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* "Cowardice as well as Vice is generally owing to the Infelicity of a bad Education,

* 'Tis more pain to remedy fome Evils, than to bear them.

* The Affectation of Powers and Faculties that are above us, is not only vain and unprofitable, but Ridiculous; for the matter upon examination will not abide the Teft. Your Empyricks, Pifs-pot Prophets, Fortune-Tellers, and Buffoon Pretenders to State and Government, fall under the lafh of this Moral, And fo do all your little Smatterers in Arts and Sciences of what kind or quality foever: 'Tis not the Gown or the Cap that makes the Doctor; neither is it the fupercilious Gravity of Countenances and Forms that prefently dubs any Man a Philofopher. Not but that a Fool may put himself in the Garb, and fo far imitate the Meen and Motions of a Wife Man, as at firft blush to put a Man at a ftand what to make of him; but upon farther Confideration the Original is as eafily known from the Copy, as the Afs in his borrow'd Skin was from the Lyon. Their Ears and their Tongues betray them.

* Men's Virtues, as well as their Understandings are apt to be tainted by Drinking. The appearance of it is Sociable and Well-natur'd, but it is by no means to be rely'd upon; for nothing is more frail than a Man engag'd too deep in wet Popularity. The habit of it makes Men careless of their Bufinefs, and that leads them into Circumstances which makes them liable to Temptation,

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* It is feldom feen that any Principles have fuch a Root as to be Proof against the continual drop. pings of the Bottle.

*

Solitude is against Nature, but ill Company is worse than none. So that Life is not Life without the bleffing of a Friendly and Edifying Converfation. The Difficulty only refts in the Choice,

* The Administration of Publick Employments ferve for a Touch-ftone to effay the Capacity of the Undertaker, fo that when that is found fufficient to to digeft the great diversity of Affairs one meets with in Government, to Command is not more delightful to Ambition, than Gainful and Neceffary for the Experience and Knowledge of Things.

* 'Tis a folly, to the highest degree, for Men to run the rifque of their Lives and Fortunes, by entring into Leagues with the Weak, against an Adverfary which is manifeftly too ftrong for them both. 'Tis hazardous to contract unequal Friendfhips and Alliances, and there is an inequality of Difpofition and Humour, as well as of Power. The Falfe are as dangerous as the Fearful; only with this difference, that the one will do a Man hurt, and the other can do him no good.

*There's a Retreat of Sloth and Affectation, as well as of Choice and Virtue; and a Begger may be as Proud, and as Happy too, in a Cottage, as a Prince in a Palace.

*It is a happy prefence of Mind, to anticipate another Man's Thoughts, by confidering well be

forehand

forehand what Conftruction or Allufion his own Words will bear; for otherwife the cafting out an inconfiderate hint, is but the setting of a Trap to catch ones felf.

* That which fome call Good-Husbandry, Industry and Providence, others call Raking, Avarice and Oppreffion: So that the Virtue and the Vice, in many Cafes, are hardly distinguish'd but by the Name.

*When some People can live no longer by downright Rapine and Villany, for want of Strength, Means or Ability to go on at the old rate; 'tis a common thing for them to drive on the old Trade ftill, under a femblance of Religion and Virtue; fo that Impotency goes a great way toward the Converfion of an old Sinner.

* Old Men are only great Block-headed Boys with Beards, that entertain themselves with bigger Play-things.

'Tis with Money as 'tis with Majefty; all other Powers and Authorities ceafe while that is in place. Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sifters, Relations, Friendfhips, are but empty names of things. 'Tis Intereft that governs the World, and the Rulers of it, Ecclefiaftical as well as Civil; For it works in all Degrees and Qualities of Men; and we have learnt by Experience, that the Pulpit may be made to have a feeling in the Cafe, as well as the Bar. Money in fine, is an Univerfal Paffport, and all Doors fly open to it. It anfwers all Objections, refolves all Scruples, and turns up what Religion Trump it pleafes. In one Word, Quid dabitis et tradam? may be the Motto of Corrupt Nature.

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In all things the Circumftance is as necellary as the Substance, nay, and more. The thing that first prefents to us is not the Effence, but the Appearance. By the outfide we come to the knowledge of what is within. By the Bark of the Manner we difcern the Fruit of the Subftance; infomuch that we judge of Perfons whom we know not, only by their Deportment.

The Way and Manner is that part of Merit, which most affects the Attention. And seeing it is to be acquir'd, he that is without it is inexcufable.

Truth has Force, Reason Authority, and Juftice Power; but they are without Luftre if the grateful Way be wanting; for as with it every thing is fet off with more advantage, fo it makes amends for all things,even for the defects of Reason ; it gilds Slights, paints Deformities, hides Imperfections; and in a Word, difguifes every thing.

* We make a wonderful matter of things at a diftance, that fignifie little or nothing at all nearer hand. And we are as much impos'd upon in the profpect of our Hopes and Fears. The Dangers and the Bleflings that we either dread or propofe to our felves, look a great deal bigger a-far off, than in effect they are. And what's the Mystery of all this now, but that we judge of things by falfe Images and Appearances, without entering into the true State and Reafon of them? So that at this rate we divide our felves betwixt flattering Illufions,and reftlefs Apprehenfions: Never at eafe either on one fide or on the other. The mischief is,that

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we are over folicitous about Matters that are out of our Power, and Star-gazing after Futurities, when in Truth our Bufinefs lies juft under our Nofes; that is to fay, in the attending and improvement of prefent Opportunities. In few Words, a wife Man counts his very Minutes, he lets no time flip him; for Time is Life: which he makes long by the good husbandry of a right ufe and application of it, from one Moment to another. This is not yet to exclude that Providence of tracing Premiffes into Confequences, or Caufes into their Effects; but to caution us not to look at the wrong end of the Glafs, and fo invert the Profpect. We fee things at hand as they really are, but at a distance only as they seem to be: Patience and Confideration will fet us right in our Judgments and in our Meafures.

There are but very few Men that are capable of doing a good Action in the dark, and without Witness.

Nothing is more eafie than for Paffion to conquer Reason, their greater Triumph is when they can get the better of Intereft.

One foolish Word is enough to spoil a good Cause, and 'tis many a Man's Fortune to cut his own Throat with his own Argument.

'Tis a turn of Art, in many Cafes, either of Deformity or Mifchance, where a Man lies open to a Reproach, to anticipate an Abuse, and to make fport with himself firft. A Man may be Shamefac'd, and a Woman Modeft, to the degree of Scandalous. A frank cafie way of Openness and

Candor

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