cious; has in every thing an eye to sure-footing; he offends no body, nor is easily offended; and is always willing to compound for wrongs, if not forgive them.

He is never captious nor critical; hates banter and jests; he may be pleasant but not light; he never deals but in substantial ware, and leaves the rest for the toy-pates, (or shops) of the world; which are so far from being his business, that they are not so much as his diversion.

He is always for some solid good, civil or moral; as to make his country more virtuous, preserve her peace and liberty, employ her poor, improve land, advance trade, suppress vice, encourage industry, and all mechanical knowledge; and that they should be the care of the government, and the blessing and praise of the people.

To conclude, he is just, and fears God, hates covetousness, and eschews evil, and loves his neighbor as himself.

OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THOUGHTS.

Man being made a reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being, than the right direction and employment of his thoughts: since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public, and his own present and future benefit in all respects.

The consideration of this, has often obliged me to lament the unhappiness of mankind, that, through too great a mixture and confusion of thoughts, have hardly been able to make a right or mature judgment of things.

To this is owing, the various uncertainty and confusion we see in the world, and the intemperate zeal that occasions them.

To this, also is to be attributed the imperfect knowledge we have of things, and the slow progress we make in attaining to a better; like the children of Israel, that were forty years upon their journey from Egypt to

Canaan, which might have been performed

in less than one.

In fine, it is to this we ought to ascribe, if not all, at least most of the infelicities we labor under.

Clear, therefore, thy head, and rally and manage thy thoughts rightly, and thou wilt save time, and see and do thy business well: for thy judgment will be distinct, thy mind free, and thy faculties strong and regular.

Always remember to bound thy thoughts to the present occasion.

If it be thy religious duty, suffer nothing else to share in them. And if any civil or temporal affair, observe the same caution, and thou wilt be a whole man to every thing, and do twice the business in the same time.

If any point over-labors thy mind, divert and relieve it by some other subject, of a more sensible or manual nature, rather than what may affect the understanding: for this were to write one thing upon another, which blots 9

out our former impressions, or render them illegible.

They that are least divided in their care, always give the best account of their business.

As, therefore, thou art always to pursue the present subject till thou hast mastered it, so if it fall out that thou hast more affairs than one upon thy hands, be sure to prefer that which is of most moment, and will least wait thy leisure.

He that judges not well of the importance of his affairs, though he may be always busy, must make but a small progress.

But make not more business necessary than is so; rather lessen than augment work for thyself.

Nor yet be over eager in the pursuit of any thing; for the mercurial too often happen to leave judgment behind them, and sometimes makes work for repentance.

He that overruns his business, leaves it for him that follows more leisurely to take it

up: which has often proved a profitable harst to them that never sowed.

It is the advantage that slower tempers have upon the men of lively parts, that though they do not lead, they will follow well, and glean clean.

Upon the whole matter, employ thy thoughts as thy business requires, and let that have place according to merit and urgency, giving every thing a review and due digestion; and thou wilt prevent many errors and vexations, as well as save much time to thyself in the course of thy life.

OF MAN'S LIFE.

Why is man less durable than the works of his hands, but because this is not the place of his rest.

And it is a great and just reproach upon him, that he should fix his mind where he cannot stay himself.

Were it not more his wisdom to be con

cerned about those works that will go with