fhould not be invited. If fhe entered a public room, the ladies courtefied, and fhrunk away, for there was no fuch thing as speaking, but Floretta would find fomething to criticise. If a girl was more fpritely than her aunt, fhe was threatened that in a little time she would be like Floretta. Vifits were very diligently paid when Floretta was known not to be at home; and no mother trusted her daughter to herself without a caution, if the fhould meet Floretta, to leave the company as foon as fhe could.

With all this Floretta made fport at firft, but in time grew weary of general hoftility. She would have been content with a few friends, but no friendship was durable; it was the fashion to defert her, and with the fafhion what fidelity will contend? She could have easily amused herself in folitude, but that the thought it mean to quit the field to treachery and folly.

Perfecution at length tired her conftancy, and fhe implored Lilinet to rid her of her wit: Lilinet complied and walked up the mountain, but was often forced to ftop and wait for her follower. When they came to the flinty fountain, Floretta filled a small cup, and flowly brought it to her lips, but the water was infupportably bitter. She juft tafted it, and dafhed it to the ground, diluted the bitterness at the fountain of alabafter, and refolved to keep her wit with all its confequences.

Being now a wit for life, fhe furveyed the various conditions of mankind with fuch fuperiority of fentiment, that she found few diftinctions to be envied or defired, and therefore did not very foon make another vifit to the fountain. At length being alarmed by fickness, the refolved to drink length of life from the golden cup. She returned

Bb 4

returned elated and fecure, for though the longevity acquired was indeterminate, fhe confidered death as far diftant, and therefore fuffered it not to intrude upon her pleasures.

But length of life included not perpetual health. She felt herfelf continually decaying, and faw the world fading about her. The delights of her early days would delight no longer, and however widely fhe extended her view, no new pleasure could be found; her friends, her enemies, her admirers, her rivals dropped one by one into the grave, and with thofe who fucceeded them fhe had neither community of joys nor ftrife of competition.

By this time he began to doubt whether old age were not dangerous to virtue; whether pain would not produce peevishness, and peevishnefs impair benevolence. She thought that the fpectacle of life might be too long continued, and the vices which were often feen might raise less abhorrence; that refolution might be fapped by time, and let that virtue fink, which in its firmest state it had not without difficulty fupported; and that it was vain to delay the hour which must come at laft, and might come at a time of lefs preparation and greater imbecillity.

These thoughts led her to Lilinet, whom she accompanied to the flinty fountain; where, after a short combat with herfelf, fhe drank the bitter water. They walked back to the favourite bufh penfive and filent; and now, faid he, accept my thanks for the laft benefit that Floretta can receive. Lady Lilinet dropped a tear, impreffed upon her lips the final kifs, and refigned her, as fhe refigned herfeif, to the courfe of nature.

TO THE FOURTH EDITION OF THE

DICTIONARY of the ENGLISH LANGUAGE*.

ΜΑ

man.

ANY are the works of human industry, which to begin and finish are hardly granted to the fame He that undertakes to compile a Dictionary, undertakes that, which, if it comprehends the full extent of his defign, he knows himself unable to perform. Yet his labours, though deficient, may be ufeful, and with the hope of this inferior praife, he must incite his activity, and folace his weariness.

Perfection is unattainable, but nearer and nearer approaches may be made; and finding my Dictionary about to be reprinted, I have endeavoured, by a revifal, to make it lefs reprehenfible. I will not deny that I found many parts requiring emendation, and many more capable of improvement. Many faults I have corrected, fome fuperfluities I have taken away and fome deficiencies I have fupplied. I have metho difed fome parts that were difordered, and illuminated fome that were obfcure. Yet the changes or additions bear a very small proportion to the whole. The critic will now have lefs to object, but the student who has bought any of the former copies needs not repent; he will not, without nice collation, perceive how they differ; and usefulness feldom depends upon little things.

For negligence or deficience, I have perhaps not need of more apology than the nature of the work will furnifh: I have left that inaccurate which never was made exact, and that imperfect which never was completed.

Published in folio, 1773.

DR.

DR. DODD's ADDRESS,

On receiving SENTENCE of DEATH, May 26, 1777.

My Lord,

NOW stand before you a dreadful example of hu

man infirmity. I entered upon public life with the expectations common to young men, whofe education has been liberal, and whose abilities have been flattered: and, when I became a clergyman, confidered myself as not impairing the dignity of the order. I was not an idle, nor, I hope, an useless minister. I taught the truths of Christianity, with the zeal of conviction, and the authority of innocence.-My labours were approved; my pulpit became popular; and I have reason to believe, that, of those who heard me, fome have been preserved from fin, and fome have been reclaimed.-Condescend, my lord, to think, if these considerations aggravate my crime, how much they must embitter my punishment!

Being distinguished and elevated by the confidence of mankind, I had too much confidence in myfelf: and, thinking my integrity, what others thought it, established in fincerity, and fortified by religion, I did not confider the danger of vanity, nor fufpect the deceitfulness of my own heart. The day of conflict came, in which I comtemptation furprised and overwhelmed me. mitted the crime, which I entreat your lordship to believe that my confcience hourly represents to me in its

full

full bulk of mischief and malignity. Many have been overpowered by temptation, who are now among the penitent in heaven.

To an act, now waiting the decifion of vindictive justice, I will not presume to oppose the counterbalance of almost thirty years-a great part of the life of man— paffed in exciting and exercifing charity; in relieving fuch diftreffes as I now feel; in adminiftering those confolations which I now want. I will not otherwise extenuate my offence, than by declaring, what I hope will appear to many, and which many circumftances make probable, that I did not intend to be finally fraudulent; nor will it become me to apportion my own punishment, by alledging that my fufferings have been not much less than my guilt.

I have fallen from reputation, which ought to have made me cautious; and from a fortune, which ought to have given me content. I am funk at once into poverty and fcorn: my name and my crime fill the ballads in the streets; the sport of the thoughtlefs, and the triumph

of the wicked.

It may seem strange, my lord, that, remembering what I have lately been, I should still wish to continue what I am. But contempt of death, how fpeciously foever it might mingle with heathen virtues, has nothing in it fuitable to Chriftian penitence. Many motives impel me to beg earnestly for life. I feel the natural horror of a violent death, and the universal dread of untimely diffolution, I am defirous to recompenfe the injury I have done to the clergy, to the world, and to religion; and to efface the scandal of my crime, by the example