work. Thus the best artists are said to have been indefatigable in studying the best statues: as esteeming them a better rule than the perfectest human bodies could afford. And thus some considerable wits have recommended the best poems as preferable to the best histories; and better teaching the truth of characters and nature of mankind.—Shaftesbury.

CCCLV.

The character of a decent, well-behaved gentlemanlike man, seems more easily attainable by a person of no great parts or passions, than by one of greater genius and more volatility. It is there no mismanagement for the former to be chiefly ambitious of it. When a man's capacity does not enable him to entertain or animate the company, it is the best he can do to render himself inoffensive, and to keep his teeth clean: but the person who has talents for discourse, and a passionate desire to enliven conversation, ought to have many improprieties excused, which in the other were unpardonable. A lady of good nature would forgive the blunder of a country esquire, who, through zeal to serve her with a glass of claret, should involve his spurs in her Brussels apron: on the contrary, the fop (who, may, in some sense, use the words of Horace:

Quod verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum) would be entitled to no pardon for such unaccountable misconduct.-Shenstone.

CCCLVI.

Nothing can be more destructive to ambition, and the passion for conquest, than the true system of astronomy. What a poor thing is even the whole globe in comparison with the infinite extent of nature!-Fontenelle.

CCCLVII.

A man who sets out in the world with real timidity and diffidence, has not an equal chance in it; he will be discouraged, put by, or trampled upon. But to succeed, a man, especially a young one, should have inward firm

ness, steadiness, and intrepidity; with exterior modesty and seeming diffidence. He must modestly, but resolutely, assert his own rights and privileges. Sauviter in modo, but fortiter in re. He should have an apparent frankness and openness, but with inward caution and closeness. All these things will come by frequenting and observing good company.-Chesterfield.

CCCLVIII.

A cheerful temper, joined with innocence, will make beauty attractive, knowledge delightful, and wit goodnatured. It will lighten sickness, poverty, and affliction; convert ignorance into an amiable simplicity, and render deformity itself agreeable.-Addison.

CCCLIX.

Pride is nearly related to beggary and want, either by father or mother, and sometimes by both; and to speak naturally, it very seldom happens among men to fall out when all have enough, invasions usually travelling from north to south, that is to say, from poverty upon plenty.Swift.

CCCLX.

The real lineage and succession of wit,is plainly founded in nature.-Shaftesbury.

CCCLXI.

It has been computed by some political arithmetician, that if every man and woman would work for four hours each day on something useful, that labour would produce sufficient to procure all the necessaries and comforts of life; want and misery would be banished out of the world, and the rest of the twenty-four hours might be leisure and pleasure.—Franklin.

cial

CCCLXII.

A reserved man is in a continual conflict with the sopart of his nature, and even grudges himself the laugh into which he is sometimes betrayed.-Shenstone.

CCCLXIII.

There is no object in nature and the world, without

its good, useful, or amiable side. He who discovers that side first in inanimate things is sagacious; and he who discovers it in the animate, is liberal.-Lavater.

CCCLXIV.

The pride of being first of a company is but too common; but is very silly, and very prejudicial. Nothing in the world lets down a character more than that wrong turn.-Chesterfield.

CCCLXV.

As benevolence is the most sociable of all virtues, so it is of the largest extent; for there is not any man, either so great or so little, but he is yet capable of giving and of receiving benefits.-Seneca.

CCCLXVI.

The premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty; he who has learnt to die has forgot to serve.— Montaigne.

CCCLXVII.

-Rhyme the rudder is of verses,

With which, like ships they steer their courses.

CCCLXVIII.

Butler.

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.-Swift.

CCCLXIX.

I have neither the scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician's, which is fantastical; nor the courtier's, which is proud; nor the soldier's, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer's, which is politic; nor the lady's, which is nice; nor the lover's, which is all these.Shakspeare.

CCCLXX.

To raise a fortune, and especially a great fortune, a man must have a kind of wit; but it is neither the good nor the fine, the great nor the sublime, the strong nor the delicate: I am at a loss to explain which it is; they who have experienced it, may probably help me out.—Bruyere.

CCCLXXI.

At the New Exchange they are eloquent for the want of

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ness, steadiness, and intrepidity; with exterior modesty and seeming diffidence. He must modestly, but resolutely, assert his own rights and privileges. Sauviter in modo, but fortiter in re. He should have an apparent frankness and openness, but with inward caution and closeness. All these things will come by frequenting and observing good company.-Chesterfield.

CCCLVIII.

A cheerful temper, joined with innocence, will make beauty attractive, knowledge delightful, and wit goodnatured. It will lighten sickness, poverty, and affliction; convert ignorance into an amiable simplicity, and render deformity itself agreeable.—Addison.

CCCLIX.

Pride is nearly related to beggary and want, either by father or mother, and sometimes by both; and to speak naturally, it very seldom happens among men to fall out when all have enough, invasions usually travelling from north to south, that is to say, from poverty upon plenty.Swift.

CCCLX.

The real lineage and succession of wit,is plainly founded in nature.-Shaftesbury.

CCCLXI.

It has been computed by some political arithmetician, that if every man and woman would work for four hours each day on something useful, that labour would produce sufficient to procure all the necessaries and comforts of life; want and misery would be banished out of the world, and the rest of the twenty-four hours might be leisure and pleasure.-Franklin.

CCCLXII.

A reserved man is in a continual conflict with the social part of his nature, and even grudges himself the laugh into which he is sometimes betrayed.-Shenstone.

CCCLXIII.

There is no object in nature and the world, without

its good, useful, or amiable side. He who discovers that side first in inanimate things is sagacious; and he who discovers it in the animate, is liberal.-Lavater.

CCCLXIV.

The pride of being first of a company is but too common; but is very silly, and very prejudicial. Nothing in the world lets down a character more than that wrong turn.-Chesterfield.

CCCLXV.

As benevolence is the most sociable of all virtues, so it is of the largest extent; for there is not any man, either so great or so little, but he is yet capable of giving and of receiving benefits.-Seneca.

CCCLXVI.

The premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty; he who has learnt to die has forgot to serve. Montaigne.

CCCLXVII.

-Rhyme the rudder is of verses,

With which, like ships they steer their courses.

CCCLXVIII.

Butler.

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.-Swift.

CCCLXIX.

I have neither the scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician's, which is fantastical; nor the courtier's, which is proud; nor the soldier's, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer's, which is politic; nor the.lady's, which is nice; nor the lover's, which is all these.Shakspeare.

CCCLXX.

To raise a fortune, and especially a great fortune, a man must have a kind of wit; but it is neither the good nor the fine, the great nor the sublime, the strong nor the delicate: I am at a loss to explain which it is; they who have experienced it, may probably help me out.-Bruyere.

CCCLXXI.

At the New Exchange they are eloquent for the want of

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