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furprised," faid the wretch who was dying: "would it not be the utmost unjustice for beings, "who have only juft fufficient to fupport them* felves, and are content with 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 necessary,” cried Afem; " and yet I contradict my own opinion but a moment before: all is doubt, perplexity, and confufion. Even the want of ingratitude is no virtue here, fince they never re"ceived a favour. They have, however, another "excellency yet behind; the love of their country « is ftill, I hope, one of their darling virtues.” "Peace, Afem," replied theguardian, with a countenance not less 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 practifed here.” "Strange," cries the difappointed pilgrim, in an agony of diftrefs; "what "fort of a world am I now introduced to? There is fcarce a fingle virtue, but that of temperance, which they practise; and, in that, they are no way fuperior to the very brute creation. There "is fcarce an amusement which they enjoy: fortitude, liberality, friendship, wifdom, converfa❝tion, and love of country, all-are virtues entirely E 6 "unknown

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

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He had fcarce ended, when the genius, affuming an air of terrible complacency, called all his thunders around him, and vanished in a whirlwind. Afem, aftonished at the terror of the scene, 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 despair: his right foot had been just advanced to take the fatal plunge, nor had it been yet withdrawn; fo inftantly did Providence ftrike the series of truths just imprinted on his foul. He now departed from the water-fide in tranquillity, and, leaving his horrid manfion, travelled to Segastan, his native city; where he diligently applied himfelf to commerce, and put in practice that wisdom he had learned in folitude. The frugality of a few years foon produced optlence; the number of his domefties increased: his friends came to him from every part of the city; nor did he receive them with disdain: and a youth of mifery was concluded with an old age of elegance, affluence, and cafe.

ESSAY

Of the Clergy, preaching, inftructing the Vulgar,

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&c.

T is allowed on all hands, that our English divines receive a more liberal education, and improve that education, by frequent study, more than any others of this reverend profeffion in Europe. In general, alfo, it may be observed, that a greater degree of gentility is annexed to the character of a student in England, than elsewhere; by which means, our clergy have an opportunity of seeing better company while young, and of fooner wearing off those prejudices young men are apt to imbibe even in the best regulated universities, and which may be juftly termed the vulgar errors of the wife.

Yet, with all thefe advantages, it is very obvious, that the clergy are no where so little thought of by the populace as here; and, though our divines are foremost, with respect to abilities, yet they are found laft in the effects of their ministry: 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 person who has travelled will contradict me, when I aver, that the lower orders of mankind, in other countries, teftify, on every occafion, the profoundest awe of religion; while in England, they are fcarcely awakened into a fenfe of its duties, even in circumftances of the greatest distress,

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This diffolute and fearlefs 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 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 conftitute the basis of the great fabric 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 moft infipid calmnefs; infomuch, that, should the peaceful preacher lift up his head over the cushion, which alone he seems to address, he might difcover his audience, inftead of being awakened to remorse, actually fleeping over his methodical and laboured compofition.

This method of preaching is, however, by fome called an addrefs to reason, and not to the paffions; this is ftyled the making of converts from conviction. But such are indifferently acquainted with human nature, who are not fenfible, that men fel

dom

dom reafon about their debaucheries till they are committed. Reafon is but a weak antagonist, when headlong paffion dictates: in all fuch cases we should arm one paffion against another. It is with the human mind as in nature, from the mixture of two oppofites, the result is most frequently neutral tranquillity. Those who attempt to reafon us out of our follies, begin at the wrong end, fince the attempt naturally prefuppofes us capable of reafon : but, to be made capable of this, is one great point of the cure.

There are but few talents requifite to become a popular preacher; for the people are easily pleased, if they perceive any endeavours in the orator to please them the meanest qualifications will work this effect, if the preacher fincerely fets about it. Perhaps little, indeed very little more is required, than fincerity and assurance; and a becoming fincerity is always certain of producing a becoming affurance. Si vis me fiere, dolendum eft primum tibi ipfi, is fo trite a quotation, that it almost demands an apology to repeat it. Yet, though all allow the juftice of the remark, how few do we find put it in practice! Our orators, with the most faulty bashfulness, feem impressed rather with an awe of their audience, than with a juft respect for the truths they are about to deliver; they, of all profeffions, feem the most bashful, who have the greatest right to glory in their commiffion.

The French preachers generally affume all that dignity which becomes men who are ambaffadors from Chrift: the English divines, like erroneous

envoys,