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him in Italian, What does a Man think of when he thinks of nothing? Sir Edward (who had not had the Effect of fome of the Queen's Grants fo foon as he had hop'd and defir'd) paus'd a little, and then made Answer: Madam, He thinks of a Woman's Promife. The Queen fhrunk in her Head, but was heard to fay, Well, Sir Edward, I must not confute you. Anger makes dull Men Witty, but it keeps them Poor.

I Belinda makes a Secret of nothing, Clorinda of every thing, now which of the two is most to blame?

* A witty Man is a good Companion, but an ill Confident.

"A witty Man makes quick Advances in an "Undertaking, but generally commits fatal Er"Tors before he brings it to bear. A moderate Genius, on the contrary, advances flowly, but more certainly to a defign.

No Man has a particular Fault, which he does not think he finds in all Mankind.

*There's a Fashion for Wit as well as Cloaths, therefore the prefent is no proper Judge of what is paft, and fhould not pretend to give Laws for what is to come.

*

"What is Wit in one Nation, is fometimes Common, Trivial, nay, Nonfenfe in another: "The French and English, for Example, differ no "lefs in their ways of Writing, the turn of their Thoughts, and their Taftes of Poetry, than in "their Manners and the Conftitution of their Go"vernments.

* There are feveral ways of Behaviour by which a Man may fink his Quality, and the Dignity of his Nature, and 'tis poflible without being aware on't. This, in the first place, is more remarkably

done

done by murmuring at any thing which happens. By doing thus he makes himself a fort of an Excrecence in the World, breaks off from the Conftitution of Nature, and instead of a Limb becomes an Ulcer. Again, he falls under the fame Misfortune who hates any Perfon, or croffes upon him, with an intention of Mischief; which is the Cafe of the Angry and Revengeful. Thirdly, A Man leffens and affronts himself when he is overcome by Pleasure or Pain. Fourthly, When he makes ufe of Art, Tricking, and Falfhood. Fifthly, When he does not know what he would be at in a Bufinefs, bnt runs on without Thought or Defign.

The Mark of a Man of Probity lies in keeping Reafon at the Head of Practife, and being eafie in his Condition. To live in a crowd of Objects, without fuffering either in his Senfe, his Virtue, or his Quiet. To have a good Understanding at home, and be govern'd by that Divine Principle within him: To be all Truth in his Words, and Juftice in his Actions; and if the whole World fhould disbelieve his Integrity, difpute his Character, and queftion his Happiness, he'd neither take it ill in the leaft, nor alter his Measures, but pursue the End of Living, with all the Honefty, Eafe and Refignation imaginable.

**Tis not Things, but Thoughts, which give difturbance; for Things keep their distance, and tease no body, till Fancy raises the Spleen, and grows untoward.

If you would live at your cafe, (fays Democritus) manage but a few things. I think it would have been better if he had faid, Do nothing but what is necessa ry. For by this Rule a Man may both fecure the quality and draw in the bulk of his Business; and

have the double pleasure of making his Actions good and few into the bargin. For the greatest part of what we fay and do being unneceffary, if this were but retrench'd, we fhould have both more leifure, and lefs difturbance. And therefore before a Man fets forward he fhould ask himself this Queftion; Am I not upon the Verge of Something unneceflary or impertinent? Farther, we fhould apply this hint to what we think, as well as what we do: For impertinence of Thought draws unneceffary Actions after it.

When any thing grows troublesome recollect this Maxim; That generons Behaviour is too strong for ill Fortune, and turns it to an Advantage.

* What fort of good things thefe are, which are commonly fo reckon'd, you may learn from hence: For the purpose, if you reflect upon thefe Quali ties, which are intrinfically valuable, fuch as Pradence, fuftice, Temperance and Fortitude, you won't find a Jeft upon them apt to relish and make fport; Whereas upon the Advantages of Fortune, and common Eftimation, a piece of Raillery will pafs well enough. Thus we fee the Generality are truck with the Distinctions, otherwife they would not diflike the Liberty in one Cafe, and allow it it the other. The Felicities of Riches, Luxury, and Ambition, are all within the Privilege of Buffoons, aed liable to the lafh of the Stage: Now what fignificancy can there be in these things, when a Poet's Jeft will take place upon them? and that Comical Droll may be juftly applied to the Owner; He is fo flush'd, fays the Play, with Wealth and Fisery, that be bas no room for his Clofe-fool.

• A Man's Manners depend very much upon the quality of what he frequently thinks on; for the

Soal

Soul is as it were ting'd with the Colour and Complexion of Thought.

• We have our Days of acting well, as of looking

well.

* To expect Impoffibility is Diftraction: Now 'tis impoffible for ill Men not to follow their Biafs, and fhew their Temper in fome Inftance or other.

* There's nothing happens to any Man, but what is in his Power to go thro' with: Some People have had very fevere Trials, and yet either by having lefs Understanding, or more Pride than ordinary, have charg'd bravely through the Misfortune, and come off without a Scratch. Now 'tis a fcandalous Indecency to let Ignorance and Vanity do more with us, than Prudence and Principle.

*What abundance of Senfual Satisfaction have Thieves, Sharpers, Catamires, Curtezans, Parricides, and Ufurpers been poffeft of? We may guess at the Quality of Pleafure, by its falling to the fhare of fuch Wretches as thefe.

* Frowardness and Rage are marks of an unmanly Difpofition; Mildness and Temper are not only more Humane, but more Masculine too. One thus affected appears much more brave and firm, and better fortified, than he that's fuming and out of forts; for Impaffibility is an Argument of Greatnefs; and he that has the leaft feeling in these Cafes, has always the most strength: On the other hand, as Grief is a of fign Weakness, so is Anger too; A Man is wounded in both thefe Paffions, and the smart is too big for him.

• Virtue is but a flender Reward to it felf; yet very rarely has any other.

'Tis an intolerable difhonour for a Man to be that, which only to be call'd fo is thought worthy of a Stab, I mean a Lyer.

To

• To be prais'd by Fools, is little better than being discommended by Men of Senfe.

The best way to

Praise favours of Flattery, and Censure of Malice, let them be never fo juft. advance anothers Virtue, is to follow it; and the true means to cry down another's Vice, is to decline

it.

* With three forts of People it is not Prudence to contract Friendship, viz. the Ungrateful Man, the Blab, and the Coward. The firft cannot fet a true Value on our Favours, the fecond cannot keep our Secrets, and the third dares not vindicate our Honour.

* Abus'd Patience turns to Fury; therefore be ware of him that is flow to Anger; for Anger when it is long in coming is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept.

• He that inftructs him that thinks himself wife enough, has a Fool to his Scholar; he that thinks himfelf wife enough to instruct himself, has a Fool to his Mafter.

* Wouldst thou difcover the true Worth of a Man, behold, him Naked; strip him of all his adventitious Advantages, as Wealth, Honours and Dignities, then view his Soul, and take a right Eftimate of his Greatness. Natural Sweetnefs is never fcented, but in the abfence of Artificial.

It gives us but an ill Opinion of the Profeffors of Phyfick, to fee Medicines have their Fashions

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