ENEROSITY, properly applied, will supply every other external advantage in life, but the leve of those with whom we converfe. It will procare esteem, and a conduct resembling real affection; but actual love is the fpontaneous production of the nind; no generofity can purchase, no rewards intreafe, no liberality can fecure the continuance of it: hat very perfon who is obliged, has it not in his power to force his lingering affection upon the objects he fhould love, and voluntarily mix paffion vith gratitude.

Imparted fortune, and well-placed liberality, nay procure the benefactor's good-will, may load the perfon obliged with the fenfe of the duty he lies under to retaliate; this is gratitude; and fimple gatitude, untinctured with love, is all the return an irgenuous mind can bestow for preceding benefits.

But gratitude and love are almoft oppofite affections; love is often an involuntary paffion, placed upon our companions without our confent, and frequently

frequently conferred without our previous esteem. We love fome men we know not why; our tenderness is naturally excited in all their concerns; we excufe their faults with the fame indulgence, and approve their virtues with the fame applaufe, with which we confider our own. While we entertain the paffion, it pleases us; we cherish it with delight, and give it up with reluctance; and love for love is all the reward we expect or defire.

Gratitude, on the contrary, is never conferred, but where there have been previous favours to excite it; we confider it as a debt, and our spirits are a load, till we have difcharged the obligation Every acknowledgment of gratitude is a circumftance of humiliation, and fome are found to fubmit to frequent mortifications of this kind, proclaiming what obligations they owe, merely because they think it in fome meafure cancels the debt.

Thus love is the most easy and agreeable, and gra. titude the most humiliating, operation of the mind. We never reflect on the man we love without exult ing in our choice; while he, who has bound us to him by benefits alone, rifes to our idea as a perfon to whom we have, in fome meafure, forfeited our freedom.

Love and gratitude are feldom, therefore, found in the fame breaft, without impairing each other:

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we may tender the one or the other fingly to thofe with whom we converse, but cannot command both together. By attempting to increase we diminish them; the mind becomes bankrupt under too large obligations; all additional benefits leffon every hope of future return, and bar up every avenue that leads to affection.

In all our connexions with fociety, therefore, it is not only generous, but prudent, to appear infenfible of the value of thofe favours we bestow, and endeavour to make the obligation feem as flight as poffible. Love must be taken by stratagem, and not by open force; we should seem not to know that we oblige, and leave the mind at full liberty to give or refuse its affections. Constraint may, indeed, leave the receiver ftill grateful, but it will certainly produce difguft.

If to procure gratitude be our only aim, there is no great art in making the acquifition; a benefit conferred demands a juft acknowledgment, and we have a right to infift upon our due.

It were much more prudent, however, to forego our right on fuch an occafion, and exchange it, if we can, for love. We receive little advantage from repeated proteftations of gratitude; but they coft him very much, from whom we exact them in return. A grateful acknowledgment exacted, is a

debt

debt demanded: by which proceeding, the creditor is not advantaged, and the debtor makes his payment with reluctance.

While Mencius, the philofopher, was travelling in the pursuit of wildom, night overtook him at the foot of a gloomy mountain, remote from the habitations of men. Here, as he was ftraying during a thunder-storm accompanied with rain, which confpired to make folitude still more hideous, he perceived an hermit's cell, and approaching, asked for fhelter. "Enter," faid the hermit, in a fevere tone, men deferve not to be obliged, but it would "be imitating their ingratitude to treat them as

they deferve. Come in: examples of vice may "fometimes ftrengthen us in the ways of virtue."

After a frugal meal, which confifted of roots and tea, Mencius could not reprefs his curiofity to know why the hermit had retired from mankind, as their actions taught the trueft leffons of wisdom. "Mention not the name of man," cried the hermit with indignation; "here let me live retired from a "bafe ungrateful world; here among the beafts of "the foreft, I fhall find no flatterers: the lion is a

generous enemy, and the dog a faithful friend; "but man, base man, can poifon the bowl, and "fmile while he presents it."

You have been ill-used by mankind,' said the philofopher fhrewdly, interrupting him. "Yes,"

"Yes," replied the hermit, " on mankind I ex"haufted my whole fortune; this ftaff, that cup, and "those roots, are all I have in return.”

• Did you bestow your fortune, or did you lend 'it?' afked Mencius.

"I bestowed it, undoubtedly," replied the other, "for where is the merit of being a money-lender?" 'Did they ever own that they received it?' ftill adds the philofopher.

"A thousand times," faid the hermit: " they " loaded me every day with profeffions of gratitude "for favours received, and folicitations for future "benefactions."

If, then,' faid Mencius fimiling, you did not ' lend your fortune, in order to have it returned, it is unjust to accuse them of ingratitude. They owned 'themselves obliged, you expected no more, and they certainly earned each favour by a frequent ' acknowledgment of it.'.

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The hermit, ftruck with the reply, furveyed his guest with emotion. "I have heard of the great "Mencius," faid he, "and you are certainly the

man. I am now fourfcore years old, but ftill a "child in wisdom; take me back to the school of men, " and educate me as one of the youngest, and most ignorant of your difciples."