which the creditor fhould exhibit his accufation of concealed property. If fuch property can be difcovered, let it be given to the creditor; if the charge is not offered, or cannot be proved, let the prifoner be difmiffed.

Those who made the laws have apparently fuppofed, that every deficiency of payment is the crime of the debtor. But the truth is, that the creditor always fhares the act, and often more than fhares the guilt of improper trust. It seldom happens that any man imprisons another but for debts which he fuffered to be contracted in hope of advantage to himfelf, and for bargains in which he proportioned his profit to his own opinion of the hazard; and there is no reason, why one should punish the other for a contract in which both concurred.

Many of the inhabitants of prisons may justly complain of harder treatment. He that once owes more than he can pay, is often obliged to bribe his creditor to patience, by encreafing his debt. Worfe and worfe commodities, at a higher and higher price, are forced upon him; he is impoverished by compulfivetraffick, and at laft overwhelmed, in the common receptacles of mifery, by debts, which, without his own confent, were accumulated on his head. To the relief of this distress, no other objection can be made, but that by an eafy diffolution of debts, fraud will be left without punishment, and imprudence without awe, and that when infolvency fhall be no longer punishable, credit will ceafe.

The motive to credit, is the hope of advantage. Commerce can never be at a ftop, while one man wants what another can fupply; and credit will

never be denied, while it is likely to be repaid with profit. He that trufts one whom he defigns to fue, is criminal by the act of truft; the ceffation of fuch infidious traffick is to be defired, and no reason can be given why a change of the law fhould impair any other.

We fee nation trade with nation, where no payment can be compelled. Mutual convenience produces mutual confidence; and the merchants continue to fatisfy the demands of each other, though they have nothing to dread but the lofs of trade.

It is vain to continue an institution, which experience fhews to be ineffectual. We have now imprifoned one generation of debtors after another, but we do not find that their numbers leffen. We have now learned, that rashness and imprudence will not be deterred from taking credit; let us try whether fraud and avarice may be more easily restrained from giving it.

I am, SIR, &c.

NUMB. 23. SATURDAY, September 23, 1758.

L'

IFE has no pleasure higher or nobler than

that of friendship. It is painful to confider, that this fublime enjoyment may be impaired or deftroyed by innumerable caufes, and that there is no human poffeffion of which the duration is lefs certain.

Many have talked, in very exalted language, of the perpetuity of friendship, of invincible conftancy, and unalienable kindnefs; and fome examples have been seen of men who have continued faithful to their earliest choice, and whofe affection has predominated over changes of fortune, and contrariety of opinion.

But these instances are memorable, because they are rare. The friendship which is to be practised or expected by common mortals, muft take its rife from mutual pleasure, and must end when the power ceases of delighting each other.

Many accidents therefore may happen, by which the ardour of kindness will be abated, without criminal baseness or contemptible inconftancy on either part. To give pleafure is not always in our power; and little does he know himself, who believes that he can be always able to receive it.

Those who would gladly pafs their days together may be feparated by the different course of their

affairs;

affairs; and friendship, like love, is destroyed by long abfence, though it may be encreased by short intermiffions. What we have miffed long enough to want it, we value more when it is regained; but that which has been loft till it is forgotten, will be found at laft with little gladness, and with ftill lefs if a substitute has fupplied the place. A man deprived of the companion to whom he used to open his bofom, and with whom he fhared the hours of leisure and merriment, feels the day at firft hanging heavy on him; his difficulties opprefs, and his doubts diftract him; he fees time come and go without his wonted gratification, and all is fadness within and folitude about him. But this uneafinefs never lafts long; neceffity produces expedients, new amusements are discovered, and new converfation is admitted.

No expectation is more frequently disappointed, than that which naturally arifes in the mind, from the prospect of meeting an old friend after long separation. We expect the attraction to be revived, and the coalition to be renewed; no man confiders how much alteration time has made in himself, and very few enquire what effect it has had upon others. others. The first hour convinces them, that the pleasure, which they have formerly enjoyed, is for ever at an end; different scenes have made different impreffions; the opinions of both are changed; and that fimilitude of manners and fentiment is loft, which confirmed them both in the approbation of themselves.

Friendship is often deftroyed by oppofition of intereft, not only by the ponderous and visible inte

reft

reft which the defire of wealth and greatnefs forms and maintains, but by a thousand fecret and flight competitions, fcarcely known to the mind upon which they operate. There is fcarcely any man

without fome favourite trifle which he values above greater attainments, fome defire of petty praise which he cannot patiently fuffer to be frustrated. This minute ambition is fometimes croffed before it is known, and fometimes defeated by wanton petulance; but fuch attacks are feldom made without the lofs of friendship; for whoever has once found the vulnerable part will always be feared, and the refentment will burn on in fecret of which fhame hinders the discovery.

This, however, is a flow malignity, which a wife man will obviate as inconfiftent with quiet, and a good man will reprefs as contrary to virtue; but human happiness is fometimes violated by fome more fudden strokes.

A dispute begun in jeft, upon a fubject which a moment before was on both parts regarded with careless indifference, is continued by the defire of conqueft, till vanity kindles into rage, and oppofition rankles into enmity. Against this hafty mifchief, I know not what fecurity can be obtained : men will be fometimes furprized into quarrels; and though they might both haften to reconciliation, as foon as their tumult had fubfided, yet two minds will feldom be found together, which can at once fubdue their difcontent, or immediately enjoy the fweets of peace, without remembering the wounds of the conflict.

6

Friendship