Thefe ills are fupported by the arbitrary fway of legislative ridicule, while by, I know not what pedantry of good breeding, converfation is confined to indifferent, low, or perhaps vicious fubjects; and all that is ferious, good, or great, almost banished the world: for in imitation of those we have mentioned, there daily arife fo many pretenders to do mischief, that what seemed at firft but a confpiracy, is now a general infurrection against virtue; and when they who really have wit lead the way, it is hardly to be prevented, but that they must be followed by a crowd who would be fuch, and make what shift they can to appear fo, by helping one defect with another, and fupplying want of wit with want of grace, and want of reputation with want of fhame Thus are men hurried away in the prosecution of mean and fenfual defires, and instead of employing their paffions in the fervice of life, they spend thei life in the fervice of their paffions; yet though it is a truth very little received, that virtue is its own reward, it is furely an undeniable one, that vice is its own punishment; for when we have given our appetites a loose rein, we are immediately præcipitated by them into unbounded and endless wifhes, while we repine at our fortune, if its narrowness curbs them, though the gratifications of them were a kindnefs, like the indulgence of a man's thirst in a dropfy; but this diftemper of mind is never to be remedied, till men will more unrefervedly attempt the work, and will resolve to value themselves rather upon a ftrong reafon to allay their paffions, than a fine imagination to raise them. For if we beft judge of things when we are not aetually engaged and concerned in them, every man's own pwn experience must inform him, that both the pleafures we follow, and the forrows we fhun, are in nature very different from what we conceive them, when we observe that paft enjoyments are anxious, past sufferings pleafing in the reflection; and fince the memory of the one makes us apprehend our ftrength, the other our weakness, it is an argument of a trivial mind to prefer the fatisfactions that lead to inquietude before pains that lead to tranquility. But if that confifts (as it certainly does) in the mind's enjoyment of truth, the most vexatious circumftance of its anguish, is that of being in doubt; from which men, will find but a very short relief if they draw it from the collections or obfervations of fedentary men, who have been called wife for propofing rules of active life, which they cannot be fupposed to understand: for between the arrogant and fanatic indolence of fome, and the falfe and pleasurable felicity of others (which are equally chimera's) a man is fo utterly divided, that the happiness of phiJosophers appears as fantastic as the mifery of lo vers. We fhall not, it is hoped, be understood by faying this, to imagine that there is a fufficient force in the fhort following effay, to ftem the univerfal and destructive torrent of error and pleasure; it is fufficient if we can stand without being carried away with it, and we fhall very willingly refign the glory of an oppofition, if we can enjoy the fafety of a defence; and as it was at firft attempted to difengage my own .mind from deceiving appearances, fo it can be publifhed for no other end, but to set others a thinking with the fame inclination: which whoever will pleafe to do, will make a much better argument for B his a his own private ufe, than any body elfe can for him? for ill habits of the mind, no more than those of the body, are cured by the patients approbation of the medicine, except he'll refolve to take it; and if my fellow foldiers (to whofe fervice more efpecially I would dire my thoughts I were capable of) would form to themfelves, (if any do not) a conftant reafon of their actions, they would find themselves better prepared for all the viciffitudes they are to meet with, when inftead of the changeable heat of mere courage and blood, they acted upon the firm motives of duty, valour, and conftancy of foul. For (however they are dif-efteemed by fome unthinking, not to fay ungrateful men) to profess arms, is to profefs being ready to die for others; nor is it an ordinary ftruggle between reafen, fenfe, and paffion, that can raife men to a calm and ready negiigence of life, and animate them to affault without fear, purfue without cruelty, and flab without ha tred. But virtuous principles muft infallibly be not only better than any other we can embrace, to warm us to great attempts, but also to make our days in their ordinary paffage flide away agreeably for as nothing is more daring than truth, fo there is nothing more cheerful than innocence; and indeed I need not have been beholden to the experience of a various life to have been convinced, that true happiness is not to be found but where I at prefent place it; for I was long ago informed where only it was to be had, by the reverend Dr Ellis, my ever honoured tutor; which great obligation I could not but mention, though my gratitude to him is perhaps an accufation of myfelf who |