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Remember, my dear, that our feelings were not given us for our ornament, but to spur us on to right actions. Compassion, for instance, was not impressed upon the human heart, only to adorn the fair face with tears, and to give an agreeable languor to the eyes; it was designed to excite our utmost endeavours to relieve the sufferer. Yet, how often have I heard that selfish weakness, which flies from the sight of distress, dignified with the name of tenderness!" My friend is, I hear, in the deepest affliction and misery:— I have not seen her; - for indeed I cannot bear such scenes, they affect me too much! -Those who have less sensibility, are fitter for this world; but, for my part, I own, I am not able to support such things. I shall not attempt to visit her, till I hear she has recovered her spirits." This have I heard said, with an air of complacence; and the poor, selfish creature has persuaded herself, that she had finer feelings than those generous friends, who are sitting patiently in the house of mourning, watching, in silence, the proper moment to pour in the balm of comfort; who suppressed their own sensations, and only attended to those of the afflicted person; and whose tears flowed in secret, while their eyes and voice were taught to enliven the sinking heart with the appearance of cheerfulness.

That sort of tenderness, which makes us useless, may indeed be pitied and excused, if owing to natural imbecility; but, if it pretends to loveliness and excellence, it becomes truly contemptible.

The same degree of active courage is not to be expected in woman as in man; and, not belonging to her nature, it is not agreeable in her: but passive courage, patience and fortitude under sufferings, presence of mind, and calm resignation in danger, are surely desirable in every rational creature; especially in one professing to believe in an overruling Providence, in which we may at all times

quietly confide, and which we may safely trust with every event, that does not depend upon our own will. Whenever 'you find yourself deficient in these virtues, let it be a subject of shame and humiliation, not of vanity and selfcomplacence: do not fancy yourself the more amiable for that which really makes you despicable; but content yourself with the faults and weaknesses that belong to you, without putting on more by way of ornament.

MRS. CHAPONE.

A COMPARISON.

SEE how the world it's veterans rewards!
A youth of frolics, an old age of cards;
Fair to no purpose, artful to no end,
Young without lovers, old without a friend;
A fop their passion, but their prize a sot;
Alive ridiculous, and dead forgot!

Ah, friend! to dazzle let the Vain design;

To raise the thought, and touch the heart, be thine !
That charm shall grow, while what fatigues the ring,
Flaunts and goes down, an unregarded thing:

So when the sun's broad beam has tir'd the sight,
All mild ascends the moon's more sober light;
Serene in virgin modesty she shines,

And unobserv'd the glaring arb declines.

POPE.

ON POLITENESS.

POLITENESS is the just medium between form and rudeness. It is the consequence of a benevolent nature, which shows itself to general acquaintance in an obliging,

unconstrained civility, as it does to more particular ones in distinguished acts of kindness. This good nature must be directed by a justness of sense, and a quickness of discernment, that knows how to use every opportunity of exercising it, and to proportion the instances of it to every character and situation. It is a restraint laid by reasoni and benevolence upon every irregularity of the temper, which, in obedience to them, is forced to accommodate itself even to the fantastic cares, which custom and fashion have established, if by these means it can procure in any degree the satisfaction or good opinion of any part of mankind; thus paying an obliging deference to their judginent, so far as it is not inconsistent with the higher obligations of virtue and religion.

This must be accompanied with an elegance of taste, and a delicacy observant of the least trifles, which tend to please or to oblige; and, though it's foundation must be rooted in the heart, it can scarce be perfect without a complete knowledge of the world. In society, it is the medium that blends all different tempers into the most pleasing harmony, while it imposes silence on the loquacious, and inclines the most reserved to furnish their share of the conversation. It represses the desire of shining alone, and increases the desire of being mutually agreeable. It takes off the edge of raillery, and gives delicacy to wit. It preserves a proper subordination among all ranks of people, and can reconcile a perfect ease with the most exact propriety.

To superiors, it appears in a respectful freedom ; no greatness can awe it into servility, and no intimacy can sink it into a regardless familiarity.

To inferiors, it shows itself in an unassuming good nature. It's aim is to raise them to you, not to let you down to them. It at once maintains the dignity of your station, and expresses the goodness of your heart.

To

equals, it is every thing that is charming; it studies their inclinations, prevents their desires, attends to every little exactness of behaviour, and all the time appears perfectly disengaged and careless.

Such and so amiable is true politeness: by people of wrong heads and unworthy hearts disgraced in it's two extremes; and by the generality of mankind confined within the narrow bounds of mere good breeding, which, in truth, is only one instance of it.

One there

There is a kind of character, which does not in the least deserve to be reckoned polite, though it is exact in every punctilio of behaviour; such as would not, for the world, omit paying you the civility of a bow, or fail in the least circumstance of decorum. But then these people do this merely for their own sake: whether you are pleased or embarrassed with it is little of their care. They have performed their own parts, and are satisfied. is, who says more civil things than half mankind besides, and yet is "so obliging, that he never obliged." For while he is paying the highest court to some one person the company, he must, of course, neglect the rest, which is ill made up by a forced recollection at last, and some lame civility, which however it may be worded, does, in effect, express only this: "I protest I had quite forgot you; but as insignificant as you are, I must not, for my own sake, let you go home out of humour." Thus every one in his turn finding his civility to be just as variable as his interests, no one thinks himself obliged to him for it.

of

This then is a proof, that true politeness, the great end of which is giving real pleasure, can have it's source only in a virtuous and benevolent heart. Yet this is not all; it must obserye propriety too. There is a character of perfect good nature, that loves to have every thing about it happy and merry. This is a character greatly to be loved,

but has little claim to the title of politeness. Such persons have no notion of freedom without noise and tumult : and, by taking off every proper restraint, and sinking themselves to the level of their companions, even lessen the pleasure these would have in the company of their superiors. MISS TALBOT.

ON TEMPER.

O! BLEST with temper, whose unclouded ray
Can make to morrow cheerful as to day;
She who can love a sister's charms, or hear
Sighs for a daughter with unwounded ear;
She who ne'er answers till a husband cools,
Or, if she rules him, never shows she rules;
Charms by accepting, by submitting sways,
Yet has her humour most when she obeys;
Let fops or fortune fly which way they will,
Disdains all loss of tickets or codille;
Spleen, vapours, or smallpox, above them all,
And mistress of herself though china fall.

POPE.

ADVICE TO A LADY.

THE counsels of a friend, Belinda, hear,
Too roughly kind to please a lady's ear,
Unlike the flatt'ries of a lover's pen,

Such truths as women seldom learn from men.
Nor think I praise you ill, when thus I show
What female vanity might fear to know:
Some merit's mine, to dare to be sincere ;
But greater yours, sincerity to bear.

Hard is the fortune, that your sex attends;
Women, like princes, find few real friends:..

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