A perfon therefore who is poffeffed with fuch an habitual good intention, as that which I have been here fpeaking of, enters upon no fingle circumftance of life, without confidering it as well-pleafing to the great Author of his Being, conformable to the dictates of reafon, fuitable to human nature in general, or to that particular ftation in which Providence has placed him. He lives in a perpetual fenfe of the Divine Prefence, regards himself as acting, in the whole courfe of his existence, under the obfervation and infpection of that Being, who is privy to all his motions and all his thoughts, who knows his down-fitting and his up-rifing, whe is about his path, and about his bed, and Spieth out all his ways. In a word, he remembers 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 punith it. This was the character of thofe holy men of old, who in that beautiful plirafe of fcripture are faid to have walked with God.

When I employ myfelf upon a paper of morality, I generally confider how I may recommend the particular virtue which I treat of by the precepts or examples of the ancient heathens; by that means, if poffible, to shame 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 Christian writer.

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 foul, has thefe words: Whether or not God will apR 3

proves

prove 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 always acted. I fhall only add, that Erafmus, who was an unbigotted Romancatholick, was fo much tranfported with this paffage of Socrates, that he could fcarce forbear looking upon him as a faint, 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: O holy Socrates, pray for

25.

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No 214. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5.

Servitii

Pericrunt tempora longi

L

Juv. Sat. iii. ver. 124.

A long dependence in an hour is loft. DRYDEN.

I DID fome time ago lay before the world the un

happy condition of the trading part of mankind, who fuffer by want of punctuality in the dealings of perfons above them; but there is a fet of men who are much more the objects of compaffion than even thofe, and thefe are the dependents on great men, whom they are pleased to take under their protection, as fuch as are to fhare in their friendthip 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 fort of creditors; and these debts, being debts of honour,

ought,

ought, according to the accustomed maxim, to be firft difcharged.

When I fpeak of dependents, I would not be underftood to mean those who are worthlefs in themfelves, 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 obligation 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 ftrike out about ninety-nine in an hundred of thefe; and the want of ability in patrons, as many of that kind. But however, I must beg leave to say, that he who will take up another's time and fortune in his fervice, though 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 wtthout 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 fenfe who put his fon to a blacksmith, though 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 fervices; fome through difcontent lofe their fpeech, fome their memories, others their fenfes or their lives; and I feldom 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.

There is nothing more ordinary, than that a man who is got into a confiderable ftation, fhall immediately alter his manner of treating all his friends,

and

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 yourself; but your patron is of a fpecies 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 diftance he preferibed 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 seen 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 pri vilege above the reft of the world, of being flow in receiving impreffions of kindness, 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 own friends, and strive to extend their interest 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 furprifed into it, or perhaps folicited to receive it. Upon fuch occafions as thefe a man perhaps may grow out of humour; if you are fo, all mankind will fall in with the patron, and you are an humourist 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 same manner; as fome good

good mothers will be fure to whip their children until 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 yourself either confiderable or agreeable: The former is not to be attained but by finding a way to live without them, or concealing that you want them; the latter is only by falling into their tafte and pleafures: This is of all the employments in the world the moft fervile, except it happens to be of your own natural humour. For to be agreeable to another, efpecially if he be above you, is not to be poffeffed of fuch qualities and accomplishments as fhould render you agreeable in yourfelf, but fuch as make you agreeable in refpect to him. An imitation of his faults, or a compliance, if not fubfervience to his vices, muft be the measures of your conduct.

When it comes to that, the unnatural fate à man lives in, when his patron pleafes, is ended; and his guilt and complaifance are objected to him, though the man who rejects him for his vices was not only his partner but feducer. Thus the client (like a young woman who has given up the innocence which made her charming) has not only loft his time, but alfo the virtue which could render him capable of refenting the injury which is done him.

It would be endless 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 whifper, that it is no wonder that people are fo flow in doing for a man of your talents, and the like.

After all this treatment, I must ftill add the pleafanteft infolence of all, which I have once or twice

feen;