4. But it may be asked, Has not the fubje&t been fince treated of by a Writer of a very different character? Is it not exhaufted, by one who was himself a confummate Master of the Art of Pleafing? And who writing to one he tenderly loved, to a favourite fon, gives him all the advices which his great understanding, improved by various learning, and the experience of many years, and much converfe with all forts of men could fuggeft? I mean, the late Lord Chesterfield, the general darling of all the Irifh, as well as the English nation.

5. The means of pleafing which this wife and indulgent parent continually and earnefly recommends to his darling child, and on which he doubtlefs formed both his tempers and utward conduct,

"Till death untimely flopped his tuneful tongue,"

were, firft, Making love (in the groffeft fenfe) to all the married women, whom he conveniently could. (Single women he advifes him to refrain from, for fear of difagreeable confequences.) Secondly, Conftant and careful Diffimulation, always wearing a mask: trufting no man upon earth, so as to let him know his real thoughts, but perpetually fecming to mean what he did not mean, and feeming to be what he was not. Thirdly, Well-devised Lying to all forts of people, fpeaking what was fartheft from his heart and in particular flattering men, women and children as the infallible way of pleafing them.

way, to

It needs no great art to fhew that this is not the please our neighbour for his good, or to edification. I fhall endeavour to fhew, that there is a better way of doing it; and indeed a way diametrically oppofite to this. It conlifts I. In removing hinderances out of the way, and

II. In ufing the means that directly tend to this end.

I. 1. I advise all that defire to please their neighbour for his good to edification, full, To remove all hinderances out of the

way;

way; or, in other words, to avoid every thing, which tends to displeasure wife and good men, men of found understanding and real piety. Now Cruelty, Malice, Envy, Hatred and Revenge are difpleafing to all wife and good men, to all wlio are endued with found understanding and genuine piety. There is likewife another temper, nearly related to thefe, only in a lower kind, and which is ufually found in common life, wherewith men in general are not pleafed. We commonly call it Ill-nature. With all poffible care avoid all thefe: nay, and whatever bears any resemblance to them: as fournefs, fternnefs, fullenness, on the one hand; peevifhnefs and fretfulnefs, on the other: if ever you hope to please your neighbour for his good to edification.

2. Next to Cruelty, Malice and fimilar tempers, with the words and actions that naturally fpring therefrom, nothing is more difguftful, not only to perfons of fenfe and religion, but even to the generality of men, than pride, haughtiness of spirit, and its genuine fruit, an affuming arrogant overbearing beha viour. Even uncommon learning joined with fhining talents, will not make amends for this: but a man of eminent endow ments, if he be eminently haughty, will be defpifed by many, and difliked by all. Of this the famous Mafler of Trinity College in Cambridge, was a remarkable inftance. How few perfons of his time had a fronger underftanding or deeper learning than Dr. Bentley? And yet how few were lefs beloved? Unless one who was little, if at all inferior to him in fenfe or learning, and equally diftant from humility, the Author of the Divine Legation of Mofes. Whoever therefore defires to plcafe his neighbour for his good, muft take care of splitting upon this rock. Otherwife the fame pride which impels him to feck the esteem of his neighbour, will infallibly hinder his attaining it.

3. Almost as disgustful to the generality of men as Haughtinefs itself, is a paffionate temper and behaviour. Men of a

tendes

tender difpofition are afraid even to converfe with perfons of this fpirit. And others are not fond of their acquaintance, as frequently (perhaps when they expected nothing lefs) meeting with shocks, which if they bear for the prefent, yet they do not willingly put themselves in the way of meeting with them again. Hence paffionate men have feldom many friends; at least, not for any length of time. Crowds indeed may attend them for a feafon, efpecially when it may promote their intereft. But they are ufually difgufted one after another, and fall off like leaves in Autumn. If therefore you defire laftingly to please your neighbour for his good, by all poffible means avoid violent paffion.

4. Yea and if you defire to please, even on this account, take that advice of the Apostle, Put away all lying. It is the remark of an ingenious Author, that of all vices, Lying never yet found an Apologist, with any that would openly plead in its favour, whatever his private fentiments might be. But it should be remembered, Mr. Addifon went to a better world, before Lord Chesterfield's Letters were published. Perhaps his apology for it was the best that ever was, or can be made for fo bad a caufe. But after all, the labour he has beftowed upon it "has only femblance of worth; not substance." It has no folidity in it; it is nothing better than a fhining phantom. And as Lying can never be commendable or innocent, fo neither can it be pleasing: at leaft when it is ftript off its disguise, and appears in its own fhape. Confequently it ought to be carefully avoided, by all thofe who wish to please their neighbour for his good to edification.

5. But is not Flattery, a man may say, one fpecies of Lying? And has not this been allowed in all ages, to be the fure means of Pleafing? Has not that obfervation been confirmed by numberless experiments,

Obfequium amicos, veritas odium parit ?"

VOL. X.

3 K

Has

Has not a late witty Writer, in his "Sentimental Journey," related fome ftriking inftances of this? I anfwer, It is true. Flattery is pleafing for awhile, and that not only to weak minds as the defire of praise, whether deserved or undeserved, is planted in every child of man. But it is pleafing only for awhile. As foon as the mafk drops off, as foon as it appears that the fpeaker meant nothing by his foft words, we are pleased no longer. Every man's own experience teaches him this. And we all know, that if a man continues to flatter, after his infincerity is difcovered, it is difguftful; not agreeable. Therefore even this fafhionable fpecies of Lying is to be avoided, by all that are defirous of pleasing their neighbour, to his lafting advantage.

6. Nay, whoever defires to do this, must remember, that not only Lying, in every fpecies of it, but even Diffimulation, (which is not the fame with Lying, though nearly related to it) is difpleafing to men of understanding, though they have not religion. Terence reprefents even an old Heathen, when it was imputed to him, as anfwering with indignation,

"Simulare non eft meum :"

"Diffimulation is no part of my Character."

Guile, Subtlety, Cunning, the whole Art of Deceiving, by whatever terms it is expressed, is not accounted an accomplishment by wife men; but is indeed an abomination to them. And even those who practise it moft, who are the greatest artificers of fraud, are not pleafed with it in other men, neither are fond of converfing with thofe that practise it on themselves. Yea the greatest deceivers are greatly difpleafed at them that play their own arts upon them.

[To be continued.]

An

ON

[Continued from page 410.]

our arrival at Boflon, we afked for the falvage of our goods, which were faved out of the fhip Scipio; but Captain Clark refufed to make us any fatisfaction. On this a gentleman of that city, undertook our caufe, and commenced an action against him in the Admiralty-court. The defendant. flood the trial, before Judge Byfield; and after a hearing of about half an hour, the Judge afked Captain Clark, if he thought we had not suffered fufficiently already? He therefore faid, "As you have faved the cargo of your own veffel, I hereby decree, that they fhall all receive double falvage." Then Captain Clark, though deemed by the inhabitants a covetous man, anfwered cheerfully that it fhould be fo; and that he would, moreover, render to each of us a present of ten pounds currency. Thus ended our law-fuit, and we had at fufficiency to fit us out with every neceffary for fea again.

I having a ftrong inclination to return to my native country, agreed with Captain Shutt, then lying in the harbour of St. John; but as we were tarrying for a freight, there came on a terrible hurricane, and drove us out of the harbour into the offing; yet in the space of eight days, we reached the harbour of St. John again. When we had taken in part of our homeward-bound merchandize, the fhip was tranfmitted to the ifland of Montferrat, there to procure the refidue of her

cargo.

When the fhip was ready for failing we weighed anchor, and failed for Bristol, where we arrived in feven weeks. And, after a few weeks, I fhipped myself with Captain James

⚫ Whoever defires to fee this Account more at large, may have it of Mr. T. Scollick, Bookfeller, near the New Chapel, City Road, London,