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Pleafures.

LL our Actions have no real Object but Fleafure; and tho' we take different ways, yet we fee all Mankind incline to the fame end; without that, the most laborious Perfons would live languifhing and Idle: 'Tis that alone which makes us active, which moves all Bodies; 'tis that which gives motion to all the Univerfe. He that fearches for Reputation in the Field, and breaks through all the Dangers of Fire and Bullets to ob-' tain Honour, would not expofe himself to the leaft Danger, if he did not expect that fatisfaction he finds in himself, or that which is derived from Fame: And he that grows old in the Closet, a mongst a parcel of Mouldy, Moth-eaten Books, would not employ the least pain, in the acquifition of Sciences, if he did not receive from it fome Pleafure in the purfuit.

II. A Man that knows how to mingle pleasures, with Business, is never poffefs'd of them; he quits them, and retakes them at his Will; and in the habit which he has made of them, he rather finds an unwearinefs of Spirits, then a dangerous Charm that might corrupt him. It is not fo with thefe auftere Perfons, who by an alteration of Temper, come to taste of Voluptuousness, they are immediately inchanted with its Sweetness; and having nothing but an Averfion for the Aufterity of their past Lives, abandon themselves to the first Delights they meet with.

III. 'Tis not fo hard to counterfeit Joy in the depth of Affliction, as to diffemble Mirth in the Company of Fools.

IV. The excess of Delights palls our appetites oftner then it pleases.

V. It is much better to feek every thing that can please in any Man, then to feck for a Man that can please in every thing; for a Man in all refpects agreeable, is fo great a rarity, that it is no Wildom to hunt after that we are hardly ever like to find.

VI. We are fo fond of every thing that is fresh and uncommon, that we take a fecret Pleasure, and find entertainment even in the fight of the difmalleft and most Tragical Accidents; and that partly because they are new, and partly from a Principle of Ill-nature that is in us.

VII. The continual Society, even of the best Men, becomes at length tiresome, or infenfible; which makes those Perfons that have a delicate Apprehenfion of Pleafure, voluntarily remove themfelves from one another, to avoid the Disgust that threatens them, and to have a better Taft of the Charms of Conversation, by a new Vigour which they bestow upon their Thoughts.

VIII. There is no Man but is fometimes at a lofs with himself; the Wifeft are weary of themselves, after they have been weary of others.

IX. We never fail to be tirefome to our felves, by too long and too ferious a Commerce with our own Thoughts. He that intends to live happy, must make but few Reflections upon Life; may, he must often depart, as it were, from himfelf; and amidst the Pleasures which exteriour Objects furnish him with, fteal from the Knowledge of his own Miseries.

Pride

PRIDE.

Ride always indemnifies it felf one way or other; and lofes nothing, no not in Self

1. Pride

denial.

II. When Pride has appear'd in all its Shapes, and play'd all the Parts of Human Life, as if it were tir'd with its own Difguife and Transformations, it pulls off the Mask; and fhewing its true Face at laft is known by its Infolence; fo that properly fpeaking Infolence is the breaking out, and DemonItration of Pride.

III. 'Tis only because we are proud our felves, that we complain of, and cannot bear with the Pride of others.

IV. Pride is much the fame in all Men, as to the Degree of it, and differs only by the various Me thods of exerting it.

V. The Wisdom of Nature is to be admir'd, not only in fitting the Organs of the Body, for our Happiness aud Convenience, but alfo in bestowing Pride upon Men, to keep their Sight from the troublefom View of their own Imperfections.

VI. There is oftentimes more Pride than Goodnefs in our Reproofs; and we chide other People for their Faults, not fo much with defign to correct them, as to make them believe that we our felves have none.

VII. Blindness and Folly are the most pernicious Effects of Pride; for they both cherish and encrease the Vice, by concealing from us thofe Remedies, that might conduce to the Cure of our Miferies, and correct our Excefles and Extravagances.

VIII. Nothing flatters our Pride so much, as the Intimacy and Confidence of Great Perfons; for we are apt to think our felves admitted to thefe by our own Defert; and never confider that it happens much oftner, from a particular Vanity in their Humours, or their not being able to keep their own Councel.

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IX. All proud Men, over and above the Stroke of a Divine judgment, are miferable, even in them-felves, and no Circumftances in the World can ever make them otherwife. Their Appetites are infatiable, and their Hearts confequently never at reft; whether it be Wealth, Power, Honour, Popular Efteem, or whatever elfe they pretend to: They envy and are envy'd: 'Tis impoffible for them to be at reft, without enjoying what it is impoffible for them to attain ; they live, gaping after more, and in a perpetual fear of lofing what they have already: The higher they are rais'd, the giddier they are, the more flippery is their Standing, and the deeper they Fall. They are never well, fo long as any thing is above them; and their Ambition carries them to the fupplanting of their Masters and Makers; when yet, by a most ridiculous Contradiction, they lie effectually, in the fame inftant, at the Mercy of the Men they moft defpife.

X. Humility is very often the putting on of a Submiffion, by which Men hope to bring other People to fubmit to them. It is a mere artificial fort of Pride, which debafes it felf with a defign of being exalted: And tho this Vice transform it felf into a Thousand several Shapes, yet it is never more effectually difguis'd, or more capable of impofing upon the World, than when conceal'd under a Form of Hamility.

XI. A readiness to believe Ill, without a previou examination, proceeds from Laziness and Pride: We are pleas'd to find others to blame, and loth to give our felves the trouble of enquiring, how far, and whether they are fo, or not,

XII. Pride, that fo often infpires Men with Envy does fometimes moderate it too.

XIII. Pride generally encreases by the Parings of other Faults,

XIV. The fame Pride that difpofes us to condemn the Faults we think our felves free from, inclines us to undervalue the Good Qualities we want,

XV. The Compaffion we exprefs for our Enemies Misfortunes, is fometimes more the effect of Pride, than Good-nature, and only a Defire to let them know that we are above them.

XVI. Pride, as well as other Paffions, is unaccountable and humourfome. We are afham'd to own our being Jealous, when we are fo; and yet we value our felves upon having been fo, and for being capable of being fo.

XVII. It is as good and commendable to be proud with one's felf, as it is ridiculous with others.

XVIII. Magnaminity is a bold Stroke of Pride, which makes a Man Mafter of himself, in order to make him fo of every thing else.

XIX. A Man of Wit, that is naturally proud, lofes nothing of his Pride and Stiffness, by being low in the World; but on the contrary, if any thing can' foften his Humour, and make him more courteous and fociable, it must be a little Profperity.

XX, Humility,tho it may feem to expofe a Man to fome contempt, yet it is truly the readiest way to Honour; as on the contrary, Pride is a moft improper and abfur'd means for the accomplishing of

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