Page images
PDF
EPUB

and great defigns are naturally liable to fatal miscarriages, or that the general lot of mankind is misery, and the misfortunes of those whofe eminence drew upon them an univerfal attention, have been more faithfully recorded, because they were more generally obferved, and have, in reality, been only more confpicuous than thofe of others, more frequent or more severe.

Life of Savage.

DOMESTIC HAPPINESS.

The great end of prudence is to give chearfulness to thofe hours which fplendor cannot gild, and acclamation cannot exhilarate. Those foft intervals of unbended amusement, in which a man fhrinks to his natural dimenfions, and throws afide the ornaments, or disguises which he feels, in privacy, to be ufeful incumbrances, and to lose all effect when they become familar. To be happy at home is the ultimate refult of all ambition; the end to which every enterprize and labour tends, and of which every defire prompts the profecution. It is indeed at home that every man must be known, by those who would make a just estimate either of his virtue, or felicity; for fmiles and embroidery

are

are alike occafional, and the mind is often dreffed for fhow in painted honour, and fictitious benevolence.

Rambler, v. 2, p. 82.

The highest panegyric that domestic virtue can receive, is the praife of fervants; for however vanity or infolence may look down with contempt on the fuffrage of men undignified by wealth, and unenlightened by education, it very feldom happens that they commend or blame without juftice.

Ditto, ditte, p. 84.

HABITS.

No man forgets his original trade; the rights of nations and of kings fink into queftions of grammar, if grammarians difcufs them.

[blocks in formation]

Our powers owe much of their energy to our hopes ; poffunt quia poffe videntur.

Ditto.

The understanding of a man, naturally fanguine, may be easily vitiated by the luxurious indulgence of hope, however necessary to

the

the production of every thing great, or excellent, as fome plants are deftroyed by too open an exposure to that fun, which gives life and beauty to the vegetable world.

Rambler, v. 1, p. 10.

Hope is neceffary in every condition. The miferies of poverty, of fickness, of captivity, would, without this comfort, be infupportable; nor does it appear that the happieft lot of terrestrial existence, can fet us above the want of this general bleffing; or that life, when the gifts of nature and fortune are accumulated upon it, would not still be wretched, were it not elevated and delighted by the expectation of fome new poffeffion, of fome enjoyment yet behind, by which the wish fhall be at laft fatisfied, and the heart filled up to its utmost extent. Yet hope is very fallacious, and promifes what it feldom gives; but its promifes are more valuable than the gifts of fortune, and it seldom fruftrates us without affuring us of recompenfing the delay by a great bounty.

Ditto, v. 2, p. 75.

Where there is no hope, there can be no

endeavour.

Ditto, v. 3, p. 26.

Hope

Hope is the chief bleffing of man, and that hope only is rational, of which we are certain that it cannot deceive us.

Ditto, v. 4, p. 236.

HUMANITY.

HE does nothing who endeavours to do more than is allowed to humanity.

Prince of Abyffinia, p.179.

HEALTH.

SUCH is the power of health, that without its co-operation, every other comfort is torpid and lifeless, as the power of vegetation without the fun.

Rambler, v. 1, p. 291.

HISTORY.

HE that records tranfactions in which himfelf was engaged, has not only an opportunity of knowing innumerable particulars

[blocks in formation]

which escape spectators, but has his natural powers exalted by that ardour which always rifes at the remembrance of our own importance, and by which every man is enabled to relate his own actions better than another's. Idler, v. 2, p. 69.

He that writes the hiftory of his own times, if he adheres ftrictly to truth, will write that which his own times will not eafily endure. He must be content to repofite his book till all private paffions shall cease, and love and hatred give way to curiofity.

Ditto, ditto, p. 72.

GOOD-HUMOUR. GOOD-HUMOUR may be defined; a habit of being pleased; a conftant and peren. nial foftness of manner, eafinefs of approach, and fuavity of difpofition, like that which every one perceives in himself, when the first tranfports of new felicity have subsided, and his thoughts are only kept in motion by a flow fucceffion of foft impulfes.

Rambler, v. 2, p. 102.

Good-humour is a flate between gaiety and unconcern; the act of a mind, at leifure, to regard the gratifications of another.

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »