and dazzle for a time, but can produce no real, or lasting advantage.

Life of Blake.

To play with important truths, to disturb the repose of established tenets, to subtilize objections, and elude proof, is too often the sport of youthful vanity, of which maturer experience commonly repents. There is a time when every man is weary of raising difficulties only to task himself with the solution, and desires to enjoy truth, without the labour or hazard of contest. Life of Sir T. Browne.

Seduction.

There is not, perhaps, in all the stores of ideal anguish, a thought more painful than the consciousness of having propagated corruption by vitiating principles; of having not only drawn others from the paths of virtue, but blocked up the way by which they should return; of having blinded them to every beauty but the paint of pleasure; and deafened them to every call but the alluring voice of the sirens of destruction. Rambler, vol. 1.

Sorrow.

The sharpest and most melting sorrow is that which arises from the loss of those

whom we have loved with tenderness. But friendship between mortals can be contracted on no other terms, than that one must sometimes mourn for the other's death; and this grief will always yield to the survivor one consolation proportionate to his affliction; for the pain, whatever it be, that he himself feels, his friend has escaped. Rambler, vol. 1.

Subordination.

He that encroaches on another's dignity puts himself in his power; he is either repelled with helpless indignity, or endured by clemency and condescension. A great mind disdains to hold any thing by courtesy, and therefore never usurps what a lawful claimant may take away.

Suspicion.

Life of Swift.

Suspicion is no less an enemy to virtue han to happiness. He that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious; and he that becomes suspicious will quickly be corrupt. Rambler, vol. 2.

He that suffers by imposture has too often his virtue more impaired than his fortune. But as it is necessary not to

invite robbery by supineness, so it is our duty not to suppress tenderness by suspicion. It is better to suffer wrong than to do it; and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust. Rambler, vol. 2.

Statesmen.

I know not whether statesmen and patrons do not sometimes suffer more reproaches than they deserve from their dependants, and may not rather themselves complain that they are given up a prey to pretensions without merit, and to importunity without shame. The truth is, that the inconveniences of attendance are more lamented than felt. To the greater number, solicitation is its own reward: to be seen in good company, to talk of familiarities with men of power, to be able to tell the freshest news, to gratify an inferior circle with predictions of increase or decline of favour, and to be regarded as a candidate for high offices, are compensations more than equivalent to the delay of favours, which, perhaps, he that begs them has hardly confidence to expect.

Idler, vol. 1

Time.

The story of Melancthon affords a striking lecture on the value of time, which was, that, whenever he made an appointment, he expected not only the hour, but the minute to be fixed, that the day might not run out in the idleness of suspense.

Rambler, vol. 2.

When we have deducted all that is absorbed in sleep, all that is inevitably appropriated to the demands of nature, or irresistibly engrossed by the tyranny of custom; all that passes in regulating the superficial decorations of life, or is given up in the reciprocations of civility to the disposal of others; all that is torn from us by the violence of disease, or stolen imperceptibly away by lassitude and languor we shall find that part of our duration very small, of which we can truly call ourselves masters, or which we can spend wholly a our own choice.

Ibid. vol. 3.

Life is continually ravaged by invaders one steals away an hour, and another a day; one conceals the robbery by hurry. ing us into business, another by lulling us with amusement: the depredation is con

tinued through a thousand vicissitudes of tumult and tranquillity, till, having lost all, we can lose no more. Idler, vol. 1.

Time past.

Whether it be that life has more vexations than comforts, or, what is in event just the same, that evil makes deeper impressions than good, it is certain that few can review the time past without heaviness of heart. He remembers many ca lamities incurred by folly; many opportunities lost by negligence. The shades of the dead rise up before him, and he laments the companions of his youth, the partners of his amusements, the assistants of his labours, whom the hand of death has snatched away.

Trifles.

Ibid.

It may be frequently remarked of the studious and speculative, that they are proud of trifles, and that their amusements seem frivolous and childish; whether it be that men conscious of great reputation think themselves above the reach of censure, and safe in the admission of negligent indulgences, or that mankind expect from elevated genius an uniformity of greatness, and watch its degradation with malicious