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273. Commerce favourable to Civilization and Peace.-There are many things which in themselves are morally neither good nor bad? but they are productive of consequences which are strongly marked with one or other of these characters. Thus commerce, though in itself a moral nullity, has had a considerable influence in tempering the human mind. It was the want of objects in the ancient world which occasioned such a rude and perpetual turn for war. Their time hung on their hands without the means of employment. The indolence they lived in afforded leisure for mischief; and being all idle at once, and equal in their circumstances, they were easily provoked or induced to action.

But the introduction of commerce furnished the world with objects, which in their extent reach every man, and give him something to think about, and something to do: by these his attention is mechanically drawn from the pursuits which a state of indolence and an unemployed mind occasioned; and he trades with the same countries which former ages, tempted by their productions, and too indolent to purchase them, would have gone to war with.

The condition of the world is materially changed by the influence of science and commerce; it is put into a fitness not only to admit of, but to desire an extension of, civilization. The world has undergone its divisions of empire, the several boundaries of which are known and settled. The idea of conquering countries like the Greeks and Romans, does not now exist; and experience has exploded now the notion of going to war for the sake of profit. In short, the objects of war are exceedingly diminished, and there is now left scarcely any thing to quarrel about, but what arises from the demon of society, Prejudice, and the consequent sullenness and untractableness of the temper.-Paine.

274. Love of Fame.

The love of praise, howe'er concealed by art,
Reigns more, or less, and glows in every heart:
The proud to gain it toils on toils endure,
The modest shun it, but to make it sure,

O'er globes and sceptres, now, on thrones it swells,
Now trims the midnight lamp in college cells.
'Tis tory, whig; it plots, prays, preaches, pleads,
Harangues in senates, speaks in masquerades.
It aids the dancer's heel, the writer's head,
And heaps the plain with mountains of the dead;
Nor ends with life; but nods in sable plumes,
Adorns our hearse, and flatters on our tombs.

Young.

275. Actions. To do an ill action is base; to do a good one, which involves you in no danger, is nothing more than common; but it is the pro. perty of a truly good man, to do great and good things, though he risk every thing by it.-Marius.

276. Analysis of the Word" Character.”—In a moral sense it signifies an habitual disposition of the soul, that inclines to do one thing in preference to another of a contrary nature. Thus a man who seldom or never pardons an injury, is of a revengeful character. Let it be remarked, we say seldom or never, because a character results not from a disposition being rigorously constant at all times, but from its being generally habitual, and that by which the soul is most frequently swayed.

Mr Du Clos, in his reflexions upon manners, very judiciously remarks, that the greatest part of the errors and follies in the conduct of mankind happen because they have not their minds in an equilibrium, as it were, with their characters. Thus Cicero was a great genius, but a weak soul, which is the reason of his being elevated to the highest pinnacle of fame as an orator, although he could never rise above mediocrity as a man. Similar observations might be made on many other celebrated personages.

There is no member of society more dangerous than a man without a character; that is, a person whose soul has not any one disposition more habitual to it than another. We readily confide in a virtuous man, but are distrustful of a villain. The man without a character is alternately the one and the other, nor are we able to determine which: therefore we can look upon him neither as a friend or an enemy. He is a sort of amphibious being if we may be allowed the expression, that is, not specifically adapted to live in any one element. This calls to our remembrance that admirable law of Solon, that declared all those persons infamous, who were of no party in times of sedition; because he knew full well, that there are no objects more to be feared in society than men undetermined from a want of character.

Historical and Literary Anecdotes.

277. Social Anomaly.-In proportion as nations have become great and powerful, and have made advances in wealth and acquirements, the mass of misery, corruption, and rankling at their base, has also continued progressively to be enlarged, until it may be truly said, that the foundations of society are laid in wretchedness, and that there is no addition made to the superstructure of luxury and of wealth, without a more than corresponding enlargement of the sphere of misery below.-Mudie.

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278. Science. The telescope is the moral cannon that has laid in ruins all those superstitions and phantoms that tormented the human race. seems as if our reason has been enlarged in proportion to the immeasurable space that has been discovered and traversed by the sight.

279. Conscience is a dangerous thing; it makes a man a coward; a man cannot steal, but it checks him. It is a blustering shame-faced spirit, that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one with obstacles; it beggars any man that keeps it; it is turned out of towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and every man that means to live well, endeavours to trust to himself, and live without it.-Shakspeare.

280. Rank and Worthlessness.-Amongst all the things that have given me pain during my life, nothing has given me so much, as to see meritorious industry and labour seeming to bow the knee, and willingly to acknowledge superior worth in rank accompanied by worthlessness; and in wealth no matter how acquired. When society is in this state: when men adore power and riches, without any regard to the conduct or character of the possessor, real freedom cannot exist. When rank is accompanied with good character and just conduct towards persons of inferior station, then it is just and becoming to treat the possessor of that rank as a person of superior degree in society. When wealth has been acquired by clearly legitimate means, by rare skill and rare industry: by the application of these to the conducting of concerns naturally tending to the greatness and happiness of the country, then the possessors of wealth are very properly objects of respect, not only with their neighbours, but with the community at large. But when their rank and their riches have been acquired by foul and disgraceful means; when they have been the effect of tricks and contrivances, properly characterised by being called frauds; or when they are used as the means of insulting and oppressing the commons instead of the means of protecting them; then to see the knee of industry and of labour voluntarily bow before them, is to see that which ought to convince every man that liberty has taken her flight from that community; that all sense of political right aud wrong is at an end; and that there is no remedy, no means of restoration, but through the flames of convulsion..-Cobbett.

281. Origin of Government and Laws.
The same self-love, in all, becomes the cause
Of what restrains him, Government and Laws.
For, what one likes if others like as well,
What serves one will, when many wills rebel?
How shall he keep, what, sleeping or awake,
A weaker may surprise, a stronger take?
His safety must his liberty restrain :
All join to guard what each desires to gain.
Forc'd into virtue thus by self-defence,

Even Kings learn'd justice and benevolence :
Self-love forsook the path it first pursu❜d,
And found the private in the public good.

Pope's Essay on Man.

282. Rights of the People.-Since the king or magistrate holds his authority of the people, for their good, and not his own, then may the people, as oft as they shall judge it for the best, either choose him or reject him, retain him or depose him, though no tyrant merely by the liberty and right of free born men to be governed as seems to them best.-Milton.

283. Wits seldom are prosperous; and prosperity has brought many a man to the end of his wits.-Zimmerman.

284. A Wit.-A wit is a very unpopular denomination, as it carries terror along with it; and people in general are as much afraid of a live wit in company, as a woman of a gun which she thinks may go off of itself, and do her mischief. Their acquaintance is, however, worth seeking, and their company worth frequenting; but not exclusively of others. nor to such a degree as to be considered only as one of that particular set.

Chesterfield.

285. Consciousness is the immediate knowledge which the mind has of its sensations and thoughts, and in general of all its present operations. We cannot properly be said to be conscious of our own existence; it being only suggested to us by those sensations and operations of which we are conscious. Wollaston's Religion of Nature.

286. The Passions.

Modes of Self-love the Passions we may call:
'Tis real good, or seeming, moves them all;
But since not every good we can divide,
And Reason bids us for our own provide;
Passions, tho' selfish, if their means be fair,
List under Reason, and deserve her care;
Those, that imparted court a nobler aim,

Exalt their kind, and take some virtue's name.-Pope.

287. Humour, though often mistaken for wit, is a very different quality. It makes our company much solicited, but we should be cautious in indulging it. It is often a great enemy to delicacy, and a still greater one to dignity of character. It may sometimes gain applause, but will never procure respect.—Dr. Blair.

288. Principle of Utility. It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.-Bentham.

289. Precept and Example.-Example works more cures than precept; for words without practice are but councils without effect. When we do as we say it is a confirmation of the rule; but when our lives and doctrines do not agree, it looks as if the lesson were either too hard for us, or the advice not worth following. If a priest design to edify by his sermons, concerning the punishment of the other world, let him renounce his lust, pride, avarice, and contentiousness; for whoever would make another believe a danger, must first shew that he is apprehensive of it himself.

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Materials for Thinking.

EXTRACTED FROM THE WORKS OF

ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS.

WHATEVER CHARITY WE OWE TO MEN'S PERSONS, WE OWE NONE TO

No. XI.

290.

THEIR ERRORS.

--Bishop Burnet.

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Published Weekly.

Conversation.---The laws of conversation are, in general, not to labour over any subject, but to pass over easily, without effort or affectation, from one to another; to speak occasionally on frivolous as well as on serious subjects: to remember that conversation is a relaxation, and not a fencing school, nor a game of chess; in a word, to allow the fancy to range at freedom. You are not to engross the discourse to yourself, nor to deliver your opinions in a magisterial tone; as this must be very disgusting to the hearers, and prepossess them against you, There can be no situation in which we are less able to conceal our self-love than in conversation; and we are always sure to lose by mortifying the pride of others, who will naturally be desirous of revenging themselves; and their ingenuity seldom fails instantly to discover an opportunity. Another defect to be shunned is, speaking like one reading, and having what is called a well-written conversation. A conversation ought no more to be like a written discourse, than the latter like a conversation. What is pretty singular is, those who fall into the former blemish, seldom escape the other: because being in the habit of speaking as they would write, they imagine they ought to write as they speak. It should be a rule, that a man cannot be too much on his guard when he writes to the public, and never too easy towards those with whom he converses.---d'Alembert.

291. Industry.---There is no art or science that is too difficult for industry to attain to; it is the gift of tongues and makes a man understood and valued in all countries, and by all nations; it is the philosopher's stone, that turns all metals, and even stones into gold, and suffers no want to break into its dwellings; it is the north-west passage, that brings the merchant's ships as soon to him as he can desire, in a word, conquers all enemies, and makes fortune itself pay contribution.

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Clarendon.

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