by Novelty, and by Naufeating and Diflike. It is Capricious and Humourfome: Sometimes with incredible Hardships it fnatches at Things, not only unprofitable, but even hurtful and offenfive, which it hankers after only because it has a mind to it. It is Unaccountable and Fantastical; it often bufies it felf about the most vain and frivolous Employments; it delights in the most infipid Things, and keeps its Loftinefs and Pride in the vileft Drugery. It is in all States of Life, as in all forts of Conditions; it lives every-where; it lives upon every thing, fometimes upon nothing. It is contented with the Enjoyment of Things and the Want of them. It fides with its Foes, tollows their Designs, and, which is wonderful, it hates it felf, hatches its own Ruin, and pushes on its Overthrow. To fum up all, All its care is to fubfift; provided it be, it is content to be its own Enemy. We ought not therefore to think it strange,to fee it affociated with the rougheft Austerity, and feverest Mortification, and fide with them to destroy it felf; for it is no fooner caft down in one place, but it rifes up again in another. When it feems to forfake its Pleasure, it does but fufpend or alter it; nay, when it is fo Conquer'd, that Men would believe themselves to be rid of it, it fprings up again, and triumphs in its Overthrow. This is the true Picture of Selflove, of which the whole Life is but a strong and long Agitation. The Sea is a fenfible and lively Image of it; for you may find in the continual Ebbs and Flows of its Waves, a Faithful Reprefentation of the boisterous and turbulent Succef 'fion of Self-Love's everlafting and endless Move

ments.

II Self

II. Self-love is the greatest Flatterer in the World.

III. Self-love bears lefs patiently the Condemnation of our Taftes or (Inclinations) than of our Opinions.

IV. The Fondness or Indifference that Philofophers exprefs'd for Life, was but a particularTwang of the Love of themselves, for which there is no more reafon to be given, than for the variety of Palates, or the choice of Colours in fome People.

V. The first motion of Joy that we refent at the Happiness and Preferment of our Friends, does feldom proceed either from our Good-nature, or the Kindness we have for them, but generally from Selflove, which flatters us that our Turn of being hap py is coming, or that we shall reap fome Benefit from their Profperity.

VI. As if the Power of transforming it felf were fmall, Self love does frequently transform its Objects too, and that after a moft wonderful manner; for it not only difguifes them fo artificially, as to deceive it felf, but it perfectly alters the Nature and Condition of the Things themfelves. Thus when any Perfon acts in oppofition to us, when he croffes and perfecutes us, Self-love paffes Sentence upon his Actions, with the utmoft ftrictness and feverity of Justice; it aggravates all his Imperfections fo, as to make them look monftrous and horrible; and fets his Good Qualities in fo ill a Light, as to make them appear more difagreeable and naufeous than his very Failings. And yet as foon as the fame Perfon ceases to be our Enemy, or that any of our Interefts brings him to Reconciliation and Favour, the Satisfaction we receive, prefently reftores his Merit, and allows it that Luftre, our Averfion fo lately robb'd it of. His Qualities vanish out of

fight, and his Perfections appear in a greater Splendour; nay, we fummon all our Indulgence to excufe and juftifie the Quarrel he formerly had against us. Tho' this Truth be evidenc'd by every Paffion, yet none demonftrates it fo fenfible as Love: For we fee a Lover full of Rage and Defpair, at rhe Neglect or Infidelity of his Fondling, contrive and meditate for his Revenge, whatever his violent Paffions fuggeft him. Nevertheless, no fooner has a kind Smile of his Darling calm'd his boisterous Refentments, but his Joy and Rapture pronounces this Beauty innocent; he accufes himself alone, and condemns nothing but his own Condemning her before; and by this miraculous Power of Self-love, he takes away the Blemish and Odioufnefs of his Mistress's Proceedings, he clears her of the Crime, and lays it upon himself.

VII. The Love of our felves makes our Friends appear more or lefs deferving, in proportion to the delight we take in them; and the Estimate we make of their Worth, depends upon the manner of their converfing with us.

VIII. Ŏne would think, that Self love were overreach'd by Good-nature and Liberality; and that a Man forgets himself, when he promotes the Advantages of others: Nevertheless, this is the moft effectual way to gain our ends; 'tis lending on Ufury, under the pretence of giving freely. In a word, 'tis a nice and dexterous Way of winning the Affections of every body.

IX. There is no Paffion wherein Self-love is fo predominant, as in that of Love: And Men are always more disposed to facrifice all the Ease of them they love than to part with their own.

X. We feel and refent both our good and ill For tune, in proportion to our Self-love,

XI. Self-love makes more Men Cruel than natural Sternnefs and a rough Temper.

XII. Self-love is often cheated by its own felf; for when it confiders its own Interefts it fo wholly over-looks the Interests of others, as thereby to lofe all the Advantage that might be made by the exchange af Kindneffes and good Offices.

XIII. A Man is but little the better for liking himself, when no body else likes him; for an immoderate Love of one's felf, is very often chastised by Contempt from others.

XIV. Self-love, according as it is rightly or otherwife understood and apply'd, is the Caufe of all the Moral Virtues and Vices in the World.

XV. That Prudence which is made ufe of in the good Management of Men's Affairs, is only a wife and quick-fighted Self-love, whofe contrary is Inconfideration and Blindness.

XVI. Tho' according to that Position, we may rightly conclude, That Men in all their Actions, keep ftill an Eye to their own Intereft; yet it does not follow, that there is no fuch thing left in the World, as Juftice and Honesty. Men may govern themselves by commendable and honeft Interefts; and 'tis the juft Discretion of a well-regulated Self-love, that makes a Good or an Honest Man.

XVII. The Love of our felves inclines us to look upon all the Pleasures and Happiness of Life as things hat we have a right to call ours; and upon all the Evils and Calamities, as things foreign and unatural, and fuch as are Wrongs and Hardships upThis gives the occafion to all our Expoftu

On us.

ations and Complaints.

Sincerity

I.

Sincerity, Diffimulation.

Incerity is the disclosing and opening of one's Heart: This is hardly to be found in any body; and what we commonly look upon to be fo, is only a more cunning and fhrewd fort of Diffimulation, to infinuate our felves into the Confidence of other People.

II. The Vanity of talking of our felves, and the Defire of fhewing our Failings on that fide we are content they should be feen on, make up the greateft part of our Sincerity.

III. Half-witted People can never be fincere.

IV. As much as we diftruft the Sincerity of thofe we converse with, yet ftill we think they tell more Truth to us, than any body else.

V. The ableft Men that ever were, have had all an openness aud frankness of dealing, and a Name of Certainty and Veracity: But then they were like Horses well manag'd; for they could tell extreamly well when to ftop, and when to turn; and at fuch times, when they thought the Cafe in-h deed requir'd Diffimulation, if then they us'd it, it came to pass that the former Opinion fpread abroad, of their Good Faith and Clearnefs of Dealing, made) it almoft invisible.

VI. Nakednefs is indecent as well in Mind as Body; and it's no fmall Reverence to Men's Man ners and Actions, if they be not altogether open.

VII. * A general Cuftom of Diffimulation, is a pr Vice rifing either of a natural Falfenefs, or Fear-b fulness, or of a Mind that has fome main Faults of