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Reflect thoroughly, man; what are ten, twenty, thirty years in competition with immortality? Pain and pleasure pass like a fhadow; life flides away in an instant; it is nothing of itself; its value depends on the use we make of it. The good that we have done is all that remains, and it is that alone which marks its importance.

Therefore do not say any more that your existence is an evil, fince it depends upon yourself to make it ́a bleffing; and if it be an evil to have lived, this is an additional reason for prolonging life. Do not pretend neither to say any more that you are at liberty to die; for it is as much as to say that you have power to alter your nature, that you have a right to revolt against the Author of your being, and to fruftrate the end of your existence. But when you add, that your death does injury to no one, do you recollect that you make this declaration to your friend?

Your death does injury to no one? I underftand you! You think the lofs I fhall fuftain by your death of no importance; you deem my affliction of no confequence. I will urge to you no more the rights of friendship, which you despise; but are there not obligations ftill more dear* which ought to induce you to preserve your life? If there be a perfon in the world who loved you to that degree as to be unwilling to furvive you, and whofe happiness depends on yours, do you

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Obligations more dear than thofe of friendship! Is it a philofopher who talks thus? But this affected fophift was of an amorous disposition.

think that you have no obligations to her? Will not the execution of your wicked design disturb the peace of a mind, which has been with much difficulty reftored to its former innocence? Are not you afraid to add fresh torments to a heart of fuch fenfibility? Are not you apprehensive left your death fhould be attended with a lofs more fatal, which would deprive the world and virtue itself of its brighteft ornament? And if the fhould furvive you, are not you afraid to rouse up remorse in her bofom, which is more grievous to support than life itself? Thou ungrateful friend! thou indelicate lover! Wilt thou always be taken up wholly with thyfelf? Wilt thou always think on thine own troubles alone? Haft thou no regard for the happiness of one who was fo dear to thee? And cannot thou refolve to live for her who was willing to die with thee?

You talk of the duties of a magiftrate, and of a father of a family; and because you are not under thofe circumftances, you think yourself abfolutely free. And are you then under no obligations to fociety, to whom you are indebted for your preservation, your talents, your underftanding? Do you owe nothing to your native country, and to thofe unhappy people who may need your exiftence! O what an accurate calculation you make! among the obligations you have enumerated, you have only omitted those of a man and of a citizen. Where is the virtuous patriot, who refused to inlift under a foreign prince, because his blood ought not to be spilt but in the

fervice of his country, and who now, in a fit of despair, is ready to shed it against the express prohibition of the laws? The laws, the laws, young man! did any wife man ever defpife them? Socrates, though innocent, out of regard to them refused to quit his prifon. You do not fcruple to violate them by quitting life unjustly; and you afk, what injury do I?

You endeavour to juftify yourself by example. You presume to mention the Romans: You talk of the Romans! it becomes you indeed to cite those illuftrious names! Tell me, did Brutus die a lover in despair, and did Cato plunge the dagger in his breast for his mistress? Thou weak and abject man! what resemblance is there between Cato and thee? Show me the common ftandard between that fublime foul and thine. Ah! vain wretch!: hold thy peace: I am afraid to profane his name by a vindication of his conduct. At that auguft and facred name every'friend of virtue fhould bow to the ground, and honor the memory of the greatest hero in filence.

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How ill you have selected your examples, and how meanly you judge of the Romans, if you imagine that they thought themselves at liberty to quit life fo foon as it became a burden to them. Recur to the excellent days of that republic, and fee whether you will find a fingle citizen of virtue, who thus freed himself from the discharge of his duty even after the moft cruel misfortunes. When Regulus was on his return to Carthage, did he prevent the torments which he

knew were preparing for him by destroying himself? What would not Pofthumus have given, when obliged to pass under the yoke at Caudium, had this refource been juftifiable? How much did even the senate admire that effort of courage, which enabled the conful Varro to furvive his defeat? For what reafon did fo many generals voluntary furrender themselves to their enemies, they to whom ignominy was fo dreadful, and who were fo little afraid of dying? It was because they confidered their blood, their life, and their latest breath, as devoted to their country; and neither fhame nor misfortune could diffuade them from this facred duty. But when the laws were fubverted, and the state became a prey to tyranny, the citizens refumed their natural liberty, and the right they had over their own lives. When Rome was no more, it was lawful for the Romans to give up their lives; they had discharged their duties on earth, they had no longer any country to defend, they were therefore at liberty to dispose of their lives, and to obtain that freedom for themfelves which they could not recover for their country. After having spent their days in the fervice of expiring Rome, and in fighting for the defence of its laws, they died great and virtuous as they had lived, and their death was an additional tribute to the glory of the Roman name, fince none of them beheld a fight above all others moft difhonorable, that of a true citizen stooping to an ufurper.

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But thou, what art thou? What haft thou done? Doft thou think to excufe thyfelf on account of thy obfcurity? Does thy weakness exempt thee from thy duty, and because thou hast neither rank nor diftinction in thy country, art thou lefs fubject to the laws? It becomes you vaftly to prefume to talk of dying, while you owe the service of your life to your equals. Know, that a death, fuch as you meditate, is fhameful and furreptitious. It is a theft committed on mankind in general. Before you quit life, return the benefits you have received from every individual. But, fay you, I have no attachments; I am useless in the world. O thou young philofopher! art thou ignorant that thou canst not move a fingle step without finding fome duty to fulfil; and that every man is useful to fociety, even by means of his existence alone?

Hear me, thou rash young man! thou art dear to me. I commiserate thy errors. If the least sense of virtue ftill remains in thy breaft, attend, and let me teach thee to be reconciled to life. Whenever thou art tempted to quit it, fay to thyfelf— "Let me do at least one good action before I "die." Then go in fearch for one in a 'ftate of indigence, whom thou mayeft relieve; for one under misfortunes, whom thou mayeft comfort; for one under oppreffion, whom thou mayeft defend. Introduce to me thofe unhappy wretches whom my rank keeps at a distance. Do not be afraid of mifufing my purse, or my credit: make

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