mon question in matters of difficulty; as if the terror lay wholly in the sense which others, and not we ourselves, shall have of our actions. From this one source arise all the impostors in every art and profession, in all places, among all persons, in conversation, as well as in business. Hence it is, that a vain fellow takes twice as much pains to be ridiculous, as would make him sincerely agreeable.

Can any one be better fashioned, better bred, or has any one more good nature than Damasippus? but the whole scope of his looks and actions tends so immediately to gain the good opinion of all he converses with, that he loses it for that only reason. As it is the nature of vanity to inpose false shews for truths, so does it also turn real possessions into imaginary ones. Damasippus, by assuming to himself what he has not, robs himself of what he has.

There is nothing more necessary to establish reputation, than to suspend the enjoyment of it. He that can bear the sense of merit with silence, must of necessity destroy it: for fame being the general mistress of mankind, whoever gives it to himself insults all to whom he relates any circumstances to his own advantage. He is considered as an open ravisher of that beauty, for whom all others pine in silence. But some minds are so incapable of any temperance in this particular, that on every second in their discourse, you may observe an earnestness in their eyes, which shews they wait for your approbation, and perhaps the next instant cast an eye on a glass to see how they like themselves. Walking the other day in a neighbouring inn of court, I saw a more happy and more graceful orator than I ever before had heard, or read of. A youth, of about nineteen years of age, was in an Indian night-gown, and laced-cap, pleading a cause before a glass: the young fellow had a very good air, and seemed to hold his brief in his hand rather to help his action, than that he wanted notes for his farther infor

mation. When I first began to observe him, I feared he would soon be alarmed; but he was so zealous for: his client, and so favourably received by the court, that! he went on with great fluency to inform the bench, that he humbly hoped they would not let the merit of the cause suffer by the youth and inexperience of the pleader; that in all things he submitted to their candour; and modestly desired they would not conclude, but that strength of argument, and force of reason may be consistent with grace of action, and comeliness of person.

To me, who see people every day in the midst of crowds (whomsoever they seem to address to) talk only to themselves, and of themselves, this orator was not so extravagant a man as perhaps another would have thought him but I took part in his success, and was very glad to find he had in his favour judgment and costs, without any manner of opposition.

The effects of pride and vanity are of consequence® only to the proud and the vain, and tend to no farther ill than what is personal to themselves, in preventing their progress in any thing that is worthy and laudable," and creating envy instead of emulation of superior virtue. These ill qualities are to be found only in such as have so little minds, as to circumscribe their thoughts and designs within what properly relates to the value which they think due to their dear and amiable selves: but ambition, which is the third great impediment to honour and virtue, is a fault of such as think themselves born for moving in an higher orb, and prefer being powerful and mischievous to be virtuous and obscure. The parent of this mischief in life, so far as to regulate it into schemes, and make it possess a man's whole heart without his believing himself a damon, was Machiavel. He first taught, that a man must necessarily appear weak to be honest. Hence it -gains upon the imagination, that a great is not so déspicable as a little villain; and men are insensibly led

to a belief, that the aggravation of crimes is the dimi nution of them. Hence the impiety of thinking one thing, and speaking another. In pursuance of this empty and unsatisfying dream, to betray, to undermine, to kill in themselves all natural sentiments of love to friends or country, is the willing practice of such as are thirsty of power, for any other reason than that of being useful and acceptable to mankind.

ADVERTISEMENT.

"WHEREAS Mr. Bickerstaff has lately receiv"ed a letter out of Ireland, dated June the 9th, im661 porting, that he is grown very dull, for the postage "of which Mr. Morphew charges one shilling; and "another without date of place or time, for which he "said Morphew charges two-pence: it is desired, that "for the future his courteous and uncourteous readers "will go a little farther in expressing their good and ill "will, and pay for the carriage of their letters; other "wise the intended pleasure or pain which is designed "for Mr. Bickerstaff, will be wholly disappointed."

Pasquin of Rome to Isaac Bickerstaff of London.

From my own Apartment, June 19. Y! "HIS holiness is gone to Castel Gandolpho, much "discomposed at some late accounts from the mission

aries in your island: for a committee of cardinals, "which lately sat for the reviving the force of some obso"lete doctrines, and drawing up amendments to certain "points of faith, have represented the church of Rome "to be in great danger, from a treatise written by a "learned Englishman, which carries spiritual power "much higher than we could have dared to have at"tempted even here. His book is called, An Epis"tolary discourse, proving from the Scriptures, and "first Fathers, that the Soul is a Principle naturally "mortal: wherein is proved, that none have the Power " of giving this divine immortalizing Spirit since the "Apostles, but the Bishops. By Henry Dodwell, « A. M.' The assertion appeared to our literati so "short and effectual a method of subjecting the laity, "that it is feared auricular confession and absolution "will not be capable of keeping the clergy of Rome in

any degree of greatness, in competition with such "teachers, whose flocks shall receive this opinion. "What gives the greater jealousy here is, that in the

catalogue of treatises which have been lately burnt "within the British territories, there is no mention "made of this learned work; which circumstance is a "sort of implication, that the tenet is not held erroneous, but that the doctrine is received among you as orthodox. The youth of this place are very much di❝vided in opinion, whether a very memorable quota

❝tion which the author repeats out of Tertullian, be "not rather of the style and manner of Meursius? In "illo ipso voluptatis ultimæ æstu, quo genitale virus "expellitur, nonne aliquid de anima quoque sentimus " exire, atque adeo marcescimus & devigescimus cum "lucis detrimento? This piece of Latin goes no far❝ther than to tell us how our fathers got us, so that "we are still at a loss how we afterwards commence "eternal? for creando infunditur, & infundendo crea"tur,' which is mentioned soon after, may allude only "to flesh and blood as well as the former. Your read"ers in this city, some of whom have very much ap"proved the warmth with which you have attacked "free-thinkers, atheists, and other enemies to religion "and virtue, are very much disturbed that you have "given them no account of this remarkable dissertation: and I am employed by them to desire you "would, with all possible expedition, send me over the " ceremony of the creation of souls, as well as a list of all the mortal and immortal men within the domi"nions of Great Britain. When you have done me "this favour, I must trouble you for other tokens of "your kindness, and particularly I desire you would

7

let me have the religious handkerchief, which is of late so much worn in England, for I have promised "to make a present of it to a courtesan of a French minister."

12

"Letters from the frontiers of France inform us, "that a young gentleman, who was to have been "created a cardinal on the next promotion, has put "off his design of coming to Rome so soon as was "intended, having, as it is said, received letters from "Great Britain, wherein several virtuosi of that island "have desired him to suspend his resolutions towards a monastic life, till the British grammarians shall "publish their explication of the words indefeazable and revolution. According as these two hard terms

walsdw domigo ni babiz »