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Jieves him from the influence of the fchool-boy habit of reading in a different key and tone from that of converfation, and gives him greater liberty to attempt the expreffion of the countenance and gesture.

It were much to be wifhed, that all public speakers who deliver their thoughts and fentiments either from memory or immediate conception; for, befides that there is an artificial uniformity, which almost always diflinguishes reading from speaking, the fixed pofture, and the bending of the head which reading requires are inconfiftent with the freedom, ease, and variety of juft elocution. But if this is too much to be expected, efpecially from preachers, who have fo much to compofe, and are fo often called on to speak in public; it is however extremely desirable that they should make themselves fo well acquainted with their difcourfe, as to be able, with a single glance of the eye, to take in several clauses, or the whole of a sentence.*

I have only to add, that after the utmost pains have been taken to acquire a juft elocution, and this with the greatest fuccefs, there is fome difficulty in carrying the art of fpeaking out of the school or chamber, to the bar, the fenate, or the pulpit. A young man who has been accustomed to perform frequent exercises in this art in private, cannot eafily perfuade himself, when he appears before the public, to confider the business he has to perform in any other light, than as a trial of skill, and a difplay of oratory. Hence it is that the character of an orator has of late often been treated with ridicule, fome times with contempt. We are pleased with the easy and graceful movements which the true gentleman has acquir

* See Dean Swift's advice on this head in his Letter to a young Clergyman.

ed by having learnt to dance; but we are offended by the coxcomb, who is always exhibiting his formal dancing-bow, and minuet-ftep. So we admire the manly eloquence and noble ardour of a British Legislator, rifing up in defence of the rights of his country; the quick recollection, the forcible reafoning, and the ready utterance of the accomplished Barrister; and the fublime devotion, genuine dignity, and unaffected earnestness of the facred Orator; but when a man, in either of these capacities, fo far forgets the ends, and degrades the confequence of his profeffion, as to fet himself forth to public view under the character of a fpouter, and to parade it in the ears of the vulgar with all the pomp of artificial eloquence, though the unfkilful may gaze and applaud, the judicious cannot but be grieved and difgufted, Avail yourself, then, of your skill in the Art of Speaking, but always employ your powers of elocution with caution and modefty remembering, that though it be defirable to be admired as an eminent Orator, it is of much more importance to be refpected, as a wife Statefman, an able Lawyer, or a useful Preacher.

BOOK I.

SELECT SENTENCES.

T

CHAPTER I.

O be ever active in laudable pursuits, is the distinguishing characteristic of a man of merit.

There is an heroic innocence, as well as an heroic courage.

There is a mean in all things. Even virtue itself hath its stated limits; which not being strictly observed, it ceases to be virtue.

It is wifer to prevent a quarrel beforehand, than to revenge it afterwards.

It is much better to reprove, than to be angry fecretly. No revenge is more heroic, than that which torments envy, by doing good.

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a tranfgreffion..

Money, like manure, does no good till it is spread. There is no real use of riches, except in the distribution: the reft is all conceit.

A wife man will defire no more than what he may get justly, use foberly, diftribute cheerfully, and live upon contentedly.

A contented mind, and a good conscience, will make a man happy in all conditions. He knows not how to fear, who dares to die.

C

There is but one way of fortifying the foul against all gloomy prefages and terrors of mind; and that is, by fecuring to ourselves the friendship and protection of that Being who difpofes of events, and governs futurity.

Philofophy is then only valuable, when it ferves for the law of life, and not for the oftentation of science.

CHAPTER II.

WITHOUT a friend the world is but a wilderness.

A man may have a thousand intimate acquaintances, and not a friend among them all. If you have one friend, think yourself happy.

When once you profefs yourself a friend, endeavour to be always fuch. He can never have any true friends, that will be often changing them.

Profperity gains friends, and adversity tries them.

Nothing more engages the affections of men, than a handsome addrefs, and graceful converfation.

Complaifance renders a fuperior amiable, an equal agreeable, and an inferior acceptable.

Excefs of ceremony fhows want of breeding. That civility is beft, which excludes all fuperfluous formality. Ingratitude is a crime fo fhameful, that the man was never yet found, who would acknowledge himself guilty of it.

Truth is born with us; and we must do violence to nature, to shake off our veracity.

There cannot be a greater treachery, than first to raise a confidence, and then deceive it.

By other's faults, wife men correct their own.

No man hath a thorough taste of profperity, to whom adverfity never happened.

When our vices leave us, we flatter ourselves that we leave them.

It is as great a point of wisdom to hide ignorance, as to discover knowledge.

Pitch upon

that courfe of life which is the most excellent; and habit will render it the moft delightful.

CHAPTER IIf.

CUSTOM is the plague of wife men, and the idol of fools. As to be perfectly juft, is an attribute of the Divine Nature: to be fo to the utmost of our abilities, is the glory of man.

No man was ever caft down with the injuries of fortune, unless he had before fuffered himself to be deceived by her favours.

Anger may glance into the breaft of a wife man, but refts only in the bofom of fools.

None more impatiently fuffer injuries, than thofe that are most forward in doing them.

By taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy but in paffing it over, he is fuperior.

To err is human: to forgive, divine.

A more glorious victory cannot be gained over another man, than this, that when the injury began on his part, the kindness should begin on ours.

The prodigal robs his heir: the mifer robs himself.

We should take a prudent care for the future, but fo as to enjoy the prefent. It is no part of wisdom to be miferable to-day, because we may happen to be so to-morrow.

To mourn without measure is folly; not to mourn at all, infenfibility.

Some would be thought to do great things, who are but tools and inftruments; like the fool who fancied he played upon the organ, when he only blew the bellows.

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