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*thanks for introducing me into the fociety of some of their wifeft men: there is fcarcely any pleasure

to me equal to a refined converfation; there is "nothing of which I am fo much enamoured as wif"dom." "Wisdom !" replied his inftructor, "how "ridiculous! We have no wifdom here, for we

have no occafion for it; true wifdom is only a "knowledge of our own duty, and the duty of others "to us; but of what ufe is fuch wildom here, each

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intuitively performs what is right in himself, and "expects the fame from others? If by wifdom you should mean vain curiofity, and empty fpeculation, as fuch pleasures have their origin in vanity, luxury, or avarice, we are too good to pur"fue them." "All this may be right," fays Afem; * but methinks I obferve a folitary difpofition preσε vail among the people; each family keeps fepa"rately within their own precincts, without fociety, "or without intercourse." "That indeed is true, replied the other; "here is no eftablished fociety; "nor fhould there be any: all focieties are made

either through fear or friendship; the people we "are among are too good to fear each other; and "there are no motives to private friendship, where "all are equally meritorious." "Well then," faid the fceptic," as I am to fpend my time here, if I "am to have neither the polite arts, nor wisdom, "nor friendship, in fuch a world, I should be glad "at leaft of an eafy companion, who may tell me his thoughts, and to whom I may communicate "mine." "And to what purpose should either do "this?" fays the Genius: flattery or curiofity are "vicious motives, and never allowed of here; and "wifdom is out of the queftion."

"

"Still however," faid Afem, "the inhabitants "must be happy; each is contented with his own έσ poffeflions, nor avaricioufly endeavours to heap VOL. IV. 66 up

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up more than is neceffary for his own fubfiftence: "each has therefore leifure for pitying thofe, that "ftand in need of his compaffion." He had fcarcely spoken when his ears were affaulted with the lamentations of a wretch who fat by the way-fide, and in the moft deplorable diftrefs feemed gently to murmur at his own mifery. Afem immeditaely ran to his relief, and found him in the laft ftage of a confumption. "Strange," cied the son of Adam, that men "who are free from vice fhould thus fuffer so much "mifery without relief!"" Be not furprized," faid the wretch who was dying; "would it not be the ut"moft injuftice for beings, who have only juft fuf"ficient to fupport themselves, and are content with a bare fubfiftence, to take it from their own mouths to put it into mine? They never are poffeffed of a fingle meal more than is neceffary; and what is "barely neceffary cannot be difpenfed with." " "They fhould have been fupplied with more than is necef'fary," cried Afem; " and yet I contradict my "own opinion but a moment before all is doubt, "perplexity, and confufion. Even the want of in

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gratitude is no virtue here, fince they never re'ceived a favour. They have however another ex"cellence yet behind; the love of their country is "ftill I hope one of their darling virtues." "Peace, "Afem," replied the Guardian, with a countenance not lefs fevere than beautiful, nor forfeit all thy "pretenfions to wifdom; the fame felfish motives, by which we prefer our own intereft to that of others, induce us to regard our country preferably to that "of another. Nothing less than univerfal benevolence is free from vice, and that you fee is prac"tifed here." "Strange!" cries the difappointed pilgrim, in an agony of diftrefs; "what fort of a

world am I now introduced to ? There is fcarcely "a fingle virtue, but that of temperance, which they

"practise;

*practise; and in that they are no way fuperior to re the very brute creation. There is fcarcely an ،، amufement which they enjoy; fortitude, libera"lity, friendship, wifdom, converfation, and love ،، of country, all are virtues entirely unknown

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here; thus it feems that to be unacquainted with "vice is not to know virtue. Take me, O my Genius, "back to that very world which I have defpifed; a world which has Alla for its contriver is much "more wifely formed than that which has been pro"jected by Mahomet. Ingratitude, contempt, and "hatred, I can now fuffer, for perhaps I have de،، ferved them. When I arraigned the wifdom of ،، Providence, I only fhowed my own ignorance ; henceforth let me keep from vice myself, and pity "it in others."

He had scarcely ended, when the Genius, affuming an air of terrible complacency, called all his thunders around him, and vanifhed in a whirlwind. Afem, aftonished at the terror of the fcene, looked for his imaginary world; when, cafting his eyes around, he perceived himself in the very fituation, and in the very place, where he firft began to repine and defpair; his right foot had been juft advanced to take the fatal plunge, nor had it been yet withdrawn; fo inftantly did Providence ftrike the feries of truths juft imprinted on his foul. He now departed from the water-fide in tranquillity, and leaving his horrid manfion travelled to Segeftan, his native city; where he diligently applied himself to commerce, and put in practice that wifdom he had learned in folitude. The frugality of a few years foon produced opulence; the number of his domeftics increased; his friends came to him from every part of the city; nor did he receive them with dil dain and a youth of mifery was concluded with an old age of elegance, affluence, and eafe.

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ESSAY IV.

It is allowed on all hands, that our English divines receive a more liberal education, and improve that education by frequent ftudy, more than any others of this reverend profeflion in Europe. In general alfo it may be obferved, that a greater degree of gentility is affixed to the character of a ftudent in England than elfewhere; by which means our clergy have an opportunity of feeing better company while young, and of fooner wearing off thofe prejudices which they are apt to imbibe even in the beft regulated universities, and which may be justly termed the vulgar errors of the wife.

Yet with all these advantages it is very obvious, that the clergy are no where fo little thought of by the populace, as here; and though our divines are foremost with refpect to abilities, yet they are found laft in the effects of their miniftry; the vulgar in general appearing no way impreffed with a fenfe of religious duty. I am not for whining at the depravity of the times, or for endeavouring to paint a profpect more gloomy than in nature; but certain it is, no perfon who has travelled will contradict me, when I aver that the lower orders of mankind in other countries teftify on every occafion the profoundeft awe of religion; while in England they are fcarcely awakened into a fenfe of its duties, even in circumftances of the greatest distress.

This diffolute and fearless conduct foreigners are apt to attribute to climate and conftitution; may not the vulgar, being pretty much neglected in our exhortations from the pulpit, be a confpiring caufe?

Our

Our divines feldom ftoop to their mean capacities; and they who want inftruction moft, find leaft in our religious affemblies.

Whatever may become of the higher orders of mankind, who are generally poffeffed of collateral motives to virtue, the vulgar fhould be particularly regarded, whofe behaviour in civil life is totally hinged upon their hopes and fears. Those who constitute the bafis of the great fabrick of fociety, fhould be particularly regarded; for in policy, as in architecture, ruin is most fatal when it begins from the bottom.

Men of real fense and understanding prefer a prudent mediocrity to a precarious popularity; and, fearing to outdo their duty, leave it half done. Their difcourfes from the pulpit are generally dry, methodical and unaffecting; delivered with the most infipid calmness; infomuch, that, fhould the peaceful preacher lift his head over the cushion, which alone he feems to addrefs, he might difcover his audience, inftead of being awakened to remorfe, actually fleeping over his methodical and laboured compofition.

This method of preaching is however by fome called an addrefs to reafon, and not to the paffions; this is ftyled the making of converts from conviction: but fuch are indifferently acquainted with human nature, who are not fenfible, that men feldom reafon about their debaucheries till they are committed; reafon is but a weak antagonist when headlong paffion dictates; in all fuch cafes we fhould arm one paffion against another; it is with the human mind as in nature, from the mixture of two oppofites the refultis most frequently neutral tranquillity. Those, who attempt to reafon us out of our follies, begin at the wrong end, fince the attempt naturally prefuppofes

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