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and Infpection of that Being, who is privy to all his Mo tions and all bis Thoughts, who knows his Down-fitting and his Up-rifing, who is about his Path, and about his Bed, and fpisth out all his Ways. In a word, he remem bers that the Eye of his Judge is always upon him, and in every Action he reflects that he is doing what is commanded or allowed by Him who will hereafter either reward or punish it. This was the Character of thofe holy Men of old, who in that beautiful Phrafe of Scripture are faid to have walked with God.

WHEN I employ my felf upon a Paper of Morality, I generally confider how I may recommend the parti- -cular Virtue which I treat of, by the Precepts or Examples of the antient Heathens; by that Means, if pof fible, to fhame those who have greater Advantages of knowing their Duty, and therefore greater Obligations to perform it, into a better Courfe of Life: Befides, that many among us are unreafonably difpofed to give a fairer Hearing to a Pagan Philofopher, than to a Chriftian Wri

ter.

I fhall therefore produce an Inftance of this excellent Frame of Mind in a Speech of Socrates, which is quoted by Erafmus. This great Philofopher on the Day of his Execution, a little before the Draught of Poifon was brought to him, entertaining his Friends with a Difcourfe on the Immortality of the Soul, has thefe Words: Whether or no God will approve of my Actions, I know not; but this I am fure of, that I have at all Times made it my Endeavour to please him, and I have a good Hope that this my Endeavour will be accepted by him. We find in thefe Words of that great Man the habitual good Intention which I would here inculcate, and with which that Divine Philofopher alway's acted. I fhall only add, that Erafmus, who was an unbigotted Roman Catholick, was fo much tranfported with this Paffage of Socrates, that he could fcarce forbear looking upon him as a Saint, and defiring him to pray for him; or as that ingenious and learned Writer has expreffed himself in a much more lively Manner: When I reflect on fuch a Speech pronounced

by fuch a Perfon, I can scarce forbear crying out, Sancte Socrates, ora pro nobis. holy Socrates, pray for

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N° 214. Monday, November 5.

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Servitii

-Perierunt tempora longi

Juv.

Did fome time ago lay before the World the unhappy Condition of the trading Part of Mankind, who fuffer for want of Punctuality in the Dealings of Perfons above them; but there is a Set of Men who are much more the Objects of Compaffion than even thofe, and thefe are the Dependants on great Men, whom they are pleafed to take under their Protection as fuch as are to fhare in their Friendship and Favour. Thefe indeed, as well from the Homage that is accepted from them, as the Hopes which are given to them, are become a Sort of Creditors; and thefe Debts, being Debts of Honour, ought, according to the accuftom'd Maxim, to be firft difcharged.

WHEN I fpeak of Dependants, I would not be understood to mean those who are worthless in themselves, or who, without any Call, will prefs into the Company of their Betters. Nor, when I fpeak of Patrons, do I mean thofe who either have it not in their Power, or have no Obligation to affift their Friends; but I fpeak of fuch Leagues where there is Power and Obli gation on the one Part, and Merit and Expectation on the other.

THE Divifion of Patron and Client, may, I believe, include a Third of our Nation; the Want of Merit and real Worth in the Client, will strike out about Ninety nine in a Hundred of thefe; and the Want of Ability in Patrons, as many of that Kind. But however, I muft beg Leave to fay, that he who

will

will take up another's Time and Fortune in his Service, tho' he has no Profpect of rewarding his Merit towards him, is as unjust in his Dealings as he who takes up Goods of a Tradefman without Intention or Ability to pay him. Of the few of the Clafs which I think fit to confider, there are not two in ten who fucceed: infomuch that I know a Man of good Senfe who put his Son to a Black-fmith, tho' an Offer was made him of his being received as a Page to a Man of Quality. There are not more Cripples come out of the Wars, than there are from thofe great Services; fome through Difcontent lofe their Speech, fome their Memories, others their Senfes or their Lives; and I fel• dom fee a Man thoroughly difcontented, but I conclude he has had the Favour of fome great Man. I have known of fuch as have been for twenty Years together within a Month of a good Employment, but never arrived at the Happiness of being poffeffed of any Thing.

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THERE is nothing more ordinary, than that a Man who is got into a confiderable Station, fhall immedi-ately alter his Manner of treating all his Friends, and from that Moment he is to deal with you as if he were your Fate. You are no longer to be confulted, even in Matters which concern your felf; but your Patron is of a Species above you, and a free Communication with you is not to be expected. This perhaps may be your Condition all the while he bears Office, and when that is at an End, you are as intimate as ever you were, and he will take it very ill if you keep the Distance he prefcribed you towards him in his Grandeur. One would think this fhould be a Behaviour a Man could fall into with the worst Grace imaginable; but they who know the World have feen it more than once. I have often, with fecret Pity, heard the fame Man who has profeffed his Abhorrence against all kind of paffive Behaviour, lofe Minutes, Hours, Days, and Years in a fruitless Attendance on one who had no Inclination to befriend him. It is very much to be regarded, that the Great, have one particular Privilege above the rest of the

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World,

World, of being flow in receiving Impreffions of Kindnefs, and quick in taking Offence. The Elevation above the reft of Mankind, except in very great Minds, makes Men fo giddy, that they do not fee after the fame Manner they did before: Thus they defpife their old Friends, and strive to extend their Interests to new Pretenders. By this Means it often happens, that when you come to know how you loft fuch an Employment, you will find the Man who got it never dreamed of it; but, forfooth, he was to be furprized into it, or perhaps follicited to receive it. Upon fuch Occafions as thefe a Man may per haps grow out of humour; if you are fo, all Mankind will fall in with the Patron, and you are an Humorist and untractable if you are capable of being four at a Difappointment: But it is the fame thing, whether you do or do not refent ill Ufage, you will be used after the fame Manner; as fome good Mothers will be fure to whip their Children till they cry, and then whip them for crying.

THERE are but two Ways of doing any Thing with great People, and thofe are by making your felf either confiderable or agreeable: The former is not to be atrained but by finding a Way to live without them, or concealing that you want them; the latter is only by falling into their Taste and Pleafures: This is of all the Employments in the World the most fervile, except it happens to be of your own natural Humour. For to be agreeable to another, efpecially if he above above you, is not to be poffeffed of fuch Qualities and Accomplifhments as fhould render you agreeable in your felf, but fuch as make you agreeable in refpect to him. An Imitation of his Faults, or a Compliance, if not Subfervience, to his Vices, must be the Measures of your

Conduct.

WHEN it comes to that, the unnatural State a Man lives in, when the Patron pleafes, is ended; and his Guilt and Complaifance are objected to him, tho' the Man who rejects him for his Vices was not only his Partner but Seducer. Thus the Client, (like a young Woman who has given up the Innocence which made her charming) has not only loft his Time, but also the Virtue

Virtue which could render him capable of refenting the Injury which is done him.

IT would be endlefs to recount the Tricks of turning you off from themfelves to Perfons who have lefs Power to ferve you, the Art of being forry for fuch an unaccountable Accident in your Behaviour, that fuch a one (who, perhaps, has never heard of you) oppofes your Advancement; and if you have any Thing more than ordinary in you, you are flattered with a Whisper, that 'tis no Wonder People are fo flow in doing for a Man of your Talents, and the like.

AFTER all this Treatment, I muft ftill add the pleafanteft Infolence of all, which I have once or twice feen ; to wit, That when a filly Rogue has thrown away one Part in three of his Life in unprofitable Attendance, it is taken wonderfully ill that he withdraws, and is refolved to employ the reft for himself.

WHEN we confider thefe Things, and reflect upon fo many honeft Natures (which one, who makes Obfervation of what paffes, may have feen) that have mifcarried by fuch Sort of Applications, it is too melancholy a Scene to dwell upon; therefore I fhall take another Opportunity to difcourfe of good Patrons, and diftinguish fuch as have done their Duty to thofe who have depended upon them, and were not able to act without their Fayour. Worthy Patrons are like Plato's Guardian-Angels, who are always doing Good to their Wards; but negligent Patrons are like Epicurus's Gods, that lie lolling on the Clouds, and inftead of Bleffings pour down Storms and Tempefts on the Heads of thofe that are offering Incense to them.

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Tuesday,

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