While, by contrast, his love of virtue was exalted to adoration. To have deceived, though unintentionally, and thence to have injured his patrons, caufed Leander much grief; but it was grief unimbittered by the gall of guilt. To have discovered fuch a want of virtue and humanity among men, excited emotions, but they were the emotions of compaffion, not of refentment. Still his prayers and his benevolence went up before God. After fifty days confine

ment, the still virtuous Leander was discharged from prifon, and from all legal obligation to pay his former debts. He then went round again among his debtors; many of whom affected by his pathetic remonftrances, discharged their accounts. With this With this money, purchafing a small affortment of goods, he entered a fecond time into trade, and with becoming caution. At the expiration of five years, having faved enough

for that purpose, he haftened up to town to pay off his former debts, and to evince the divinity of that love, which cannot be happy while it owes any man any thing. He called together his former creditors to a tavern, where, by his orders, a handsome dinner was prepared for them. He received them with the utmoft cordiality, and, without having as yet gratified their curiofity as to the occafion of the meeting, he politely preffed them to fit down to dine. On turning up their plates, every man beheld in a heap of fhining gold, the full amount, principal and intereft, of his former claim against Leander.

"Lord, who's the happy man that may

"To thy bleft courts repair?

"Not ftranger like to vifit them,

"But to inhabit there.

""Tis he who to his vows and truft,

"Has ever firmly stood;

"And tho' he promife to his lofs,

"He makes his promife good."

WE

We have been copious on this part of our fubject, for a very plain reason : the payment of our debts is a duty that occurs fo frequently, that whatever tends to make it a pleasure, must confequently add greatly to our happiness; and have abundantly fhewn it is love, and love alone that can make honesty at all times a pleasure.

BUT there are many other duties, of equal importance to our own, and to the happiness of fociety, to the cheerful performance of which, love is as indifpenfibly neceffary. This man's avarice may claim a part of our eftate; or that man's unprovoked rage may infult our perfon, or flander our name; now, to bear all this with temper, and to negociate fo difcreetly with these our ungenerous neighbours, as to difarm their paffions, and to make an honorable and lafting peace, is certainly a most defireable event; but it is an event which

nothing

nothing but almighty love can accomplish. And through defect of this love, how frequently have we seen the flighteft incroachments, or provocations to ftir up fuch horrid paffions, in the bofoms of neighbours, and to hurry them into fuch fhameful exceffes of injury and revenge, as have ended in the deftruction of each others fouls, bodies, and estates!

LET the real history of goodman Gruff and his neighbour Grub, elucidate this melancholy truth.

THESE two men, whofe fortunes were ample, lived near neighbours to each other; fo near, that their lands, unmoved by the paffion of their owners, lay and slept together in the most friendly embraces. That good being who had thus appointed their lots together in the fame pleafant places, had unquestionably intended, that they should learn from their own experience, how

happy

happy a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. But alas! the ways of peace they knew not, for they were both ftrangers to love; and, by natural confequence, both proud, selfish, irafcible and vindictive. On a refurvey of his plantation, goodman Gruff found that his neighbour Grub had about two acres and a quarter of his ground. in poffeffion.

No fooner had he made this important difcovery, than he fent orders to Mr Grub, and not in the moft gentle terms, instantly to remove his fences, from that spot of ground, or he should adopt measures to compel him. From no friend on earth, would Mr. Grub have brooked fuch a meffage; but from Gruff, it was altogether infupportable. A reply, fuch as pride and hatred could dictate, was immediately made. A law fuit, of courfe, commenced.

THIS