Hence, the malignity which the poor commonly bear to the rich, as engroffing to themfelves all the comforts of life. Hence, the evil eye with which perfons of inferior ftation fcrutinise those who are above them in rank; and if they approach to that rank, their envy is generally strongest against fuch as are just one step higher than themselves,Alas! my friends, all this envious difquietude, which agitates the world, arifes from a deceitful figure, which impofes on the public view. False colours are hung out: the real ftate of men is not what it feems to be. The order of fociety requires a diftinction of ranks to take place; but in point of happiness, all men come much nearer to equality than is commonly imagined; and the circumftances, which form any material difference of happiness among them, are not of that nature which renders them grounds of envy. The poor man' poffeffes not, it is true, fome of the conveniences and pleasures of the rich; but, in return, he is free from many embarrassments to which they are fubject. By the fimplicity and uniformity of his life, he is delivered from that variety of cares, which perplex thofe who have great affairs to manage, intricate plans to pursue, many enemies, perhaps, to encounter in the purfuit. In the tranquillity of his fmall habitation, and private family, he enjoys a peace which is often unknown at courts. The gratifications of nature, which are always the most fatisfactory, are poffeffed by him to their full extent; and if he be a stranger to the refined pleasures of the wealthy, he is unacquainted also with the defire of them, and by confequence, feels no want. His plain meal fatisfies his appetite,

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with a relish, probably, higher than that of the rich man, who fits down to his luxurious banquet. His fleep is more found; his health more firm; he knows not what fpleen, languor, and liftlefsnefs His accustomed employments or labours are not more oppreffive to him, than the labour of attendance on courts and the great, the labours of drefs, the fatigue of amufements, the very weight of idlenefs, frequently are to the rich. In the mean time, all the beauty of the face of nature, all the enjoyments of domestic fociety, all the gaiety and cheerfulness of an casy mind, are as open to him as to thofe of the highest rank. The fplendour of retinue, the found of titles, the appearances of high refpect, are indeed foothing, for a fhort time, to the great. But, become familiar, they are foon forgotten. Custom effaces their impreffion. They fink into the rank of thofe, ordinary things, which daily recur, without raifing any fenfation of joy.-Let us cease, therefore, from looking up with difcontent and envy to thofe, whom birth or fortune has placed above us. Let us adjust the balance of happiness fairly. When we think of the enjoyments we want,' we fhould think alfo of the troubles from which we are free. If we allow their juft value to the comforts we poffefs, we fhall find reafon to reft fatisfied, with a very moderate, though not an opulent and fplendid, condition of fortune. Often, did we know the whole, we fhould be inclined to pity the state of those whom we now envy.

SECTION XIII.

Patience under Provocations our Intereft as well as Duty.

THE wide circle of human fociety is diverfified by an endless variety of characters, difpofitions, and paffions. Uniformity is, in no respect, the genius of the world. Every man is marked by fome peculiarity which diftinguishes him from another and no where can two individuals be found, who are exactly, and in all refpects, alike. Where fo much diverfity obtains, it cannot but happen, that, in the intercourfe which men are obliged to maintain, their tempers fhall often be ill adjusted to that intercourfe; shall jar, and interfere with each other. Hence, in every ftation, the highest as well as the loweft, and in every condition of life, public, private, and domeftic, occafions of irritation frequently arife. We are provoked, fometimes, by the folly and levity of thofe with whom we are connected; fometimes, by their indifference or neglect; by the incivility of a friend, the haughtiness of a fuperior, or the infolent behaviour of one in lower ftation. Hardly a day paffes, without fomewhat or other occurring, which ferves to ruffle the man of impatient spirit. Of course, fuch a man lives in a continual ftorm. He knows not what it is to enjoy a train of good humour. Servants, neighbours, friends, spouse, and children, all, through the unrestrained violence of his temper, become fources of disturbance and vexation to

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him. In vain is affluence; in vain are health and profperity. The leaft trifle is fufficient to difcompofe his mind, and poifon his pleasures. His very amufements are mixed with turbulence and paffion.

I would befeech this man to confider, of what small moment the provocations which he receives, or at least imagines himself to receive, are really in themselves; but of what great moment he makes them, by fuffering them to deprive him of the poffeffion of himself. I would befeech him, to confider, how many hours of happiness he throws away, which a little more patience would allow him to enjoy; and how much he puts it in the power of the most infignificant persons to render him miferable. "But who can expect," we hear him ex- . claim, "that he is to poffefs the infenfibility of a ftone? How is it poffible for human nature to endure fo many repeated provocations? or to bear calmly with fuch unreasonable behaviour ?"-My brother! if thou canft bear with no inftances of unreasonable behaviour, withdraw thyself from the world. Thou art no longer fit to live in it. Leave the intercourse of men. Retreat to the mountain, and the defert; or fhut thyfelf up in a cell. For here, in the midft of fociety, offences must come. We might as well expect when we beheld a calm atmofphere, and a clear fky, that no clouds were ever to rife, and no winds to blow, as that our life was long to proceed, without receiving provocations from human frailty. The careless and the imprudent, the giddy and the fickle, the ungrateful and the interested, every where meet us. They are the briers and thorns, with which the paths of human life are befet. He only, who can hold his

courfe among them with patience and equanimity, he who is prepared to bear what he muft expect to happen, is worthy of the name of a man.

If we preferved ourselves compofed but for a moment, we should perceive the infignificancy of moft of those provocations which we magnify fo highly. When a few funs more have rolled over our heads, the ftorm will, of itfelf, have fubfided; the cause of our prefent impatience and disturbance will be utterly forgotten. Can we not then, anticipate this hour of calmnefs to ourselves; and begin to enjoy the peace which it will certainly bring? If others have behaved improperly, let us leave them to their own folly, without becoming the victim of their caprice, and punishing ourselves on their account.-Patience, in this exercife of it, cannot be too much ftudied by all who with their life to flow in a fmooth ftream. It is the reason of a man, in oppofition to the paffion of a child. It is the enjoyment of peace, in oppofition to uproar and confufion.

BLAIR.

SECTION XIV.

Moderation in our Wishes recommended.

THE active mind of man feldom or never refts fatisfied with its prefent condition, how profperous foever. Originally formed for a wider range of objects, for a higher fphere of enjoyments, it finds itfelf, in every fituation of fortune, ftraitened and confined. Senfible of deficiency in its ftate, it is ever fending forth the fond defire, the afpiring wish,