in life will probably attend you. Under all circumstances you will have an internal fource of confolation, -an entertainment, of which no fublunary viciffitude can deprive you. Time fhews how much wifer is your choice than that of your idle companions, who would gladly have drawn you into their affociation, or rather into their confpiracy, as it has been called, against good manners, and againft all that is honourable and ufeful. While you appear in fociety as a refpectable and valuable member of it, they have facrificed, at the fhrine of vanity, pride, extravagance, and falfe pleasure, their health and their fenfe, their fortunes and their characters.

On the Advantages derivable from National Adversity.

IT

T is very certain that national prosperity, as it is comprehended in the idea of numerous fleets and armies, of extenfive empire, large revenues, advantageous commerce, and a profufion of money in fpecie, is a kind of good by no means neceffarily connected with moral good, or with the substantial happiness of individuals. It makes a splendid figure in imagination's eye; but to reason it appears in a very questionable fhape, and experience is able to evince that it has always diffused profligacy and mifery through the walks of private life; and, by introducing luxury, licentiousness, indolence, and corruption, has at once deftroyed all that can render human nature dignified and happy, and precipitated the decline and the downfal of empires, while triumphing in fancied glory.

It has been observed, that the bodies politic and natural bear to each other a remarkable analogy. A human form, pampered, bloated, and plethoric, will often have the appearance of ftrength, as well as magnitude; though no ftate of it can be lefs adapted to facilitate the animal movements, or in greater danger of a hasty diffolution. The body politic alfo lofes in mufcular force, as much as it acquires of unwieldy fize, till, by the gradual decrease of vigour, and augmentation of weight, it totters on its baseless supports, and, at last, lies level with the duft, with Babylon and ancient Rome. Luxury, the inevitable confequence of what is falsely called national profperity, becomes the grave of empires, and of all that could adorn them, or render their long duration a rational object of defire.

There is, undoubtedly, a certain degree of magnitude at which when a state is arrived, it must of neceffity undergo the alternative, of being purged of its peccant humours, or falling into a nervelefs languor and con

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fequent decline. Perhaps our own country has already arrived at that degree, and is now, under the operation of Divine Providence, fuffering the amputation of its morbid excrefcences for the salvation of its health and existence. It may lofe fome of its revenues; but it will fave and meliorate its morals and its liberty.-Ministers may be shaken from their feats, penfioners and placemen may be reduced to despair, funds may be annihilated, and estates brought down to their natural value; but freedom, but virtue, but industry, but the British conftitution, but human nature, fhall furvive the wreck, and emerge, like filver and gold when tried by the fire, with new value and additional luftre. After a state of political adversity, something may take place in fociety fimilar to the expected renovation of all things, after the general conflagration of the universe.

Distress and difficulty are known to operate in private life as the fpurs of diligence. Powers which would for ever have lain dormant in the halcyon days of ease and plenty, have been called forth by adverfity, and have advanced their poffeffor to the most enviable heights of virtue, happiness, and glory. Man is naturally indolent, and when undisturbed will bask and fleep in the funshine till the fleep of death; but, when roufed by the blast and the thunder, he rifes, ftrains every finew, and marches on to enterprize. Succefs will almoft infallibly attend great exertions, uniformly and refolutely continued; fo that what begun in mifery ends in triumph, as the fun which rofe in a mift defcends with ferenity, and paints the whole horizon with gold and purple.

Public industry may be excited in the fame manner, and in the fame degree, by public misfortunes. The nation is impoverished, or, in other words, its fuperfluities are retrenched. It is an event devoutly to be withed. Luxury, with ten thousand evils in her train, is obliged to withdraw, and the humble virtues, whom she had driven by her infolence into exile, cheerfully advance from their concealment. Industry and frugality take the lead; but to what a degree of vigour must

every

every muscle of the body politic be braced, when every member is, in fome measure, actuated by industry and frugality! No man ever yet exerted himself to the utmost of his ftrength; nor is it on record, that any state was ever yet fo exhausted, but that, while it enjoyed liberty, it might draw new refources from its own vitals. Though the tree is lopped, yet, so long as the root remains unhurt, it will throw out a greater luxuriancy of branches, produce fruits of better flavour, and derive fresh vigour from the axe. If one has accidentally disturbed an ant-hill, or broken the fabric of the hive, though the little animals appeared before to have exerted their utmost efforts, yet it is amazing with what additional diligence they apply themselves to repair the depredation. Not a moment is allowed for defpondency. The earth and the air glow with motion, and the misfortune feems immediately to add to their spirits, and, ultimately, both to their store and security.

The beautiful description which Virgil has given us of the busy scene in which the Tyrians are engaged in building Carthage, reprefents, in a most lively manner, the alacrity with which human creatures are found to exert themselves when instigated by the ftimulus of neceffity. An emulation of labour seizes every bofom. No murmurings, no complainings in the street, but every one feels himself happy in proportion as he renders himself ufeful. Men's abilities rife with the occafion; and political evil, like other evil, under the conduct of a merciful Deity, has produced extensive good, by calling forth fome of the nobleft exertions and most perfect characters which have adorned the records of human nature.

There is one beneficial effect of national adverfity, of greater importance than any which I have enumerated. It fubdues the haughty foul elevated with riches and inebriated with excefs, and turns the attention to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, who from his throne beholds all nations, and bids the fceptre to depart from the wicked to the

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righteous. It teaches us to rely lefs upon our German auxiliaries, our muskets, our mortars, our cannon, our copper-bottomed men of war, our generals, and our admirals, than on the Lord of Hofts.

When he fights for us, we fhall conquer. Without him, we fhall in vain put our traft in a York, a Nelfon, a St Vincent, or a Cornwallis; but "the ball of empire "fhall continue to roll on weftward as it has ever yet "done, till it ftops in America, a world unknown to "the ancients, and which may fave the tears of fome "future Alexander."

If Providence fhall have decreed the downfal of Britifh fupremacy, happy fhould I be to have fuggefted one idea which may ftimulate the exertions of my countrymen, once more to raise the noble column on the bafis of liberty and virtue, or which may confole them on its ruins; and teach them, while they fit by the waters of bitterness, and hang their harps on the willows, to think of Him who can make rivers of comfort to flow in the dreary defert.