No. 314.] THE SOUL. [SATURDAY. THE Soul is that which thinks, learns, reasons, reflects, remembers, within us; that which is conscious of its own existence, and of the existence of innumerable beings and substances around us. It is of far greater worth and dignity than the bodily frame in which it resides; a spiritual being which is to remain when the body decays; possessing a peculiar life, a life which may indeed be improved, or made worse, but which can never cease to be. To live is not enough, though for ever; but to live in everlasting bliss is a point of the highest inquiry, and surely deserves our utmost attention and concern. The stars shall fade away, the sun himself The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds. No. 315.] FALSITY OF DEISM. [SUNDAY. ALL men says the Deist have not reason; all men says the Scripture have not faith; reason, falsely so called, speculates upon faith, and genuine faith brings right reason to bow with submission to divine teaching. This is the difference between Christianity and Deism. The Deist believes a state of happiness without divine revelation. The darkness of Heathenism is preferred by him to the light of the Gospel dispensation. Mahomet, Confucius, or Zoroaster, are upon the same ground with him as the Son of God. Redemption by the blood of Christ is to him the greatest absurdity, he resolves all his hopes in the benevolence of an absolute Deity. He boasts of a free will to do and to practise all the moral virtues; but, alas! he is seldom found in the use of them. The dignity of human nature is his darling theme, and yet he will be seen to give sanction to those deeds which are most abhorrent to humanity. No. 316.] MODESTY. [MONDAY. MODESTY is an humble opinion of our own merit, when compared with that of others. So refined a compliment to the superiority of those with whom we converse, cannot fail of prepossessing them in our favour, and conciliating them to our interests. The wise author and governor of nature has implanted a love of modesty in the breast of every one, that its opposite vices, presumption, and affectation, should be checked by universal disapprobation. But, however amiable modesty may appear in men, it is the peculiar ornament of the fair sex, and is essential to the beauty of every other accomplishment. While modesty remains, the most homely form has a R beauty; and when this beauty is lost, the finest form only reminds us, that it is impossible for a woman to be amiable without it. 66 Modesty is not only confined to face, she is there only in shadow and effigy, but is in life and motion in the words." No. 317.] PRESUMPTION. [TUESDAY. THE Constant concomitant of presumption is self-conceit and obstinacy; and of all the follies incident to youth, there are none which deform its present appearance, or blast the prospect of its future prosperity, more than these. Big with enterprise, and elated with hope, the young resolve to trust for success to none but themselves. Full of their own abilities, they deride the admonitions given them by their friends, as the timorous suggestions of age. Too wise to learn, too impatient to deliberate, and too forward to be restrained, they plunge with precipitate indiscretion into the midst of all the dangers with which life abounds. By patient and gradual improvement we may command lasting esteem; while by assuming a a love of superiority to which we have no title, we shall disgust those whose approbation it is most important to gain. No. 318.] PUNCTUALITY. [WEDNESDAY. NOTHING begets confidence sooner than punctuality. In business or religion it is the true path to honour and respect, while it procures a felicity to the mind, unknown to those who make promises only to break them, or suffer themselves to be so entangled in their concerns, as to be incapable of being their own masters. Whoever wishes to advance his own interest, and to secure the approbation of others, must be punctual. Punctuality is a quality which the interest of mankind requires to be diffused through all the ranks of life, but which many seem to consider as a vulgar and ignoble virtue, below the ambition of greatness, or attention of wit; scarcely requisite amongst men of gaity and spirit, and sold at its highest rate when it is sacrificed to a frolic or a jest. No. 319.] IDLENESS. [THURSDAY. As pride is sometimes hid under humility, idleness is often covered by turbulence and hurry. He that neglects his known duty, and real employment, naturally endeavours to croud his mind with something that may bar out the remembrance of his own folly, and does any thing but what he ought to do, with eager diligence, that he may keep himself in his own favour. Perhaps every man may date the predominance of those desires that disturb his life, and contaminate his conscience from some unhappy hour when too much leisure exposed him to their incursions; for he has lived with little observation, either on himself or others, who does not know that to be idle is to be vicious. No. 320.] PHILANTHROPY. [FRIDAY. PHILANTHROPY is a great and benevolent, a kind and generous disposition of soul, which soaring above narrow and selfish views, and dark and malevolent passions, takes pleasure in the happiness and prosperity of mankind. No private views, or selfish motives, no personal resentments can induce it to sacrifice the great interests of mankind to its own, or to violate the sacred obligations which bind society together. Justice and truth, fidelity and integrity, humanity and compassion, are with it considerations infinitely paramount to every private gratification. And could it invariably regulate the worldly by its dictates, it would soon become a kind of celestial habitation, where every mean, selfish, and malevolent passion would cease to exist. No. 321.] FILIAL AFFECTION. [SATURDAY. DISOBEDIENCE to parents hath ever been awfully marked with God's displeasure, while affection for |