is elate with conqueft, and admiration, contemplate on this awful change, when we fhall be feftering, and throuded in obscure darkness; furely it must check the labours of the toilet, and fhew the neceffity of being more careful to "polifh the jewel, than varnish the casket." The cruel spoiler will not thank us for painted charms, nor keep a more respectful distance *. Then where is our pride, where is our boaft, when the worms are our fifters? MEMORY, learning and fcience, as mental qualifications, come next under our confideration. To begin with memory, that much-admired faculty of the mind, which enables us to look back to the days of childhood; and by its ideal powers makes every paft pleasure prefent: which can bring our paffions a fecond time on the ftage of action, and help us to tranfplant the wisdom of others, and by recollection to furnish the flore-house of the mind. Yet, when we *When self-esteem, or others adulation, Would cunningly perfuade us we were something The grave gainfays the fmooth-complexion'd flatt'ry, BLAIR's Grave. confider confider it as a gift, it should excite our gratitude, but not our pride. Nor is it fo defirable a gift, as may be imagined by those, who are not poffeffed of it. The steward, who hath much committed to his care, hath more to be accountable for. And fuch is the much-to-be-lamented depravity of human nature, that trifling and vain occurrences, encouraged by example, will often-times take the lead in precedence of fuperior sense and judgment. How difficult a task is it to make it only a facred repository, and never to bring any thing out of it but what is meet for our mafter's ufe! Memory will maintain its distinction, and in spite of ourselves will remember the painful, as well as the pleasant in life : and though it can only be very fevere to the guilty mind, yet the infelicities of human nature are fuch, that it would be a happiness to forget them but that is a very difficult science to learn. The envenomed stings of malice and envy are so keen, that they will penetrate into the calmeft foul. And when human vigilance cannot elude the blow, memory will oftener invade us on that quarter, than it will affift us in recollecting the delightful moments of ferene happiness. Befides, whatever are our attainments by this I 1 3 mental mental faculty, what is more treacherous to its truft? And fhall we place a pride on what we cannot a dependence? Common fenfe forbids it. GENIUS and Learning, indeed, dignify the man more than the ermined robe, or the ftaff of power. But though we could make the literary world our own, and could understand even all myfteries, and, like SOLOMON, could know even from the lofty cedar in Libanus, to the hyffop that groweth on the wall; and like that wife monarch, frail man, may be in the full meridian of glory, and acquifition of fame; yet ought he to confider, with him too, how vain that acquifition is, when it is not turned to its proper improvement by ingrafting practice on theory! Let him reflect how much vanity is annexed to reafoning pride! And what narrow limits are fet to human wisdom? Then furely, however extolled by fhort-fighted mortals, a wife man will not exult, but remember his fun will fet in the evening; nay, may withdraw its beams. long before. It is but for Omnipotence to touch the linguift or the fcholar with a palfy, fever, or convulfion, and his admired capacity will either fall at once, or dwindle into the weakness of a child, or the foolish nefs nefs of an idiot. But if misfortune fpares us, and we have any real or fancied advantages above our fellow-creatures, let us compaffionate others, and remember who it was that made us to differ, and that the Divine Power can as well take away as give. Pride would fit very ungracefully on the brow even of a Tillotson, a Boyle, or a Newton, much more, of those who never heard of the names of those good and great men, who were infpired with true wifdom that vaunted not itself, and is not puffed up. And shall we admire and not endeavour to imitate the fovereign grace of humility; " which calls no man down from his rank, nor pollutes one drop of noble blood that runs in his veins ?" Pride is a fever of the mind, by it cometh contention, and it is followed by a long train of disagreeable attendants. Servants, that will foon become mafters, and maintain the fway by the most imperious commands. And what is ftill worse, contend for the victory at the hazard of truth and charity; never confidering the glory of yielding, even in little matters; but fcorning to retract an opinion once given, though proved to be ever fo erroneous. But could patience and humility be permitted to prefcribe, they would be found I 4 found phyficians of great value to keep the paffions cool and calm, even when the disease runs high, and is epidemic. Our Divine Mafter tells us, The meek fhall inherit the earth. Need we, or can we have a ftronger perfuafive to the duty? Let us all confider, that whatever our endowments are now, there is a time haftening when we shall be stripped of all outward embellishments and honour, and fummoned to ftand at the fame bar with the meanest beggar: let us then not be high-minded but fear, left that beggar be preferred before us there, Let us now reflect how inconfiderable are the boafts of nature, how weak its pride, when reason furveys with impartial eye what may be put in the scale against elating ourselves on the advantages of highbirth, riches, beauty, or intellectual faculties; to the diftinctions of which a little time will put a period. But let the defires of our fouls be turned to that, which is permanent. Our beauty must mingle with duft, as corruption is our original. Our riches may make to themselves wings and flee away: but if we confign them over to the next world by prudent charities, good example and good works, we shall be fure of meeting with an high interest for them in a never-finking fund. |