nants: what we call the charities and ties of affinity, prove but so many separate and clashing interests. The son wishes the death of the father; the younger brother that of the elder; the elder repines at the sisters' portions: when any of them marry, there are new divisions, and new animosities. It is but natural and reasonable to expect all this, and yet we fancy no comfort but in a family.

Authors in France seldom speak ill of each other, but when they have a personal pique; authors in England seldom speak well of each other, but when they have a personal friendship.

There is nothing wanting to make all rational and disinterested people in the world of one religion, but that they should talk together every day.

Men are grateful, in the same degree that they are resentful.

The longer we live, the more we shall be convinced, that it is reasonable to love God, and despise men, as far as we know either.

It is impossible that an ill-natured man can have a public spirit; for how should he love ten thousand men, who never loved one? T. K.

That character in conversation which commonly passes for agreeable, is made up of civility and falsehood.

A short and certain way to obtain the character of a reasonable and wise man, is, whenever any one tells you his opinion, to comply with him.

What is generally accepted as virtue in women, is very different from what is thought so in men. Α very good woman would make but a paltry man.

Some people are commended for a giddy kind of good humour, which is as much a virtue as drunken

ness.

Those people only will constantly trouble you with doing little offices for them, who least deserve you should do them any.

Whoever has flattered his friend successfully, must at once think himself a knave, and his friend a fool.

We may see the small value God has for riches, by the people he gives them to.

D. A.

Who are next to knaves? those that converse with them.

We are sometimes apt to wonder, to see those people proud who have done the meanest things: whereas a consciousness of having done poor things, and a shame of hearing it, often make the composition we call pride.

An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie: for an excuse is a lie guarded.

Praise is like ambergris; a little whiff of it, and by snatches, is very agreeable; but when a man holds a whole lump of it to your nose, it is a stink, and strikes you down.

The general cry is against ingratitude, but sure the

complaint is misplaced; it should be against vanity: none but direct villains are capable of wilful ingratitude; but almost every body is capable of thinking he hath done more than another deserves, while the other thinks he hath received less than he deserves.

I never knew any man in my life who could not bear another's misfortunes perfectly like a Christian.

Several explanations of casuists, by multiplying sins, may be called amendments to the ten commandments.

It is observable that the ladies frequent tragedies more than comedies; the reason may be, that in tragedy their sex is deified and adored, in comedy exposed and ridiculed.

The character of covetousness is what a man generally acquires more through some niggardliness, or ill-grace, in little and inconsiderable things, than in expenses of any consequence: a very few pounds a year would ease that man of the scandal of avarice.

Some men's wit is like a dark lantern, which serves their own turn, and guides them their own way; but is never known (according to the scripture phrase) either to shine forth before men, or to glorify their Father who is in heaven.

It often happens that those are the best people, whose characters have been most injured by slanderers: as we usually find that to be the sweetest fruit which the birds have been picking at.

The people all running to the capital city, is like a

confluence of all the animal spirits to the heart, a symptom that the constitution is in danger.

A king may be a tool, a thing of straw; but if he serves to frighten our enemies, and secure our property, it is well enough: a scarecrow is a thing of straw, but it protects the corn.

A man coming to the water-side, is surrounded by all the crew; every one is officious, every one making applications, every one offering his services, the whole bustle of the place seems to be only for him. The same man going from the water-side, no noise made about him, no creature takes notice of him, all let him pass with utter neglect! The picture of a minister when he comes into power, and when he goes out.

[We find by the Letter to Dr. Atterbury, dated July 27, 1722, that the Duchess of Buckinghamshire would have engaged Mr. Pope to draw her husband's character. But, though he refused this office, yet in his Epistle On the Character of Women, these lines,

To heirs unknown descends th' unguarded store,

Or wanders, heaven-directed, to the poor',

are supposed to mark her out in such a manner as not to be mistaken for another; and having said of himself that he held a lie in prose and verse to be the same, all this together gave a handle to his enemies, since his death, to publish the following paper, (intitled, The Character of Katherine, &c.,) as written by him. On which account (in vindication of the deceased poet) we have subjoined to it a letter to a friend, that will let the reader fully into the history of the writing and publication of this extraordinary CHARACTER.] -Warburton.

1 These two lines are in the character of Atossa, who was the Duchess of Marlborough, and not Buckinghamshire.—Warton.