"finite goodness is the fource of created exiftence ; "the proper tendency of every rational being, from "the highest order of raptured feraphs, to the "meaneft ranks of men, is to rife inceffantly from "lower degrees of happiness to higher. They "have each faculties affigned them for various or"ders of delights." "What, cried I, is this the language of RELI"GION? Does fhe lead her votaries through flowery "paths, and bid them pass an unlaborious life? "Where are the painful toils of virtue, the morti"fications of penitents, the felf-denying exercises "of faints and heroes?" "The true enjoyments of a reasonable being," answered fhe mildly, "do not confift in unbound"ed indulgence, or luxurious eafe, in the tumult "of paffions, the languor of indolence, or the "flutter of light amufements. Yielding to immo"ral pleasure corrupts the mind, living to animal "and trifling ones debafes it; both in their degree "difqualify it for its genuine good, and confign it 66 over to wretchedness. Whoever would be really "happy muft make the diligent and regular exer"cife of his fuperior powers his chief attention, "adoring the perfections of his Maker, expreffing "good-will to his fellow creatures, cultivating in"ward rectitude. To his lower faculties he must "allow fuch gratifications as will, by refreshing him, "invigorate his nobler purfuits. In the regions in"habited by angelick natures, unmingled felicity for 66 ever blooms, joy flows there with a perpetual and "abundant ftream, nor needs there any mound to "check its courfe. Beings confcious of a frame of "mind originally difeafed, as all the human race. "has caufe to be, must use the regimen of a ftricter "felf-government. Whoever has been guilty of "voluntary exceffes muft patiently fubmit both to "the painful workings of nature, and needful feveVOL. I. M "ritie "rities of medicine, in order to his cure. Still he ❝ is intitled to a moderate share of whatever alle“viating accommodations this fair manfion of his "merciful parent affords, confiftent with his reco"very. And in proportion as this recovery ad“vances, the livelieft joy will spring from his fecret "fenfe of an amended and improving heart.-So "far from the horrors of defpair is the condition even "of the guilty.-Shudder, poor mortal, at the "thought of the gulph into which thou waft but “ now going to plunge. "While the most faulty have every encourage“ment to amend, the more innocent foul will be "fupported with ftill fweeter confolations under all « its experience of human infirmities; supported by "the gladdening affurances that every fincere endea vour to out-grow them, fhall be affifted, accepted ❝ and rewarded. To fuch a one the lowliest self abasement is but a deep-laid foundation for the "moft elevated hopes; fince they who faithfully “examine and acknowledge what they are, fhall “ be enabled under my conduct to become what they defire. The chriftian and the heroe are infepar"able; and to the afpirings of unaffuming truft, and "filial confidence, are fet no bounds. To him "who is animated with a view of obtaining appro"bation from the fovereign of the universe, no dif"ficulty is infurmountable. Secure in this pursuit "of every needful aid, his conflict with the fevereft "pains and trials, is little more than the vigorous "exercises of a mind in health. His patient depen"dence on that providence which looks through all "eternity, his filent refignation, his ready accom❝modation of his thoughts and behaviour to its infcrutable ways, is at once the most excellent fort felf-denial, and a fource of the moft exalted anfports. Society is the true fphere of human rtue. In focial, active life, difficulties will per "petually petually be met with; reftraints of many kinds. "will be neceffary; and ftudying to behave right in "refpect of thefe is a difcipline of the human heart, "ufeful to others, and improving to itself. Suffer"ing is no duty but where it is neceffary to avoid guilt, or to do good; nor pleasure a crime, but where it ftrengthens the influence of bad inclina❝tions, or leffons the generous activity of virtue. "The happiness allotted to man in his present state, is indeed faint and low, compared with his im"mortal profpects, and noble capacities; but yet "whatever portion of it the diftributing hand of "heaven offers to each individual, is a needful fup"port and refreshment for the prefent moment, fo "far as it may not hinder the attaining his final de❝ftination. Re "Return then with me from continual mifery to "moderate enjoyment, and grateful alacrity. "turn from the contracted views of folitude to the proper duties of a relative and dependent being. "Religion is not confined to cells and closets, nor "reftrained to fullen retirement. These are the "gloomy doctrines of SUPERSTITION, by which "The endeavours to break thofe chains of benevo"lence and focial affection, that link the welfare "of every particular with that of the whole. Re"member that the greatest honour you can pay to "the author of your being is by fuch a chearful be"haviour, as difcovers a mind satisfied with his dif"penfations." Here my preceptrefs paufed, and I was going to exprefs my acknowledgments for her difcourfe, when a ring of bells from the neighbouring village, and a new-risen fun darting his beams through my windows, awaked me. NUMB. 45. TUESDAY, August 21, 1750. Ησερ μεγίςη γίγνεται σωτηρία, Οταν γύνη πρὸς ἄνδρα μὴ διχοτατή, This is the chief felicity of life, That concord smile on the connubial bed ; But now 'tis hatred all SIR, TH To the RAMBLER. EURIP. you HOUGH, in the differtations which have given us on marriage, very juft cautions are laid down against the common causes of infelicity, and the neceffity of having, in that important choice, the first regard to virtue is carefully inculcated; yet I cannot think the fubject fo much exhausted, but that a little reflection would present to the mind many queftions in the difcuffion of which great numbers are interefted, and many precepts which deserve to be more particularly and forcibly impreffed. You feem, like most of the writers that have gone before you, to have allowed, as an uncontested principle, that Marriage is generally unhappy: but I know not whether a man who profeffes to think for himfelf, and concludes from his own obfervations, does not depart from his character when he follows the crowd thus implicitly, and receives maxims without recalling to a new examination, especially when they comprise fo wide a circuit of life, and include fuch variety of circumftances. As I have an equal right with others to give my opinion of the objects about me, and a better title to determine concerning that Atate which I have tried, than many who talk of it 245 it without experience, I am unwilling to be reftrained by mere authority from advancing what, I believe, an accurate view of the world will confirm, that marriage is not commonly unhappy, otherwife than as life is unhappy; and that most of those who complain of connubial miferies, have as much fatisfaction as their nature would have admitted, or their conduct procured in any other condition. It is, indeed, common to hear both fexes repine at their change, relate the happinefs of their earlier years, blame the folly and rafhness of their own choice, and warn thofe whom they fee coming into the world against the fame precipitance and infatuation. But it is to be remembred, that the days which they fo much wish to call back, are the days not only of celibacy but of youth, the days of novelty and improvement, of ardour and of hope, of health and vigour of body, of gayety and lightness of heart. It is not eafy to furround life with any. circumstances in which youth will not be delightful; and I am afraid that whether married or unmarried, we fhall find the veture of terrestrial existence more heavy and cumbrous, the longer it is worn. That they cenfure themselves for the indifcretion of their choice, is not a fufficient proof that they have chofen ill, fince we see the fame difcontent at every other part of life which we cannot change. Converse with almost any man, grown old in a profeffion, and you will find him regretting that he did not enter into fome different courfe, to which he too late finds his genius better adapted, or in which he discovers that wealth and honour are more eafily attained. The merchant," fays Horace," envies "the foldier, and the foldier recounts the felicity "of the merchant; the lawyer when his clients harrass him, calls out for the quiet of the countryman; and the countryman, when business calls "him to town, proclaims that there is no happiness M 3 but |