Page images
PDF
EPUB

to ourselves, and destitute of company and conversation: I mean that inte course and communication which every reasonable creature ought to maintain with the Author of his being.

9. The man who lives under an habitual sense of the divine presence, keeps up a perpetual cheerfulness of temper, and enjoys, every moment, the satisfaction of thinking himself in company with his dearest and best of friends. The time never lies heavy upon him; it is impossible for him to be alone.

10. His thoughts and passions are the most busied at suchhours when those of other men are the most inactive; he no sooner steps out of the world, but his heart burns with devction, swells with hope, and triumphs in the consciousness of that presence which every where surrounds him; or, on the contrary, pours out its fears, its sorrows, its apprehensions, to the great Supporter of its existence.

11. I have here only considered the necessity of a man's being virtuous, that he may have something to do; but if we consider further, that the exercise of virtue is not only an amusement, for the time it lasts, but that its influence extends to those parts of our existence which lie beyond the grave, and that our whole eternity is to take its color from those hours which we here employ in virtue or in vice, the argument redoubles upon us, for putting in practice this method of passing away our time.

12. When a man has but a little stock to improve, and has opportunities of turning it all to good account, what shall we think of him if he suffers nineteen parts of it to lie dead, and perhaps employs even the twentieth to his ruin or disadvantage? But because the mind cannot be always in its fervor, nor strained up to a pitch of virtue, it is necessary to find out proper employments for it in its relaxations.

13. The next method, therefore, that I would propose to fill up our time, would be useful and innoceut diversion. I must confess, I think it below reasonable creatures to be altogether conversant in such diversions as are merely innocent, and have nothing else to recommend them, but that there is no art in them.

14. Whether any kind of gaming has even thus much to y for itself, I shail not determine; but I think it is very nderful to see persons of the best sense, passing away a dohours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards, ith no other conversation but what is made up of a few game

phrases, and no other ideas but those of black or red spots, ranged together in different figures. Would not a man laugh to hear any one of his species complaining that life is short?

15. The stage might be made a perpetual source of the most noble and useful entertainments, were it under proper regulations.

16. But the mind never unbends itself so agreeably as in the conversation of a well chosen friend. There is indeed no blessing of life that is in any way comparable to the enjoyment of a discreet and virtuous friend. It eases and unloads the mind, clears and improves the understanding, engenders thoughts and knowledge, animates virtue and good resolution, soothes and allays the passions, and finds employment for most of the vacant hours of life.

17%, Next to such an intimacy with a particular person, one should endeavor after a more general conversation with such as are able to entertain and improve those with whom they converse, which are qualifications that seldom go asunder.

18. There are many other useful amusements of life, which one should endeavor to multiply, that one might on all occasions have recourse to something, rather than suffer the mind to lie idle, or run a drift with any passion that chances to rise in it.

19. A man that has a taste in music, painting or architecture, is like one that has another sense, when compared with such as have no relish of those arts. The florist, the planter, the gardner, the husbandman, when they are only as accomplishments to the man of fortune, are great reliefs to a country life, and many ways useful to those who are possessed of them. Spectator, No. 93.

1. MODES

MODESTY.

ODESTY is the citadel of beauty and virtue. The first of all virtues is innocence: the second is modesty. 2. Modesty is both in its source, and in its consequence, very great happiness to the fair possessor of it; it arises from a fear of dishonor, and a good conscience, and is followed immediately, upon its first appearance, with the reward of honor and esteem, paid by all those who discover it in any body living.

3. It is indeed, a virtue in a woman (that might otherwise be very disagreeable to one) so exquisitely delicate, that it excites in any beholder, of a generous and manly disposition, almost all the passions, that he would be apt to conceive for the mistress of his heart, in a variety of circumstances.

4. A woman that is modest, creates in us an awe in her company, a wish for her welfare, a joy in her being actually happy, a sore and painful sorrow if distress should come upon her, a ready and willing heart to give her consolation, and a compassionate temper towards her in every little accident of life she undergoes; and to sum up all in one word, it causes such kind of angelical love, even to a stranger, as good natured brothers and sisters usually bear towards one another,

5. It adds wonderfully to the make of a face; and I have seen a pretty well turned forehead, fine set eyes, and what your poets call, a row of pearl set in coral, shewn by a pretty expansion of two velvet lips that covered them (that would have tempted any sober man living of my own age, to have been a little loose in his thoughts and to have enjoyed a painful pleasure, amidst his impotency,) lose all their virtue, all their force and efficacy, by having an ugly cast of boldness very discernibly spread out at large over all those alluring features.

6. At the same time modesty will fill up the wrinkles of old age with glory; make sixty blush itself into sixteen; and help a green-sick girl to defeat the satire of a false waggish lover, who might compare her color, when she looked like a ghost, to the blowing of the rose-bud, by blushing herself into a bloor of beauty; and might make what he meant a reflection, a real compliment, at any hour of the day, in spite of his teeth.—It has a prevailing power with me whenever I find it in the sex.

7. 1, who have the common fault of all men, to be very sour. and humorsome, when I drank my water gruel in a morning, fell into a more than ordinary pet with a maid, whom I call my nurse, from a constant tenderness that I have observed her to exercise, towards me beyond all my other servants; I perceiv. ed her flush and glow in the face, in a manner which I could plainly discern proceeded not from anger or resentment of my correction, but from a good natured regret, upon a fear that she had offended her grave old master.

8. I was so heartily pleased, that I eased her of the hopest trouble she underwent inwardly for my sake; and giving her half a crown, I told her it was a forfeit due to her, because I was out of humor with her without any reason at all. And as she is so gentle hearted, I have diligently avoided giving her one harsh word ever since; and I find my own reward in it; for not being so testy as I used, has made me much hater and stronger than I was before.

*

9. The pretty, and witty, and virtuous Simplicia, was, the other day, visiting an old aunt of hers, that I verily believe has read the Atalantis: She took a story out there, and dressed up an honest old neighbor in the second-hand clothes of scan lal. The young creature hid her face with her fan at every burst and peal of laughter, and blushed for her guilty parent; by which she atoned, methought, for every scandal that ran ound the beautiful circle.

10. As I was going home to bed that evening, I could not help thinking of her all the way I went. I represented her to nyself as shedding holy blood every time she blushed, and as eing a martyr in the cause of virtue. And afterwards, when was putting on my night cap, I could not drive the tho't out f my head, but that I was young enough to be married to er; and that it would be an addition to the reputation I have n the study of wisdom, to marry to so much youth and moLesty, even in my old age.

11. I know there have not been wanting many wicked obections against this virtue; one is grown insufferably common. The fellow blushes, he is guilty. I should say rather, he blush s, therefore he is innocent. I believe the same man that first ad that wicked imagination of a blush being the sign of guilt, epresented good nature to be folly; and that he himself was he most inhuman and impudent wretch alive.

12. The author of Cato, who is known to be one of the most odest and most ingenious persons of the age we now live in, as given this virtue a delicate name in the tragedy of Cato, here the character of Marcia, is first opened to us. I would ave all ladies who have a mind to be thought well bred, to ink seriously on this virtue, which he so beautifully calls the inctity of manners.

13. Modesty is a polite accomplishment, and generally an tendant upon merit. It is engaging to the highest degree, id wins the hearts of all our acquaintance. On the contrary one are more disgustful in company than the impudent and esuming.

14. The man who is, on all occasions, commending and leaking well of himself, we naturally dislike. On the other nd, he who studies to conceal his own deserts, who does jus ce to the merit of others, who talks but little of himself, and at with modesty, makes a favorable impression on the persons is conversing with, captivates their ininds, and gains their

teem.

15. Modesty, however, widely differs from an aukward bashfulness, which is as much to be condemned as the other is to be applauded. To appear simple is as ill-bred as to be impu dent. A young man ought to be able to come into a room and address the company without the least embarrassment. To be out of countenance when spoken to, and not to have an answer ready, is ridiculous to the last degree.

16. An aukward country fellow, when he comes into company better than himself, is exceedingly disconcerted. He knows not what to do with his hands or his hat, but either puts one of them in his pocket, and dangles the other by his side; or perhaps twirls his hat on his fingers, or fumbles with the button. If spoken to he is in a much worse situation; he answers with the utmost difficulty, and nearly stammers; whereas a gentleman who is acquainted with life, enters a room with gracefulness and a modest assurance, addresses even persons he does not know, in an easy and natural manner, and without the least embarrassment.

17. This is the characteristic of good breeding, a very ne cessary knowledge in our intercourse with men for one of inferior parts, with the behavior of a gentleman, is frequently better received than a man of sense, with the address and manners of a clown. Ignorance and vice are the only things we need be ashamed of; steer clear of these, and you may go into any company you will; not that I would have a young man throw off all dread of appearing abroad, as a fear of offending, or being disesteemed, will make him preserve a proper de

corum.

18. Some persons, from experiencing false modesty, bave run into the other extreme, and acquired the character of in pudent. This is as great a fault as the other. A well bred man keeps himself within the two, and steers the riddle way. He is easy and firm in every company; is modest, but not bashful; steady, but not impudent. He copies the manners of the better people, and conforms to their customs with ease and

attention.

19. Till we can present ourselves in all companies with coolness and unconcern, we can never present ourselves well; na will a man ever be supposed to have kept good company, o ever be acceptable in such company, if he cannot appear ther easy and unembarrassed. A modest assurance, in every part of life, is the most advantageous qualification we can possibly acquire.

« PreviousContinue »