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of barbarity. If we are, I have little doubt that duelling muft very confiderably accelerate our progrefs.

innocent exprellion into a defigned
affront.

ment that can be urged against modern honour, and its favourite principle the spirit of duelling, is its being fo diametrically oppofite to the forgiving meeknels of Christianity The goipel commands us to bear injuries with a religned patience: honour tells us, if we do not refent them in a beRevealed coming manner, we are unworthy of ranking in fociety as men.

The only English author who preAnother argument is, that if every tends to write in favour of duelling, illbred fellow might ufe what language concludes with the following words, he pleafed, with impunity, and continue for which I fhould be glad to fubftioffenfive, becaule entrenched from te, tute others, if I could find any others fear of being called to an account for, as happly arranged to exprefs my The moi cogent arguit, then all converfation would be fentiments. foiled-It has alfo been faid, and, if I mitake not, Dr. Robertson, the hiftorian, was of the fame opin on, that duelling tended to produce good. breeding. But I am very ignorant of the doctrine of caufes and effects, if ever such a caufe produced fuch an effect. Fear is the worst inftrument that can be employed in correcting the intemperance of the human mind. Fear may keep a man from perform-, religion commands the faithful to ing certain overt acts, but fear never, leave all revenge to God; honour bids made a good man, and to teach a perfons of feeling to trust their reman politeness, under the penalty of venge to nobody but themselves, even death, would be nearly as rational as where the courts of law, by the into teach him dancing at the mouth of a terfering of juftice, might do it for But here the fact will bear them. Chriftianity, in exprefs and us through. I appeal to any obferver pofitive terms, forbids murder: hoof life and manners, whether good- nour rifes up in barefaced oppofition breeding has increafed with the fre- to justify it. Religion prohibits our quency of duels. Visit our public fhedding blood upon any account places of amufement, and judge whe- whatfoever: punctilious honour comther good-breeding is more cultivated, mands, and eggs us on to fight even fince box-lobby challenges became for trifles. Chriftianity is founded common, whether rudeneis and bruta- upon humility; honour is erected lity are repreffed by the mutual threats upon pride.' of profligates, or men of honour, as they affect to be called. With refpect to ill-bred fellows fpoiling converfation, it is an occurrence that cannot happen very often. The company of ill-bred fellows is feldom courted; whereas there is no more effectual way to spoil converfation, and to reprefs the brilliancy of wit and genius, than to introduce that pettith humour, that minute attention to harmlefs words, which occasions a jealous watchfulpels, and a difpofition to turn every 3

cannon.

The length to which this letter has already extended, obliges me to poftpone the farther confideration of the fubject to another occafion, when it will be proper to make fome allowance for the cruel neceffity impofed upon that ufeful body of men, the of ficers of the army and navy. This neceflity it is which forms the only excufe that can be made for duelling; how far it is a fufficient one, will be confidered hereafter.

EIKENOS.

GLEAN

GLEANING S.

SPARSA COLLEGI.

Good author fould have the style and courage of a captain, the integrity of a dying man, and fo much fenfe and ingenuity, as to impofe nothing, either weak or needlefs, on the world.

The best of authors are not without their faults, and if they were, the world would not entertain them as they deferve. Perfection is often called for, but nobody would bear it. The only perfect man that ever appeared in the world was crucified.

The man whofe book is filled with quotations, may be faid to creep along the fhore of authors, as if he were afraid to trust himself to the free compafs of reafoning. Others defend fuch authors by a different allufion, and ask whether honey is the worse for being gathered from many flow

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He who reads books by extracts, may be faid to read by deputy. Much depends on the latter, whether he reads to any purpofe.

Satire is the a ly kind of wit, for which we have fcripture authority and example, in the cafe of Elijah ridiculing the falfe gods of Ahab.

He that always praises me, is undoubtedly a flatterer; but he that fometimes praifes, and fometimes reproves me, is probably my friend, and fpeaks his mind. Did we not flatter ourselves, others would do us no hurt.

Men are too apt to promife according to their hopes, and perform according to their fears.

Secrecy has all the prudence, and none of the vices either of fimulation, or diffimulation.

.

When a man is difpofed to reveal a fecret, and expect that it shall be kept, he bould first enquire whether he can keep it himtelf. This is good advice, perhaps a little in the Trib

way.

All the wildom in the world will do little, while a man wants presence of mind. He cannot fence well that is not on his guard. Archimedes loft his life, by being too bufy to give an anfwer.

Notwithstanding the difference of eftate and quality among men, there is fuch a general mixture of good and evil, that, in the main, happiness is pretty equally diftributed in the world. The rich are as often unhappy as the poor, as repletion is more dangerous than appetite.

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It is wonderful how fond we are of repeating a fcrap of Latin, in preference to the fame fentiment in our own language equally well expreffed. Both the fenfe and words of Omnia vincit umor (Love conquers all) are worthy only of a fchool-boy, and yet how often repeated, with an affectation of deep widom!

Revenge, speaking botanically, may be termed wild justice, and ought to be rooted out, as choaking up the true plant. A firft wrong does bit offend the law, but revenge puts the law out of office. Surely, when government is once established, revenge belongs only to the law.

For more than a century, has Billinggate been proverbial for the coarienefs of its language. Whence is this? What connexion is there between fresh fish, and foul words? Why fhould the vending of that useful commodity, and elegant luxury, prompt to oaths, execrations, and every corruption of language, more than any other? And to think that the parties concerned are of the fair fex-O fye!

Reafon has not more admirers thau there

there are hypocrites. Hypocrites admire only the profits of wifdom, and approve just to much of her, as is agreeable and ferviceable to their ends.

Man is not more fuperior to a brute, than one man is to another by the mere force of wisdom. Wildom is the fole destroyer of equality, the fountain of honour, and the only mark by which one man, for ten minutes together, can be known from another.

Were men always fkilful, they would never ufe craft or treachery. That men are so cunning, arifes from the littleness of their minds, which, if it can conceal itself in one place, quickly discovers itself in another.

Cunning men, like jugglers, are only verfed in two or three little tricks, while wifdom excels in the whole circle of action.

The cunning man and the wife man differ not only in point of honey, but ability. He that can pack the cards, does not always play well.

I have a right to hold my tongue, and to be filent at all times; but if I fpeak to another, I have no right to make him answer me just as I please.

To reform others perfectly, is as impoffible, as vain. What have we to do then, but to defpife all little capricious humours, and to amend

ourselves?

Meekness needs no praise; meeknefs is the moral paradife; the only cement to the faults and errors of humanity. What can we do without bearing with one another?

Pious frauds are the only pious things forbidden in fcripture, which will not let us hold the truth in unrighteousness. We may not do ill that good may come of it. If my purfe be fufficient to relieve the wants of a highwayman, has he a right to take it from me? And yet relieving wants is a good action.

Authors ought not to regard mere unqualified abufe. We cannot fay of a garrifoned town, that it is taken, merely because the enemy have thrown filth upon the walls.

An honeft haughtinefs of mind, which fcorns to ftoop below the dignity of human nature, is the spring of honeft aud honourable undertakings; it is what the old moralifts meant by a reverence for ourselves; rewards and punishments being only the crutches which men have found out to fupport virtue, where this noble temper of mind is wanting.

Self-love makes us crave after pleafures, and look upon all calamities as wrongs done to us. Hence murmurings, and impotence of mind. We feel our ill fortune in proportion to our felf-love, entirely overlooking the intereits of others, and the general good.

The fame pride which makes us defpife the poor, makes us too fubmiffive to the wealthy. It is founded upon the over-valuation of riches.A true value of merit makes us defpife the vicious and highly efteem the virtuous.

He who is vexed at a reproach, may be affured that he would be very proud, if commended.

We ought not to trust the judgment of others concerning ourselves; for most people who judge a man, take very little trouble in examining him, and depend entirely on outward appearances. Few phyficians will pretend to know exactly a patient's cafe, merely by looking at him.

One opinion on hypocrify, is, that the hypocrite hurts nobody but himfelf; the libertine, the whole society. Hypocrify is a more modeft way of finning; it is a fort of homage paid to virtue. Another opinion is, that the hypocrite, by paffing for what he is not, deceives many; the libertine appearing in his proper colours, hurts fociety lefs. I would lean to the former of thefe opinions; all the deceptions of hypocrify can hurt a man's pocket only; the practices of the libertine are infectious, and render society immoral.

Good and bad times, are only modeft expreffions for the conduct of good and bad men in public employ

ments.

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