idle sports of imagination. Some, perhaps, may be found, of which the highest excellence is harmless merriment; but scarcely any man is so steadily serious as not to complain, that the severity of dictatorial instruction has been too seldom relieved, and that he is driven by the sternness of the Rambler's philosophy to more cheerful and airy companions. Next to the excursions of fancy are the disquisitions of criticism, which, in my opinion, is only to be ranked among the subordinate and instrumental arts. Arbitrary decision and general exclamation I have carefully avoided, by asserting nothing without a reason, and establishing all my principles of judgment on unalterable and evident truth. In the pictures of life I have never been so studious of novelty or surprise as to depart wholly from all resemblance; a fault which writers deservedly celebrated frequently commit, that they may raise, as the occasion requires, either mirth or abhorrence. Some enlargement may be allowed to declamation, and some exaggeration to burlesque; but as they deviate further from reality, they become less useful, because their lessons will fail of application. The mind of the reader is carried away from the contemplation of his own manners; he finds in himself no likeness to the phantom before him; and though he laughs or rages, is not reformed. The essays professedly serious, if I have been able to execute my own intentions, will be found exactly conformable to the precepts of christianity, without any accommodation to the licentiousness and levity of the present age. I therefore look back on this part of my work with pleasure, which no blame or praise of man shall diminish or augment. I shall never envy the honours which wit and learning ob tain in any other cause, if I can be numbered among the writers who have given ardour to virtue, and confidence to truth. Αυτών εκ μακαρων αντάξιο ειη αμοιβη. Celestial pow'rs! that piety regard, From you my labours wait their last reward, FINIS. INDEX. VOL. IV. Ajut, history of.......... Altilia, coquetry of....................... No. ALBOUZAID, advice of Morad his father to......... 190 ............ Aliger, character of................... 179 Anningait and Ajut, story of..... .186, 187 Associates, rules for the choice of.. 160 Aurantius, his unjust treatment of Liberalis.............. 163 Authors, directions to....... 176 BELLARIA, character of..... 191 Ben-Hannase, his magnet for detecting incontinence.. 199 168 Boyle, Robert, his opinion of the best expedients for 201 promoting manufactures. Business, the neglect of it foolish and pernicious..181, 182 CAPTATOR, a legacy-hunter, history of................197, 198 Companions, different classes of described.... Competitions, often supported by interest and envy... 183 influence of.... 183 Constantius, history and character of... 192 Conversation, the art of, difficult to be obtained...... 188 importance of acquiring it............... 177 188 errors in sentiment and practice of....... 188 Criticism, the proper end of.. No. Credulity, the common failing of inexperienced virtue 175 176 176 minute, censured and exploded............... 176 DEPENDENCE, perpetual, contrary to the dignity of wisdom..... 162 Depravation of the mind by external advantages, not universal.................. 172 Dicaculus, his affectation of the character of a wit... 174 168 Envy, malignant influence of... EDUCATION, errors in the conduct of... instances of remissness and irregularity of sacrifices truth and friendship to weak tempta- Essay writing, extent and variety of......... advantages and inconveniences of...... 191 ..189, 197 183 183 184 184 Essence of things less regarded than their external and 162 young nobleman............................ his ill success.. Eumathes, his judicious conduct in the tuition of a Expectation, the practice of disappointing others, not exemplified in the case of Liberalis...... 163 Fame, the ascent to, obstructed by envy and competi- Flattery, most successful when accommodated to parti- Flavilla, levity and inconstancy of....... Friendship, qualities requisite to form and establish it 160 No. Fruition, limits of it fixed by immoveable boundaries.. 178 Futurity, folly of building our hopes upon........ GARRET, the history and antiquities of a.. Gelasimus, character of.... Gluttony, censure of........... Gulosulus, his extensive gluttony...... HAPPINESS, methods by which it may be often destroyed 175 distant and lasting, secured only by the for- bearance of present gratifications human schemes of promoting it, visionary 178 ..202, 207 Harmony and friendship, how maintained. 164 199 IMITATION of others, when censurable......... Interest, influence of, upon the resolutions and actions of life........ 185 183 KNOWLEDGE, the desire of, in many feeble and transient 178 exposed......... LABOUR, necessary to excellence...... Lady, young, busy life of a....... 180 169 191 Language, remarks on the purity and propriety of..... 168 Life, general plan of, should be formed from our own reflections.... 184 a conviction of the shortness of, should repress our projects......... 165 of multitudes compared to a lottery... 182 study of, not to be neglected for that of books... 180- |