riority in others; whether a mean ambition, or the infatiate luft of being witty, (a talent in which ill-nature and malice are no bad ingredients,) or laftly, whether from a natural cruelty of disposttion, abstracted from all views and confiderations of felf: to which one, or whether to all jointly we are indebted for this contagious malady; thus much is certain, from whatever feeds it fprings, the growth and progress of it are as deftructive to, as they are unbecoming a civilized people. To pass a hard and ill-natured reflection, upon an undesigning action; to invent, or which is equally bad, to propagate a vexatious report, without colour and grounds; to plunder an innocent man of his character and good name, a jewel which perhaps he has ftarved himself to purchase, and probably would hazard his life to fecure; to rob him at the fame time of his happiness and peace of mind perhaps his bread,-the bread may be of a virtuous family, and all this, as Solomon fays of the madman, who cafteth fire-brands, arrows and death, and faith, Am I not in fport? all this, out of wantonnefs, and oftener from worse motives;

the

the whole appears fuch a complication of badness, as requires no words or warmth of fancy to aggravate. Pride, treachery, envy, hypocrify, malice, cruelty, and felflove, may have been faid in one shape or other, to have occafioned all the frauds and mischiefs that ever happened in the world; but the chances against a coincidence of them all in one perfon are fo many, that one would have fuppofed the character of a common flanderer as rare and difficult a production in nature, as that of a great genius, which feldom happens above once in an age.

But whatever was the cafe, when St. James wrote his epiftle, we have been very fuccefsful in later days, and have found out the art, by a proper management of light and fhade, to compound all thefe vices together, fo as to give body and ftrength to the whole, whilst no one but a difcerning artist is able to discover the labours that join in finishing the picture. And indeed, like many other bad originals in the world,-it ftands in need. of all the difguife it has.-For who could be enamoured of a character, made up of

fo

fo loathfome a compound,-could they behold it naked,-in its crooked and deformed shape,-with all its natural and detefted infirmities laid open to public view.

-

And therefore, it were to be wished, that one could do in this malignant cafe of the mind,-what is generally done for the public good, in the more malignant and epidemical cafes of the body, that is, when they are found infectious-to write a history of the distemper,—and afcertain all the symptoms of the malady, fo that every one might know, whom he might venture to go near, with tolerable fafety to himself.-But alas! the fymp toms of this appear in fo many ftrange, and contradictory fhapes, and vary fo wonderfully with the temper and habit of the patient, that they are not to be claffed, --or reduced to any one regular system..

Ten thousand are the vehicles, in which this deadly poifon is prepared and communicated to the world,-and by fome artful hands, 'tis done by fo fubtle and nice an

infufion,

infufion, that it is not to be tasted or difcovered, but by its effects.

How frequently is the honefty and integrity of a man, difpofed of, by a smile or a fhrug ?-How many good and generous actions, have been funk into oblivion, by a distrustful look, or stamped with the imputation of proceeding from bad motives, by a mysterious and seasonable whif per?

Look into companies of thofe whose gentle natures fhould difarm them, we shall find no better account.- How large a portion of chastity is fent out of the world by diftant hints,-nodded away, and cruelly winked into fufpicion, by the envy of thofe, who are paffed all temptation of it themselves--How often does the reputation of a helpless creature bleed by a report which the party, who is at the pains to propagate it, beholds with fo much pity and fellow-feeling,-that she is heartily forry for it,hopes in God it is not true; however, as Arch-bishop Tillotson wittily observes, upon it, is refolved in the mean time, to give the re

port

port her pass, that at least it may have fair play to take its fortune in the world,to be believed or not, according to the charity of those, into whofe hands it shall happen to fall.'

So fruitful is this vice in variety of expedients, to fatiate as well as difguife itfelf. But if thefe fimoother weapons cut fo fore,---what fhall we fay of open and unblushing scandal-fubjected to no caution, -tied down to no reftraints ?If the one, like an arrow fhot in the dark does nevertheless so much fecret mischief,this like the peftilence, which rageth at noon-day, fweeps all before it, levelling without diftinction the good and the bad; a thousand fall befide it, and ten thousand on its right hand,- -they fall,-fo rent And torn in this tender part of them, fo unmercifully butchered, as fometimes never to recover either the wounds,—or the anguish of heart,-which they have occafioned.

But there is nothing fo bad which will not admit of fomething to be faid in its defence.

And