speaking of a lady, for instance, they will, perhaps, embellish their enquiries, by asking, "if you mean her, whose grandfather was a bankrupt? though she has the vanity to keep a chariot, whilst others, much better born, walk on foot ;" or, they will afterwards recollect, "that you may possibly mean her cousin, of the same name, whose mother was suspected of such, or such an indiscretion, though the daughter, had the good luck to make her fortune, by marrying, while her betters are over-looked."

To hint at a fault, does more mischief than speaking out; for whatever is left for the imagination to finish, will not fail to be overdone; every hiatus will be more than filled up, and every pause, more than supplied. There is less malice, and less mischief too, in telling a man's name, than the initials of it, as a worthier person, may be involved in the most disgraceful suspicion, by --such a dangerous ambiguity. It is not uncommon for the envious, after having attempted to deface the fairest character so in

dustriously, that they are afraid you will begin to detect their malice, to endeavour to remove your suspicions effectually, by assuring you, that what they have just related, is only the popular opinion, they themselves, can never believe things are so bad, as they are said to be; for their part, it is a rule with them, always to hope the best. It is their way never to believe, or report ill of any one: they will, however, mention the story in all companies, that they may do their friend the service of protesting the disbelief of it. More reputations are thus hinted away by false friends, than are openly destroyed by public enemies. An if, or a but, or a modified look; an ambiguous shake of the head, or a languid defence, will demolish a character more effectually, 'than the whole artillery of malice, when openly levelled against it.

It is not that envy never praises-No, that would be making a public profession of itself, and advertising its own malignity; whereas the greatest success of its efforts,

depends on the concealment of their endWhen envy intends to strike a stroke of Machiavelian policy, it affects the language of the most exaggerated applause, though it generally takes care that the subject of its pangyric shall be a very indifferent and common character, so that it is well aware, none of its praises will stick.

It is the unhappy nature of envy, not to be contented with positive misery, but to be continually aggravating its own torments, by comparing them with the felicities of others. The eyes of envy, are perpetually fixed on the object which disturbs it; nor can it avert them from it, though to procure itself the relief of a temporary forgetfulness-On seeing the innocence of the first pair :

-"Aside, the devil turn'd

For envy; yet, with jealous leer malign,
Ey'd them askance.”

As this enormous sin chiefly instigated the revolt, and brought on the ruin of the

angelic spirits; so it is not improbable, that' it will be a principal instrument of misery in a future world for the envious to compare their desperate condition with the happiness of the children of God, and to heighten their actual wretchedness, by reflecting on what they have lost. Envy, like lying and ingratitude, is practised with more frequency, because it is practised with impunity; but there being no human laws against these crimes, is so far from an inducement to commit them, that this very consideration would be sufficient to deter the wise and good, if all others were ineffectual; for of how henious a nature must those sins be, which are judged above the reach of human punishment, and are reserved for the final justice of God himself!

H.

ANECDOTE.

In the reign of Queen Anne, a very lucrative post under government, became vacant, and many many canditates solicited ministry for it; among whom, the most

'urgent and importunate person was judged by the minister, inadequate to fill it.Therefore, to rid himself of him, and his disagreeable importunity together, he determined to poze him, the next time he came, with some obscure question.

Accordingly, when he made his appearance, he told him, if he could informa him "who were Melchizedeck's father and mother, his request should be granted, and the place given to him." He thanked his lordship, and only requested one day to consider of it. He now prepared two large bags of money, of various coins, so that he was certain their legends contained -all the letters of the alphabet; then ordered his coach, and drove away to the minister's house; who, when he saw the gentleman's servants sweating, and handing in the specie, began to conceive a better opinion of his abilities, came to the door, and received him very politely; "My lord," said he," the large bag, contains all the letters. that compose his father's name, as the