of a contrary difpofition. Many crofs accidents of the lefs important kind, are in a manner annihilated when they are born with calmness. The injury they do us, is not owing half fo much to their weight or feverity, as to the iritability of our own minds. It is evident that the fame difpofition muft greatly alleviate calamities of heavier kind; and from analogy you may pers ceive, that as it mitigates the forrows, it multil plies and adds to the fweetnefs of the comforts of life. A moderate portion gives greater fatif faction to the humble and thankful, than the moft ample poffeffions to the proud and impati entacolul fara a 18. rot qɔsh bus gunmoles

Nearly allied to the above virtue, is the go vernment of your paffions, and therefore of this I shall fay but little. Every one must be fenfi ble how important it is, both for the fuccefs of your worldly callings and your ufefulness in pub lic life, to have your paffions in due fubjection. Men of furicus and ungoverned tempers, prone to excefs in attachment and refentment, either as to perfons or things, are feldom fuccefsful in their purfuits, or refpected and ufeful in their stations. Perfons of ungoverned paffions are almoft always fickle and changeable in their meafures, which is of all things the moft fatal to important under takings. Thefe generally require time and patience to bring them to perfection. As to publie and political life in particular, the neceffity of feif government is fo great and fo univerfally ac knowledged

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knowledged, that it is ufual to impute it in eminent men, not to principle, but to addrefs and policy. It is commonly faid, that politicians have no paffions. Without enquiring into this, I fhall only fay, that whatever truth may be in it, it is ftill in favour of my argument. The hypocrify does honour to the virtue. If the appearance be fo neceffary or fo ufeful, what must be the value of the reality?

I will here take an opportunity of confuting, or at least correcting a common faying or proverbial fentiment, many of which indeed that obtain belief in a blinded world, are nothing but false • colouring and deception. It is ufual to fay, in defence of fudden and violent paffion, that it is better to speak freely and openly, than to harbour and cover fecret heart malice. Perhaps I might admit that this would be true, if the inward rage were to be as violent, and continue as long and return as often as indulged paffion. Every person must agree, that, wherever there is a deep and lasting hatred, that never forgets nor forgives, but waits for the opportunity of vengeance, it deferves to be confidered as a temper truly infernal. But in most instances of offence between man and man, to restrain the tongue is the way to govern the heart. If you do not make mention of an injury, you will truly and speedily forgive it, and perhaps literally forget it. Rage is in this refpect like a fire; if a vent is given to it, it will increase and spread while there is Bb

fuel

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fuel to confume, but if you can confine and stifle it, you will completely extinguith it. Derece spoe

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To the government of the paffions fucceeds the government of the tongue. This indeed will in a great meafure, be the effect of the former, and therefore is recommended by all the fame arguments; yet it deferves very particular attention feparately as a maxim of prudence. There are great indifcretions in fpeech, that do not arife from paffion, but from inattention and want of judgment as to the propriety of time and place, and indeed many other fources. I would therefore earnestly recommend to you, to habituate yourselves to restraint in this refpect, especially in the early part of life. Be swift to hear,' fays Solomon, and flow to fpeak. Forwardness in fpeech is always thought an affuming thing in youth, and in promifcuous companies, is often confidered as an infult as well as an indifcretion. It is very common for the world in general, and ftill more fo for men of judgment and penetration, to form an opinion of a character on the whole, from fome one circumftance; and I think there are few things more unfavourable in this way, than a talkative difpofition. If the first time I am in company, efpecially with a young man, he talks inceffantly, and takes the whole converfation to himfelf, I'fhall hardly be brought to have a good opinion of him, whether what he fays be good or evil, fenfe or nonfenfe. There are fome perfons, who, one might fay, give away

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fo much wisdom, in their fpeech, that they leave none behind to govern their actions.

But the chief danger, of an ungoverned tongue, is, that it kindles the fire of contention among o thers, and makes enemies to a man's felf. Solomon fays, Where no tale-bearer is, the ftrife ceafeth. A little experience will thew you, how unfafe it is to ufe much freedom in fpeech with abfent, perfons. Im that cafe you put yourfelf wholly in the power of thofe that hear you, and are in danger, not only from their treachery or malice, but from their mistakes, ignorance and imprudence. Perhaps it would, be too rigid to fay, that you ought never to fpeak to a man's prejudice in his abfence, what you would be unwilling to fay in his prefence. Some exceptions to this rule, might easily be conceived. But both prudence and candour require that you fhould be very referved in this refpect, and either adhere strictly to the rule, or be fure that good reafons will justify a departure from it.

This will be a very proper place to give you fome directions, as to the moft proper conduct when you fuffer from the tongues of others. Many and grievous are the complaints of what men fuffer from the envenomed fhafts of envy and malice. And there certainly is a strong difpofition in fome to invent, and in many to believe flanderous falfehoods. The prevalence of party, either in religion or politics, never fails to produce a plentiful crop of this poisonous weed. B b 2

One

One of the most important rules upon this fubject is, that when an accufation is in any degree well-founded, or fufpicious appearances have given any occafion for it, the first duty is to reform what is really wrong, and keep at a diftance from angi the difputed limit.

This will bring good out of evil, and turn an injury into a benefit. But in cafes, as it may of scales, ten happen, when the flander is perfectly groundlefs, I hold it to be in general the best way whol ly to defpife it. Time and the power of truth, will of themfelves do juftice in almost every cafe of this kind; but if you fhew an impatience under it, a difpofition to refent it, or a folicitude to refute it, the far greateft part of mankind will believe it not the lefs but the more. If flander were a plant or an animal, I would fay it was of a very ftrange nature, for that it would very cafily die, but could not eafily be killed. difcovers a greatnefs of mind and a confcious dignity to defpife flanders, which of itfelf commands refpect; whereas to be either offended or diftreffed by them, fhews a weakness not amiable, whether the accufation be true or falfe,

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This rule I do not fay is wholly without exception; there may be cafes where vindications may be neceffary and effectual, but they are not many; and I think I have feen in the courfe of my life, reafon to make the following distinction : If the accufation or flander be fpecial, and relate

to