"mired. But his fpirit and vivacity could "not be restored. He feemed to engage in "the ufual paftimes and occupations of a "country-life, rather with patience than fa

tisfaction, and to fuffer fociety as a duty. "which he owed to a fifter who had prefer"ved him, and to thofe friends who fhewed. "fo much folicitude for his happiness, rather "than to enjoy it as a fource of pleasure and "entertainment to himfelf. If ever he was "animated, it was in the company of a few "young men who looked to him for inftruc❝tion. He entertained them, not with mur"murings against the world, or complaints of "the injuftice or depravity of mankind. His "pictures of fociety were flattering and agree“able, as giving the most extenfive scope for "the exercife of the active virtues. "My "young friends," he was wont to fay, car

ry with you into the world a spirit of inde"pendence, and a proper refpect for your"felves. These are the guardians of virtue. "No man can trust to others for his fupport, 61 or forfeit his own good opinion with impunity. Extravagant defires and ill-founded "hopes pave the way for difappointment, and difpofe us to cover our own errors with the

"unjuft

unjuft accufation of others. Society is fup "ported by a reciprocation of good offices; "and, though virtue and humanity will give, 'juftice cannot demand, a favour, without a "recompence. Warm and generous friend"fhips are fometimes, nay, I hope, often, "found in the world; but, in thofe changes "and viciffitudes of life which open new "views, and form new connections, the old 46 are apt to be weakened or forgotten. Fa

mily and domestic friendships," would he add, with a figh, "will generally be found "the most lafting and fincere; but here, my "friends, you will think me prejudiced; you "all know my obligations to Leonora."

"Antonio and Leonora are now no more; "he died a few days after my laft vifit. His "fifter he had buried about a twelvemonth "before; and I have often heard him men❝tion, with a kind of melancholy fatisfaction, "that, to her other diftreffes, there had not "been added the regret of being left behind " him."

U

N° 72.

N° 72.

SATURDAY, January 15. 1780.

Sunt lacrymæ rerum, et mentem mortalia tan

gunt.

T

VIRG.

HE confideration of death has been always made ufe of by the moralift and the divine as a powerful incentive to virtue and to piety. From the uncertainty of life, they have endeavoured to fink the estimation of its pleasures, and, if they could not strip the feductions of vice of their prefent enjoy. ment, at leaft, to load them with the fear of their end.

Voluptuaries, on the other hand, have, from a fimilar reflection, endeavoured to enhance the value, and perfuade to the enjoyment of temporal delights. They have advised us to pluck the rofes which would otherwife foon wither of themselves, to feize the moments which we could not long command, and, fince time was unavoidably fleeting, to crown its flight with joy.

Of neither of thefe perfuafives, whether of

the

the moral or the licentious, the fevere or the gay, have the effects been great. Life muft neceffarily confift of active scenes, which exclude from its general tenor the leisure of meditation, and the influence of thought. The fchemes of the bufy will not be checked by the uncertainty of their event, nor the amusements of the diffipated be either controlled or endeared by the fhortnefs of their duration. Even the cell of the Anchorite, and the cloifter of the Monk, have their bufinefs and their pleasures; for study may become bufinefs, and abstraction pleasure, when they engage the mind, and occupy the time. A man may even enjoy the prefent, and forget the future, at the very moment in which he is writing of the infignificancy of the former, and the importance of the latter.

It were easy to show the wisdom and benignity of Providence, Providence ever wife and benign, in this particular of our conftitution; but it would be trite to repeat arguments too obvious not to have been often obferved, and too juft not to have been always allowed.

But, though neither the fituation of the world, nor the formation of our minds, allow the thoughts of futurity or death a con

ftant

ftant or prevailing effect upon our lives, they may, furely, fometimes, not unfeasonably, prefs upon our imagination; even exclufive of their moral or religious use, there is a sympathetic enjoyment which often makes it not only better, but more delightful, to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feafting.

Perhaps I felt it fo, when, but a few days fince, I attended the funeral of a young lady, who was torn, in the bloom of youth and beauty, from the arms of a father, who doted on her, of a family by whom she was adored; I think I would not have exchanged my feelings at the time, for all the mirth which gaiety could infpire, or all the pleasure which luxury could bestow.

Maria was in her twentieth year. To the beauty of her form, and excellence of her natural difpofition, a parent equally indulgent and attentive had done the fulleft juftice. To accomplish her perfon, and to cultivate her mind, every endeavour had been used; and they had been attended with that fuccefs which they commonly meet with, when not prevented by mistaken fondnefs or untimely vanity. Few young ladies have attracted more admiration ; none ever felt it lefs: With all the

charms