field, triumphs above the rest, And joys to see his subjects lie with living death in breast; But dire Disdain lets drive a shaft, and galls this bragging fool, He plucks his plumes, unbends his bow, and sets him new to school; Whereby this boy that bragged late, as conqueror over all, Now yields himself unto Disdain, his vassal, and his thrall. Hunnis. CCCXXI. A man of the best parts and the greatest learning, if he does not know the world by his own experience and observation, will be very absurd: and consequently very unwelcome in company. He may say very good things; but they will be probably so ill-timed, misplaced, or improperly addressed, that he had much better hold his tongue. Chesterfield. CCCXXII. Most people are so unreasonable, not to say shameless, as to desire their friends should be what they themselves cannot attain to; and expect more from them than they are willing to give in return. In justice, however, one should first be a good man himself, and then cultivate friendship with those of his own character.-Cicero. CCCXXIII. All wit does but divert men from the road CCCXXIV. Butler. As there are no laws extant against ingratitude, so it is utterly impossible to contrive any, that in all circumstances shall reach it. If it were actionable, there would not be courts enough in the whole world to try the causes in. There can be no setting a day for the requiting of benefits, as for the payment of money; nor any estimate upon the benefits themselves; but the whole matter rests in the conscience of both parties: and then there are so many degrees of it, that the same rule will never serve all.-Seneca. CCCXXV. To the passionate fondness for distinction are owing various frolicsome and irregular practices as sallying out into nocturnal exploits, breaking of windows, singing of catches, beating the watch, getting drunk twice a day, killing a great number of horses; with many other enterprises of the like fiery nature; for certainly many a man is more rakish and extravagant than he would willingly be, were there not others to look on and give their appro bation.-Hughes. CCCXXVI. Our forefathers and ancestors, in all times, have been of this nature and disposition, that upon the winning of a battle, they have chosen rather, for a sign and memorial of their triumphs and victories, to erect trophies and moauments in the hearts of the vanquished, by clemency |