III. They who have had much experience in the world, may be of infinite ufe to thofe who have had but little, by giving them wife, and seasonable, and falutary advice; by rectifying their crude, miftaken notions of men and things; by inftructing them in the real value of the bleffings and the evils both of this life. and the next; by pointing out to them the road they are to take, the objects they are to pursue; by guarding them against those hafty friendships, and ruinous connections, which they are but too apt to form; by teaching them, in fine, to distinguish properly between trivial, showy, fuperficial accomplishments, and those folid, substantial attainments, both intellectual, moral, and religious, which ought to engage the chief attention of a rational and immortal being. This world is a wide and turbulent ocean, full of rocks and fhoals; and there cannot be a kinder or more useful thing than to furnish thofe who are ready to launch out upon it with a proper chart and compafs to direct their courfe. There are few perfons who have not, in fome part of their lives, abundant opportunities of exercifing their benevolence and good-nature, in this way, towards the thoughtlefs and inexperienced.

perienced. And they must have little feeling, indeed, who can fee a poor giddy wretch running headlong down a precipice, without ftretching out a friendly hand to snatch him from deftruction.

IV. But if we are afraid of being thought meddling and officious, and of provoking enmity, where friendship only was meant, there is another method of inftructing and benefiting others, which cannot poffibly give offence; and that is, A GOOD EXAMPLE. A regular, virtuous, religious life, befides all the good it does in other refpects, is a conftant leffon of morality to all around us. It is a filent, infinuating kind of advice, which fteals unobferved into the mind; and its operations, though imperceptible, are commonly most effectual. Living under the influence of a bright example is to the foul, what breathing a pure and wholesome air is to the body. We find ourfelves mended and improved and invigo rated by both, without any fenfible impreffion made upon us, without perceiving how the happy change is brought about. When people offer us advice in form, it seems to argue a kind of fuperiority which fometimes piques

and

and offends us. We are apt to set ourselves, out of mere pride, to fence and fight against it, and can scarce ever be ingenuous enough to own ourselves in the wrong when any one prefumes to tell us that we are fo? But we cannot poffibly be angry at a man for taking care of his own conduct, for going on in the right road himself, and leaving us to follow him or not, as we think fit. When virtue is thus made vifible in human form, its charms are too powerful to be refifted. Instead of applying to the understanding, it makes its way directly to the heart; and when that is once gained over, all difficulty is at an end. Here, then, is a way of doing, good, which is equally in the power of the greatest man and the meaneft. He has nothing to do but to go quietly on in the path of duty, and he will be followed by multitudes, on whom neither argument, nor perfuafion, would ever make the flighteft impreffion.

But though every one may thus make his light shine most usefully before men, yet the higher this light is placed, the wider will be its fphere, and the more extenfive its influence.

VOL. II.

B b

They

They, therefore, who by their birth, their ftation, their power, their wealth, their profeffion, their abilities, are fet, as it were, upon an eminence, and held up to the observation of the world, are more efpecially bound to take heed to their ways, fince the good or the harm they may do by their conduct is inconceivable. It is very well known, that the lower orders of men almost conftantly take the caft and colour of their lives from thofe above them. The manners of the people, therefore, are to a great degree in the hands of their fuperiors, and may be moulded by them into whatever form they please. What a noble opportunity of doing good does this afford to thofe fuperiors! An opportunity which, to every man of benevolence, of public fpirit, nay, even of any honeft ambition, must be fuch a temptation to right conduct, as one would think it impoffible for him to withstand. What a fair and obvious path to reputation and applaufe is here marked out to the upper part of the world! How eafy is it for them to merit, and to obtain, a place amongst the most diftinguished friends and benefactors of mankind, merely by living as they ought; by being as eminently

good, as they are eminently great. There are, it must be confeffed, numbers who are really fo; and were thofe numbers to encreafe in the proportion they might and ought, we should foon fee the infinite utility of fuch examples. It is an experiment that well deferves to be tried in its utmost extent, and the reward would amply repay the labour. For furely there is no gratification that wealth or power can bestow, equal to the feelings which THEY must have, who fee multitudes of their fellowcreatures growing every day better and happier under their hands. It can be exceeded only by the unspeakable joy they will experience hereafter, when they perceive themselves furrounded in the realms of light by those who have been brought there principally by their means ; whose grateful transports will overwhelm them with delight, and for whofe virtues they will be rewarded as well as for their

own.

V. Another very eafy and unexpensive method of being ferviceable to others is, by vindicating the characters of those that have been unjustly defamed and traduced. If the injured perfons are ftrangers to us, it is generous and