this description. Let such never flatter them-: selves with the hope of possessing a real friend.. Who would open his heart to the wretch that is watching every moment to betray his confidant; and is so little scrupulous, that when truth will not supply food for his pleasantries, calumny is resorted to for that purpose?

THE spirit of raillery in some men partakes perhaps less of the character of malice, than of perverseness and obstinacy. To utter a bon-mot is the height of their intellectual ambition: and they will not miss an opportunity of this sort, though at the expence of subjecting themselves to a charge of malignity; and indeed many an ill-natured jest escapes them, in spite of themselves, for which their heart afterward bitterly reproaches them.

LET me intreat you to preserve yourself exempt from a delusion so fatal as this. Remember, it is a thousand times more desirable to pass for a man of honour than a wit. The raillery which proceeds from the vain desire of applause, seldom fails to create contempt; and nothing wounds the self-love of men so much as attacks of this nature. Injuries are often forgiven; insult and ridicule, never. No injury makes so deep an impression in the

memory, as that which is produced by a cutting malicious jest; for let it be ever so good, yet it is always extremely bad when it occasions enmity. Raillery in conversation, therefore, is no longer agreeable than while the whole company is pleased with it; and should never be used but with regard to failings of so little consequence, that the person concerned himself be merry on the subject. It is a pleasant but decent mixture of praise and reproach. They who have a true relish for conversation, enjoy themselves in a communication of each other's excellences, and not in a triumph over their mutual imperfections.

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THE temptation of saying smart or witty things, and the malicious applause with which they are commonly received, have made people who can say them,—and still oftener people who think they can, but cannot, and yet try,—more enemies, and implacable ones too, than any other thing that I know of. When such things shall happen to be said at your expence (as sometimes they certainly will), reflect seriously on the sentiments of uneasiness, anger, and resentment, which they excite in you; and consider whether it can be prudent, by the same means, to excite these sentiments in others against you.

It is a decided folly, to lose a friend for a jest; but in my mind, it is not a much less degree of folly, to make an enemy of an indifferent and neutral person, for the sake of a bon-mot. When things of this kind happen to be said of you, the most prudent way is, to seem not to apprehend that they are meant of you, and to avoid showing whatever degree of anger you may feel inwardly but should they be so plain that you cannot be supposed ignorant of their meaning, join in the laugh of the company against yourself; acknowledge the hit to be fair, and the jest a good one, and play off the whole thing in seeming good humour. By no means reply in the same way; this only shows that you are hurt, and publishes the victory that you might have concealed.

RAILLERY exercised upon an inferior, is generally cruel; and mean and cowardly toward such as are unable to repel the shafts which it has thrown. But it is atrocious and brutal when it falls on natural defects or secret foibles. There is however a species of gay and amusive raillery, whose brilliancy offends no ore, and often delights even such as may be the objects of it; but this talent requires the finest and most

delicate attentions. Raillery of whatever nature, is not allowable in a young officer; because in him it must always evince a spirit of pride and superiority.

THE liar, or the calumniator, is scarcely more dangerous in society than the jester: especially if the latter (as is frequently the case) supplies from his own fancy the defects, real or imaginary, of the objects of his bantering.

ALL great minds pride themselves in a contempt of calumny. Mecenas told Augustus, that if the reports propagated against him were not true, the contempt with which they were treated by him would entirely discredit them; while, on the contrary, should he manifest any uneasiness respecting them, it would give them the air and importance of truth, and thus put it in the power of the basest of men to trouble his repose.

TIBERIUS having written to this emperor that it was necessary to punish Elian, who had spoken contemptuously of his sovereign, Augustus answered: "We ought not to obey the impulses of puerile irritation; and if any one speak ill of us, should we not deem ourselves happy in being placed above the reach of the ill he seeks to do s?"

TITUS used to say of injurious reports, "If I

do nothing that is reprehensible, why should I be rendered uneasy by calumny?"

WHEN Frederic of Prussia was told that a person had abused him, he asked the informer whether his enemy had an army of a hundred thousand men. "No, sire," replied the courtier. "Then," said Frederic, "I can have nothing to do with him. If he had a powerful army at his command, I would declare war against him.”

THE duke of Savoy, when disputing with Henry the Fourth for the marquisate of Saluce, caused a considerable fort to be erected at Barreaux, of which no one could discern the utility; because Montmelian, which was not far off, sufficiently covered the country, and afforded every possible facility that could be desired for the passes into Dauphiny. It was conjectured, by the noise which he caused to be made of this enterprise throughout Italy, that he had been influenced only by the glory of raising a fort on French ground, in sight of the French army. The general of the latter nation was universally condenied among his troops, for suffering such an insult; and this disposition presently extended itself to the court. "Your majesty," returned he coolly, to a communication from the king on this point, "has need of a strong fortification to