from less infirmities; the rivalship of beauty, the desire of admiration, the jealousy of love, and the sallies of anger. Her singular talents for government were founded equally on her temper and on her capacity. Endowed with great command over herself, she soon obtained an uncon trolled ascendant over the people. Few sovereigns of Eng land succeeded to the throne in more difficult circumstan ces; and none ever conducted the government with such uniform success and felicity. Though unacquainted with the practice of toleration, the true secret for managing re ligious factions, she preserved her people, by her superiour prudence, from those confusions in which theological con troversy had involved all the neighbouring nations; and though her enemies were the most powerful princes of Eu rope, the most active, the most enterprising, the least serupulous, she was able, by her vigour, to make deep impres sions on their state; her own greatness meanwhile remaining untouched and unimpaired. The wise ministers and brave men who flourished during her reign, share the praise of her success; but, instead of lessening the applause due to her, they make great addition to it. They owed, all of them, their advancement to her choice; they were supported by her constancy; and, with all their ability, they were never able to acquire an undue ascendant over her. In her family, in her court, in k kingdom, she remained equally mistress. The force of the tender passions was great over her, but the force of her mind was still superior: and the combat which her victory visibly cost her, serves only to display the firmness of her resolution, and the loftiness of her ambitious sentiments. The fame of this princess, though it has surmounted the Drejudices both of faction and of bigotry, yet lies, still expo med to another prejudice, which is more durable, because. more natural; and which, according to the different views in which we survey her, is capable either of exalting her beyond measure, or diminishing the lustre of her character. This prejudice is founded on the consideration of her sex. When we contemplate her as a woman we are apt to be struck with the highest admiration of her qualities and extensive capacity; but we are also apt to require some more softness of disposition, some greater lenity of temper, some of those amiable weaknesses by which her sex is distinguished. But the true method of estimating her merit, is, to lay aside all these considerations, and to consider her merely as a rational being, placed in authority, and intrusted with the government of mankind, HUME. SECTION XII. The Slavery of Vice. THE slavery produced by vice appears in the dependence der which it brings the sinner, to circumstances of external rtune. One of the favourite characters of liberty, is the dependence it bestows. He who is truly a freeman, is ave all servile compliances, and abject subjection. He is le to rest upon himself; and while he regards his superis with proper deference, neither debases himself by cringg to them, nor is tempted to purchase their favour by disnorable means. But the sinner has forfeited every privige of this nature. His passions and habits render him an solute dependent on the world, and the world's favour; the uncertain goods of fortune, and the fickle humours of en. For it is by these he subsists, and among these his ppiness is sought; according as his passions determine m to pursue pleasures, riches, or preferments. Having fund within himself whence to draw enjoyment, his only Souree is in things without. His hopes and fears all hang pon the world. He partakes in all its vicissitudes; and is oved and shaken by every wind of fortune.This is to be, the strictest sense, a slave to the world. 66 Religion and virtue, on the other hand, confer on the ind principles of noble independence. The upright man satisfied from himself." He despises not the advantages fortune, but he centres not his happiness in them. With moderate share of them he can be contented; and contentent is felicity. Happy in his own integrity, conscious of e esteem of good men, reposing firm trust in the provience, and the promises of God, he is exempted from servile ependence on other things. He can wrap himself up in a od conscience, and look forward, without terror, to the ange of the world. Let all things shift around him as rey please, he believes that, by the Divine ordination they all be made to work together in the issue for his good; nd therefore, having much to hope from God, and little to ar from the world, he can be easy in every state. One ho possesses within himself such an establishment of mind truly free. But shall I call that man free, who has nothg that is his own, no property assured ; whose very heart not his own, but rendered the appendage of external things, d the sport of fortune? Is that man free, let his outward ›ndition be ever so splendid, whom his imperious passions tain at their call, whom they send forth at their pleasure, to drudge and toil, and to beg his only enjoyment from the casualties of the world? Is he free who must flatter and lie to compass his ends; who must bear with this man's ca price, and that man's scorn; must profess friendship where he hates, and respect where he contemns: who is not at liberty to appear in his own colours, nor to speak his own sentiments; who dares not be honest, lest he should be poor! -Believe it, no chains bind so hard, no fetters are so heavy, as those which fasten the corrupted heart to this treacherous world; no dependence is more contemptible than that under which the voluptuous, the covetous, or the ambitious man, lies to the means of pleasure, gain, or power. Yet this is the boasted liberty, which vice promises, as the recompense setting us free from the salutary restraints of virtue. BLAIR. SECTION XII. The Man of Integrity. : IT will not take much time to delineate the character of the man of integrity, as by its nature it is a plain one, and easily understood. He is one, who makes it his constant rule to follow the road of duty, according as the word of God, and the voice of his conscience, point it out to him. He is not guided merely by affections, which may sometimes give the colour of virtue to a loose and unstable character. The up right man is guided by a fixed principle of mind, which de termines him to esteem nothing but what is honourable and to abhor whatever is base or unworthy, in moral conduct. Hence we find him ever the same; at all times, the trusty friend, the affectionate relation, the conscientious man of b siness, the pious worshipper, the public spirited citize He assumes no borrowed appearance. He seeks no mast to cover him; for he acts no studied part; but he is indee what he appears to be, full of truth, candour, and human ty. In all his pursuits, he knows no path but the fair and direct one: and would much rather fail of success, than altain it by reproachful means. He never shows us a smiling countenance, while he meditates evil against us in his heart He never praises us among our friends; and then joins in tra ducing us among our enemies. We shall never find one part of his character at variance with another. In his man ners, he is simple and unaffected; in all his proceedings, pen and consistent, SECTION XIV. Gentleness. I BEGIN with distinguishing true gentleness from passive ameness of spirit, and from unlimited compliance with the panners of others. That passive tameness which submits, ithout opposition, to every encroachment of the violent and ssuming, forms no part of Christian duty; but, on the conrary, is destructive of general happiness and order. That limited complaisance, which on every occasion, falls in with he opinions and manners of others, is so far from being a irtue, that it is itself a vice, and the parent of many vices. toverthrows all steadiness of principle; and produces that inful conformity with the world, which taints the whole haracter. In the present corrupted state of human manners, lways to assent and to comply, is the very worst maxim we an adopt. It is impossible to support the purity and digity of Christian morals, without opposing the world on varipus occasions, even though we should stand alone. That entleness therefore which belongs to virtue, is to be careally distinguished from the mean spirit of cowards, and the awning assent of sycophants. It renounces no just right from fear. It gives up no important truth from flattery. It isindeed not only consistent with a firm mind, but it necessarily requires a manly spirit, and a fixed principle, in order to give it any real value. Upon this solid ground only, the polish of gentleness can with advantage be superinduced. It stands opposed, not to the most determined regard for virtue and truth, but to harshness and severity, to pride and Arrogance, to violence and oppression. It is properly, that part of the great virtue of charity, which makes us unwilling to give pain to any of our brethren. Compassion prompts us to relieve their wants. Forbearance prevents us from retaliating their injuries. Meekness restrains our angry passions; candour, our severe judgments. Gentleness correets whatever is offensive in our manners; and, by a constant train of humane attentions,studies to alleviate the burden of common misery. Its office, therefore, is extensive. It is not like some other virtues, called forth only on peculiar emergencies; but it is continually in action, when we are engaged in intercourse with men. It ought to form our address, to regulate our speech, and to diffuse itself over our whole behaviour. We must not, however, confound this gentle "wisdom which is from above," with that artificial courtesy, that studied smoothness of manners, which is learned in the school of the world. Such accomplishments, the most frivolous and empty may possess. Too often they are employed by the artful, as a snare ; too often affected by the hard and unfeeling, as a cover to the baseness of their minds. We cannot, at the same time, avoid observing the homage, which, even in such instances, the world is constrained to pay to virtue. In order to render society agreeable, it is found necessary to assume somewhat, that may at least carry its appearance. Virtue is the universal charm. Even its shadow is courted, when the substance is wanting. The imitation of its form has been reduced into an art; and, in the commerce of life, the first study of all who would either gain the esteem, or win the hearts of others, is to learn the speech, and to adopt the manners, of candour, gentleness and humanity. But that gentleness which is the characteristic of a good man, has, like every other virtue, its seat in the heart: and let me add, nothing except what flows from the heart, can render even external manners truly pleasing. For no assumed behaviour can at all times hide the real character. In that unaffected civility which springs from a gentle mind, there is a charm infinitely more powerful, than in all the studied manners of the most finished courtier. True gentleness is founded on a sense of what we owe to HIM who made us, and to the common nature of which we all share. It arises from reflections on our own failings and wants; and from just views of the condition, and the duty of man. It is native feeling heightened and improved by principle. It is the heart which easily relents; which feels for every thing that is human; and is backward and slow to inflict the least wound. It is affable in its address, and mild in its demeanour; ever ready to oblige, and willing to be oblig ed by others; breathing habitual kindness towards friends, courtesy to strangers, long suffering to enemies. It exercis es authority with moderation; administers reproof with ten derness; confers favours with ease and modesty. It is unassuming in opinion, and temperate in zeal. It contends not eagerly about trifles; slow to contradict, and still slower to blame; but prompt to allay dissension, and to restore peace. It neither intermeddles unnecessarily with the af fairs, nor pries inquisitively into the secrets of others. It delights above all things to alleviate distress; and, if it cannot dry up the falling tear, to sooth at least the grieving heart. Where it has not the power of being useful, it is never burdensome. It seeks to please, rather than to shine |