IT is hard to personate and act a part long; for where Truth is not at the bottom, Nature will always be endeavouring to return, and will peep out and betray herself one time or other.

DELIBERATE with Caution, but act with Decision;

and yield with Graciousness, or oppose with Firmness.

As we should adapt the style of our writing to the

Capacity of the Person it is addressed to, so should we our manner of acting! for as Persons of inferior Understandings will misconceive, and perhaps suspect some sophistry from an Elegance of Expression which they cannot comprehend, so Persons of inferior Sentiment will probably mistake the intention, or even suspect a fraud from a delicacy of acting which they want capacity to feel.

Adaptation. From the Latin.

E alone is wise who can accommodate himself to all

Hthe contingencies of Life, but the fool contends,

and is struggling, like a swimmer, against the stream. Adaptation. St. Evremond.

As long as you are engaged in the World, you must

comply with its maxims; because nothing is more unprofitable, than the Wisdom of those persons who set up for Reformers of the Age. 'Tis a part a man cannot act long, without offending his friends and rendering himself ridiculous.

Adaptation. Gresset.

THE Eagle of one House is the Fool in another.
Audress. Colton.

A MAN who knows the World, will not only make the

most of everything he does know, but of many things he does not know, and will gain more credit by his adroit mode of hiding his Ignorance, than the Pedant by his awkward attempt to exhibit his Erudition.

IN this wild world the fondest and the best

Are the most tried, most troubled, and distress'd.

DVERSITY has the effect of eliciting Talents, which,

mant.

Adversity. Shakespeare.

You were used

To say, Extremity was the trier of Spirits;
That common chances common men could bear;
That, when the Sea was calm, all boats alike
Show'd mastership in floating: Fortune's blows,
When most struck home, being gentle wounded, crave
A noble cunning.

Ye noble few! who here unbending stand
Beneath Life's pressure, yet bear up awhile,
And what your bounded view, which only saw
A little part, deem'd evil, is no more;
The storms of wintry Time will quickly pass,
And one unbounded Spring encircle all.

Adversity. Rogers.

THE good are better made by ill :-
As odours crush'd are sweeter still!

Adversity. - Greville.

SK the man of Adversity how other men act towards

Adversity is the true touchstone of Merit in both; happy if it does not produce the dishonesty of Meanness ir one, and that of Insolence and Pride in the other.

SWEET are the uses of Adversity;

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head,

THE Gods in bounty work up Storms about as,

That give Mankind occasion to exert

Their hidden Strength, and throw out into practica
Virtues that shun the day, and lie conceal'd
In the smooth seasons and the calms of Life.

AFFLICTION is the good Man's shining scene:
Prosperity conceals his brightest ray;
As Night to Stars, Woe lustre gives to Man.
Advice. Von Knebel.

HE who can take Advice, is sometimes superior to him

who can give it.

Man or Woman, but far most in Man,

IN or

And serves the Altar, in my Soul I loathe
All Affectation. 'Tis my perfect Scorn;
Object of my implacable disgust.

Affectation. - From the French.

W which we possess, as by those which we aim at, or

E are never rendered so ridiculous by Qualities

affect to have.

I

WILL not call Vanity and Affectation twins, because, more properly, Vanity is the Mother, and Affectation is the darling Daughter; Vanity is the Sin, and Affectation is the Punishment; the first may be called the Root of Self-love, the other the Fruit. Vanity is never at its full growth, till it spreadeth into Affectation; and then it is complete.

Affectation. St. Evremond. FFECTATION is a greater enemy to the Face than the small-pox.

Affectation. Goldsmith.

THE unaffected of every Country nearly resemble each other, and a page of our Confucius and your Tillotson have scarce any material difference. Paltry Affectation, strained Allusions, and disgusting Finery, are easily attained by those who choose to wear them; they are but too frequently the badges of Ignorance, or of Stupidity, whenever it would endeavour to please.

Shakespeare.

THE poor Wren,

The most diminutive of birds, will fight,

Her young ones in her nest, against the Owl.

UNREASONABLE Creatures feed their young :

And though Man's face be fearful to their eyes,
Yet, in Protection of their tender ones,

Who hath not seen them (even with those wings
Which sometimes they have used with fearful flight)
Make war with him that climb'd unto their nest,
Offering their own lives in their young's defence?

IN

GENEROUS as brave,

Affection, Kindness, the sweet offices
Of Love and Duty, were to him as needful
As his daily bread.

the Intercourse of social Life, it is by little acts of watchful Kindness, recurring daily and hourly,-and opportunities of doing Kindnesses, if sought for, are for ever starting up,-it is by Words, by Tones, by Gestures, by Looks, that Affection is won and preserved.

A GRANDAM's name is little less in Love
Than is the doting title of a Mother.
They are as Children, but one step below.

O, SIR, you are old;
Nature in you stands on the very verge
Of her confine; you should be rul'd and led
By some discretion, that discerns your state
Better than you yourself.

Age. Steele.

A healthy old Fellow, that is not a Fool, is the happiest creature living. It is at that Time of Life only Men enjoy their faculties with pleasure and satisfaction. It is then we have nothing to manage, as the phrase is; we speak the downright Truth, and whether the rest of the World will give us the privilege or not, we have so little to ask of them, that we can take it.

THE aim of all is but to nurse the Life

With Honour,

in waning Age:

And in this aim there is such thwarting strife,

That one for all, or all for one we gage:

As Life for Honour in fell Battles rage,

Honour for Wealth, and oft that Wealth doth cost

The death of all, and altogether lost.

So that in vent'ring all, we leave to be

The things we are for that which we expect:

And this ambitious foul Infirmity,

In having much, torments us with defect
Of that we have: so then we do neglect
The thing we have, and all for want of Wit,
Make something nothing by augmenting it.
Byron.

Age.

YET Time, who changes all, had alter'd him

In Soul and Aspect as in Age: Years steal Fire from the Mind as vigour from the Limb: And Life's enchanted cup but sparkles near the brim.

Age.

Shakespeare.

THESE old Fellows have
Their Ingratitude in them hereditary :
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows:
'Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And Nature, as it grows again toward Earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull and heavy.

EARN to live well, or fairly make your will;
You've play'd, and lov'd, and ate, and drank your Fill,

Walk sober off, before a sprightlier Age

Comes titt'ring on, and shoves you from the stage:

Leave such to trifle with more grace and ease

Whom folly pleases, and whose follies please.

THE

THE careful cold hath nipt my rugged rind,
And in my Face deep furrows eld hath plight;

My Head besprent with hoary frost I find,
And by mine Eye the crow his claw doth wright;
Delight is laid abed, and pleasure, past;
No Sun now shines, clouds have all over-cast.