tages of a more liberal education, rife above one another by feveral different degrees of perfection. For, to return to our ftatue in the block of marble, we fee it fometimes only begun to be chipped, fometimes rough-hewn, and but juft fketched into a human figure; fometimes, we fee the man appearing diftinctly in all his limbs and features; fometimes, we find the figure wrought up to great elegancy; but feldom meet with any to which the hand of a Phidias or a Praxiteles could not give feveral nice touches and finishings.

ADDISON.

SECTION II

On Gratitude.·

THERE is not a more pleafing exercife of the mind, than gratitude. It is accompanied with fuch inward fatisfaction, that the duty is fufficiently rewarded by the performance. It is not, like the practice of many other virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with fo much pleasure, that were there no pofitive command which enjoined it, nor any recompenfe laid up for it hereafter, a generous mind would indulge in it, for the natural gratification which it affords.

If gratitude is due from man to man, how much . more from man to his Maker?-The Supreme -Being does not only confer upon us thofe bounties which proceed more immediately from his hand, but even those benefits which are conveyed to us by others. Every bleffing we enjoy, by what means foever it may be derived upon us, is the gift of

Him who is the great Author of good, and the Father of mercies.

If gratitude, when exerted towards one another, naturally produces a very pleafing fenfation in the mind of a grateful man, it exalts the foul into rapture, when it is employed on this great object of gratitude; on this beneficent Being, who has given us every thing we already poffefs, and from whom we expect every thing we yet hope for.

ADDISON.

SECTION III.

On Forgiveness.

THE moft plain and natural fentiments of equity concur with divine authority, to enforce the duty of forgiveness. Let him who has never in his life done wrong, be allowed the privilege of remaining inexorable. But let fuch as are confcious of frailties and crimes, confider forgiveness as a debt which they owe to others. Common failings are the ftrongeft leffon of mutual forbearance. Were this virtue unknown among men, order and comfort, peace and repofe, would be ftrangers to human life. Injuries retaliated according to the exorbitant measure which paffion prescribes, would excite refentment in return. The injured perfon would become the injurer; and thus, wrongs, retaliations, and fresh injuries, would circulate in endless fucceffion, till the world was rendered a field of blood. Of all the paffic is which invade the human breast, revenge is the most direful. When allowed to reign with full dominion, it is more than fufficient

to poifon the few pleasures which remain to man in his prefent state. How much foever a perfon may fuffer from injuftice, he is always in hazard of fuffering more from the profecution of revenge. The violence of an enemy cannot inflict what is equal to the torment he creates to himself, by means of the fierce and defperate paffions which he allows to rage in his foul.

Thofe evil fpirits who inhabit the regions of mifery, are reprefented as delighting in revenge and cruelty. But all that is great and good in the univerfe, is on the fide of clemency and mercy. The almighty Ruler of the world, though for ages offended by the unrighteousness, and infulted by the impiety of men, is "long-fuffering and flow to sanger." His Son, when he appeared in our nature, exhibited, both in his life, and his death, the most illuftrious example of forgiveness which the world ever beheld. If we look into the hiftory of mankind, we fhall find that, in every age, they who have been refpected as worthy, or admired as great, have been distinguished for this virtue. Revenge dwells in little minds. A noble and magnanimous fpirit is always fuperior to it. It fuffers not from the injuries of men thofe fevere fhocks which others feel. Collected within itfeffit ftands unmoved by their impotent affaults; and with generous pity, rather than with anger, looks down on their unworthy conduct.-It has been truly faid, that the greatest man on earth can no fooner commit an injury, than a good man can make himself greater, by forgiving it.

BLAIR.

1

SECTION IV.

Motives to the practice of Gentleness.

To promote the virtue of gentlenefs, we ought to view our character with an impartial eye; and to learn, from our own failings, to give that indulgence which in our turn we claim. It is pride which fills the world with fo much harshness and feverity. In the fulness of self-estimation, we forget what we are. We claim attentions, to which we are not entitled. We are rigorous to offences, as if we had never offended; unfeeling to diftrefs, as if we knew not what it was to fuffer. From thofe airy regions of pride and folly, let us defcend to our proper level.Let us furvey the natural equality on which Providence has placed man with man, and reflect on the infirmities common to all. If the reflection on natural equality and mutual offences, be infufficient to prompt humanity, let us at least remember what we are in the fight of our Creator. Have we none of that forbearance to give one another, which we all fo earneftly intreat from heaven? Can we look for clemency or gentleness from our Judge, when we are fo backward to fhow it to our own brethren

Let us alfo accustom ourselves, to reflect on the fmall moment of thofe things, which are the ufual incentives to violence and contention. In the ruffled and angry hour, we view every appearance through a falfe medium. The most inconfiderable point of intereft, or honour, fwells into a momentous object; and the flighteft attack feems to

threaten immediate ruin. But after paffion or pride has fubfided, we look around in vain for the mighty mischiefs we dreaded. The fabric, which our disturbed imagination had reared, totally difappears. But though the caufe of contention has dwindled away, its confequences remain. We

have alienated a friend; we have embittered an enemy; we have fown the feeds of future fufpicion, malevolence, or difguft-Let us fufpend our violence for a moment, when caufes of difcord occur. Let us anticipate that period of coolness, which, of itself, will foon arrive. Let us reflect how little we have any prospect of gaining by fierce contention; but how much of the true happiness of life we are certain of throwing away. Eafily, and from the fmallest chink, the bitter waters of strife are let forth; but their courfe cannot be forefeen; and he feldom fails of fuffering moft from their poisonous effect, who firft allowed them to flow

A Sufpicious Temper the Source of Mifery to its Poffeffor.

As a fufpicious fpirit is the fource of many crimes and calamities in the world, for it is the fpring of certain mifery to the perfon who indulges it. His friends will be few; and fmall will be his comfort in those whom he poffeffes. Believing others to be his enemies, he will of course make them fuch. Let his caution be ever fo great, the afperity of his thoughts will often break out in his behaviour;