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and not by the eminence of thofe qualities abftracted from their ufe; I fay, however juft fuch a way of . judging is, in all ages as well as this, the contra ry has prevailed upon the generality of mankind. How many lewd devices have been preferved from one age to another, which had perifhed as foon as they were made, if painters and fculptors had been efteemed as much for the purpose as the execution of their defigns? Modeft and well-governed imaginations have by this means loft the reprefentations of ten thousand charming portraitures, filled with images of innate truth, generous zeal, courageous faith, and tender humanity; inftead of which, fatyrs, furies, and monfters are recommended by thofe arts to a fhameful eternity.

The unjuft application of laudable talents, is tolerated, in the general opinion of men, not only in fuch cases as are here mentioned, but also in matters which concern ordinary life. If a lawyer were to be efteemed only as he ufes his parts in contending for justice, and were immediately defpicable when he appeared in a caufe which he could not but know was an unjust one, how honourable would his character be! And how honourable isit in fuch among us, who follow the profeffion no other- wife, than as labouring to protect the injured, to fubdue the oppreffor, to imprison the carelefs debtor, and do right to the painful artificer? But many of this excellent character are overlooked by the greater number; who affect covering a weak place in a client's title, diverting the courfe of an inquiry, or finding a skilful refuge to palliate a falfehood: Yet it is ftill called eloquence in the latter, though thus unjustly employed: But refolution in an affaffin is according to reafon quite as laudable, as knowledge and wifdom exercised in the defence of an ill caufe... Were the intention ftedfaftly confidered, as the measure of approbation, all falfehood would foon be out of countenance: And an address in impof

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ing upon mankind, would be as contemptible in one ftate of life as another. A couple of courtiers, making profeffions of esteem, would make the fame figure after breach of promife, as two knights of the poft convicted of perjury. But converfation is fallen fo low in point of morality, that as they fay in a bargain, Let the buyer look to it; fo in friendfhip, he is the man in danger who is most apt to believe: He is the more likely to fuffer in the com merce, who begins with the obligation of being the more ready to enter into it.

But thofe men only are truly great, who place their ambition rather in acquiring to themfelves the confcience of worthy enterprifes, than in the profpect of glory which attends them. Thefe exalted fpirits would rather be fecretly the authors of events which are serviceable to mankind, than, with out being fuch, to have the publick fame of it. Where therefore an eminent merit is robbed by artifice or detraction, it does but increase by fuch endeavours of its enemies: The impotent pains which are taken to fully it, or diffufe it among a crowd to the injury of a fingle perfon, will naturally pro, duce the contrary effect; the fire will blaze out, and burn up all that attempt to fmother what they cannot extinguish.

There is but one thing neceffary to keep the poffeffion of true glory, which is, to hear the oppof ers of it with patience, and preferve the virtue by which it was acquired. When a man is thoroughly perfuaded that he ought neither to admire, wish for, or purfue any thing but what is exactly his duty, it is not in the power of seasons, perfons or accidents, to diminish his value. He only is a great man who can neglect the applause of the multitude, and enjoy himself independent of its favour. This is indeed an arduous tafk; but it fhould comfort a glorious spirit that it is the highest step to which human nature can arrive. Triumph, applaufe, ac

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19 clamation, are dear to the mind of man; but it is till a more exquifite delight to fay to yourself, you have done, well, than to hear the whole human race pronounce you glorious, except you yourfelf can join with them in your own reflections A mind thus equal and uniform may be deferted by little fafhionable admirers and followers, but will ever be had in reverence by fouls like itself. The branches of the oak endure all the feasons of the year, tho? its leaves fall off in autumn; and thofe too will be reftored with the returning fpring, **********************

No 173. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.

-Remove fera monftra, tuæque

T

Saxificos vultus, quæcunque ea, tolle Medifa.
OVID Met. 1. v. ver. 216.

Remove that horrid monfter, and take hence
Medufa's petrifying countenance.

Na

IN a late paper I mentioned the project of an ingenious author for the erecting of several handicraft prizes to be contended for by our British artifans, and the influence they might have towards the improvement of our feveral manufactures. I have fince that been very much surprised by the fol lowing advertisement, which I find in the Post-Boy of the eleventh inftant, and again repeated in the Poft-Boy of the fifteenth.

ON the ninth of October next will be run for upon Colefhill-Heath in Warwickshire, a plate of fix guineas value, three heats, by any horse, mare or gelding, that hath not won above the value of five pounds, the winning horfe to be fold for ten pounds, to carry ten flone weight, if fourteen hands high; if above or under to ca ry or be allowed weight for inches, and to be entered Friday the fifth, at the Swan in

Coleshill,

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Colefhill, before fix in the evening. Also a plate of lefs value to be run for by affes. The fame day a gold ring to be grinned for by men.

The firft of thofe divifions that is to be exhibited by the ten pounds race-horfes, may probably have its ufe; but the two laft, in which the affes and men are concerned, feem to me altogether extraordinary and unaccountable. Why they fhould keep running affes at Colefbill, or how making mouths turns to account in Warwickshire, more than in any other parts of England, I cannot comprehend. I have looked over all the olympic games, and dọ not find any thing in them like an afs-race, or a match at grinning. However it be, I am inform ed that feveral affes are now kept in body-clothes, and fweated every morning upon the heath, and that all the country-fellows within ten miles of the Swan, grin an hour or two in their glaffes every morning, in order to qualify themfelves for the ninth of October. The prize, which is propofed to be grinned for, has raifed fuch an ambition among the common people of out-grinning one another, that many very difcerning perfons are afraid it fhould spoil moft of the faces in the country; and that a Warwickshire man will be known by his grin, as Roman-catholicks imagine a Kentish man is by his tail. The gold ring which is made the prize of deformity, is juft the reverse of the golden apple that was formerly made the prize of beauty, and Ihould carry for its pofy the old motto inverted;

Detur tetriori.

Or to accommodate it to the capacity of the combatants,

The frightfull'ft grinner.

Be the winner.

In the mean while I would advise a Dutch painter to be prefent at this great controverfy of faces,

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in order to make a collection of the moft remarkable grins that shall be there exhibited.

I must not here omit an account which I lately received of one of thofe grinning-matches from a gentleman, who, upon reading the above-mentioned advertisement, entertained a coffee-houfe with the following narrative. Upon the taking of Namure, amidst other publick rejoicings made on that occafion, there was a gold ring given by a whig juftice of peace to be grinned for. The first competitor that entered the lifts, was a black fwarthy Frenchman, who accidentally paffed that way, and being a man naturally of a withered look, and hard features, promifed himself good fuccefs. He was placed upon a table in the great point of view, and looking upon the company like Milton's death,

Grinn'd horribly a ghaftly fmile

His mufcles were fo drawn together on each fide of his face, that he fhewed twenty teeth at a grin, and put the country in fome pain, left a foreigner fhould carry away the honour of the day; but upon a further trial they found he was mafter only of the merry grin.

The next that mounted the table was a malecontent in those days, and a great master in the whole art of grinning, but particularly excelled in the angry grin. He did his part fo well, that he is faid to have made half a dozen women mifcarry; but the juftice being apprized by one who flood near him, that the fellow who grinned in his face was a Jacobite, and being unwilling that a difaffected perfon should win the gold ring, and be looked upon as the best grinner in the country, he ordered the oaths to be tendered unto him upon his quitting the table, which the grinner refuting, he was fet afide as an unqualified perfon, There were feveral other grotefque figures that prefented themfelves, which it would be too tedious to defcribe, I must

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