brought to light. I am therefore much delighted with reading the accounts of favage nations; and with contemplating those virtues which are wild and uncultivated: to fee courage exerting itself in fiercenefs, refolution in obftinacy, wifdom in cunning, patience in fullenness and despair.

Men's passions operate variously, and appear in different kinds of actions, according as they are more or lefs rectified and fwayed by reafon. When one hears of negroes, who, upon the death of their mafters, or upon changing their service, hang themselves upon the next tree, as it sometimes happens in our American plantations, who can forbear admiring their fidelity, though it exprefses itfelf in fo dreadful a manner? What might not that favage greatnefs of foul, which appears in these poor wretches on many occafions, be raised to, were it rightly cultivated? And what colour of excufe can there be, for the contempt with which we treat this part of our fpecies; that we should not put them upon the common foot of humanity; that we fhould only fet an infignificant fine upon the man who murders them; nay, that we fhould, as much as in us lies, cut them off from the profpects of happinefs in another world, as well as in this; and deny them that which we look upon as the proper means for attaining it?

It is therefore an unfpeakable blefsing, to be born in thofe parts of the world where wifdom and knowledge flourish; though, it must be confefsed, there are, even in these parts, feveral poor uninftructed perfons, who are but little above the inhabitants of thofe nations of which I have been here speaking; as those who have had the advantages of a more liberal education, rise

above one another by feveral different degrees of perfection. For, to return to our statue in the block of marble, we fee it fometimes only begun to be chipped, fometimes rough-hewn, and but just sketched into a human figure; fometimes, we fee the man appearing diftinctly in all his limbs and features; fometimes, we find the figure wrought up to great elegancy; but feldom meet with any to which the hand of a Phidias or a Praxiteles could not give feveral nice touches and finishings.

ADDISON.

SECTION II.

On Gratitude.

THERE is not a more pleafing exercife of the mind, than gratitude. It is accompanied with fuch inward fatisfaction, that the duty is fufficiently rewarded by the performance. It is not, like the practice of many other virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with fo much pleasure, that were there no pofitive command which enjoined it, nor any recompenfe laid up for it hereafter, a generous mind would indulge in it, for the natural gratification which it affords.

If gratitude is due from man to man, how much more from man to his Maker?-The Supreme Being does not only confer upon us thofe bounties which proceed more immediately from his hand, but even those benefits which are conveyed to us by others. Every blefsing we enjoy, by what means foever it may be derived upon us, is the gift of Him who is the great Author of good, and the Father of mercies.

If gratitude, when exerted towards one another, naturally produces a very pleafing fenfation in the mind

D

of a grateful man, it exalts the foul into rapture, when it is employed on this great object of gratitude; on this beneficent Being, who has given us every thing we already pofsefs, and from whom we expect every thing we yet hope for.

ADDISON.

SECTION III.

On Forgiveness.

THE moft plain and natural fentiments of equity. concur with divine authority, to enforce the duty of forgiveness. Let him who has never in his life done wrong, be allowed the privilege of remaining inexorable. But let fuch as are confcious of frailties and crimes, confider forgivenefs as a debt which they owe to others. Common failings are the ftrongeft lefson of mutual forbearance. Were this virtue unknown among men, order and comfort, peace and repose, would be ftrangers to human life. Injuries retaliated according to the exorbitant measure which passion prefcribes, would excite refentment in return. The injured perfon would become the injurer; and thus wrongs, retaliations, and fresh injuries, would circulate in endless fuccefsion, till the world was rendered a field of blood. Of all the pafsions which invade the human breast, revenge is the moft direful. When allowed to reign with full dominion, it is more than fufficient to poifon the few pleasures which remain to man in his prefent state. How much foever a perfon may fuffer from injuftice, he is always in hazard of fuffering more from the profecution of revenge. The violence of an enemy cannot inflict what is equal to the

torment he creates to himself, by means of the fierce and defperate pafsions which he allows to rage in his foul.

Those evil spirits who inhabit the regions of mifery, are represented as delighting in revenge and cruelty. But all that is great and good in the univerfe, is on the fide of clemency and mercy. The almighty Ruler of the world, though for ages offended by the unrighteousness, and infulted by the impiety of men, is " longfuffering and flow to anger." His Son, when he appeared in our nature, exhibited, both in his life, and his death, the most illuftrious example of forgiveness which the world ever beheld. If we look into the history of mankind, we shall find that, in every age, they who have been respected as worthy, or admired as great, have been distinguished for this virtue. dwells in little minds. A noble and magnanimous fpirit is always fuperior to it. It fuffers not from the injuries of men thofe fevere flocks which others feel. Collected within itself, it stands unmoved by their im potent afsaults; and with generous pity, rather than with anger, looks down on their unworthy conduct.— It has been truly faid, that the greatest man on earth can no fooner commit an injury, than a good man can make himself greater, by forgiving it.

Revenge

BLAIR

SECTION IV.

Motives to the practice of Gentleness.

To promote the virtue of gentlenefs, we ought to view our character with an impartial eye; and to learn, from our own failings, to give that indulgence

which in our turn we claim. It is pride which fills the world with fo much harfhnefs and feverity. In the fulnefs of felf-eftimation, we forget what we are. We claim attentions, to which we are not entitled. We are rigorous to offences, as if we had never offended; unfeeling to diftrefs, as if we knew not what it was to fuffer. From thofe airy regions of pride and folly, let us defcend to our proper level. Let us furvey the natural equality on which Providence has placed man with man, and reflect on the infirmities common to all. If the reflection on natural equality and mutual offences, be infufficient to prompt humanity, let us at least remember what we are in the fight of our Creator. Have we none of that forbearance to give one another, which we all fo earneftly intreat from heaven? Can we look for clemency or gentleness from our Judge, when we are fo backward to show it to our own brethren?

Let us alfo accuftom ourfelves, to reflect on the fmall moment of those things, which are the usual incentives to violence and contention. In the ruffled and angry hour, we view every appearance through a falfe medium. The most inconfiderable point of intereft, or honour, fwells into a momentous object; and the flighteft attack feems to threaten immediate ruin. But after pafsion or pride has fubfided, we look around in vain for the mighty mifchiefs we dreaded. The fabric, which our difturbed imagination had reared, totally difappears. But though the caufe of contention has dwindled away, its confequences remain. We have alienated a friend; we have embittered an enemy; we have fown the feeds of future fufpicion, malevolence, or difguft.-Let us fufpend our violence