to estimate their virtues by their vices. To this fatal error all thofe will contribute, who confound the colours of right and wrong, and, instead of helping to fettle their boundaries, mix them with fo much art, that no common mind is able to difunite them. In narratives, where historical veracity has no place, I cannot difcover why there fhould not be exhibited the most perfect idea of virtue; of virtue not angelical, nor above probability, for what we cannot credit we fhall never imitate, but the highest and pureft that humanity can reach, which, exercised in fuch trials as the various revolutions of things fhall bring upon it, may, by conquering fome calamities, and enduring others, teach us what we may hope, and what we can perform. Vice, for vice is neceffary to be fhewn, fhould always difguft; nor fhould the graces of gaiety, or the dignity of courage, be fo united with it, as to reconcile it to the mind. Wherever it appears, it fhould raise hatred by the malignity of its practices, and contempt by the meannefs of its ftratagems; for while it is fupported by either parts or fpirit, it will be feldom heartily abhorred. The Roman tyrant was content to be hated, if he was but feared; and there are thousands of the readers of romances willing to be thought wicked, if they may be allowed to be wits. It is therefore to be fteadily inculcated, that virtue is the highest proof of understanding, and the only folid basis of greatness; and that vice is the natural confequence of narrow thoughts; that it begins in miftake, and ends in ignominy. E NUMB. 5. TUESDAY, April 3, 1750. Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos, VIRG. ELPHINSTON. VERY man is fufficiently difcontented with fome circumstances of his prefent ftate, to fuffer his imagination to range more or less in queft of future happiness, and to fix upon fome point of time, in which, by the removal of the inconvenience which now perplexes him, or acquifition of the advantage which he at prefent wants, he fhall find the condition of his life very much improved. When this time, which is too often expected with great impatience, at laft arrives, it generally comes without the bleffing for which it was defired; but we folace ourselves with fome new prospect, and prefs forward again with equal eagernefs. It is lucky for a man, in whom this temper prevails, when he turns his hopes upon things wholly out of his own power; fince he forbears then to precipitate his affairs, for the fake of the great event that is to complete his felicity, and waits for the blissful hour with lefs neglect of the measures neceffary to be taken in the mean time. I have long known a perfon of this temper, who indulged his dream of happiness with lefs hurt to himself than fuch chimerical wifhes commonly produce, and adjusted his fcheme with fuch addrefs, that his hopes were in full bloom three parts of the year, and in the other part never wholly blasted. Many, perhaps, would be defirous of learning by what means he procured to himself fuch a cheap and lasting fatisfaction. It was gained by a constant practice of referring the removal of all his uneafinefs to the coming of the next fpring; if his health was impaired, the fpring would reftore it; if what he wanted was at a high price, it would fall its value in the fpring. The fpring indeed did often come without any of these effects, but he was always certain that the next would be more propitious; nor was ever convinced, that the present spring would fail him before the middle of funmer; for he always talked of the fpring as coming till it was paft, and when it was once paft, every one agreed with him that it was coming. By long converse with this man, I am, perhaps, brought to feel immoderate pleasure in the contemplation of this delightful feafon; but I have the fatisfaction of finding many, whom it can be no fhame to resemble, infected with the fame enthufiafm; for there is, I believe, fcarce any poet of eminence, who has not left fome teftimony of his fondness for the flowers, the zephyrs, and the warblers of the fpring. Nor has the most luxuriant imagination been able to defcribe the ferenity and happiness 5 happiness of the golden age, otherwife than by giving a perpetual spring, as the highest reward of uncorrupted innocence. There is, indeed, fomething inexpreffibly pleafing. in the annual renovation of the world, and the new, display of the treasures of nature. The cold and darkness of winter, with the naked deformity of every object on which we turn our eyes, make us rejoice at the fucceeding feafon, as well for what. we have escaped, as for what we may enjoy; and every budding flower, which a warm fituation brings early to our view, is confidered by us. as a meffenger to notify the approach of more joy-. ous days. The SPRING affords to a mind, fo free from the disturbance of cares or paffions as to be vacant to calm amusements, almost every thing that our present state makes us capable of enjoying. The varie-. gated verdure of the fields and woods, the fucceffion of grateful odours, the voice of pleasure pouring out its notes on every fide, with the gladness apparently conceived by every animal, from the growth of his food, and the clemency of the weather, throw over the whole earth an air of gaiety, fignificantly expreffed by the fmile of nature. Yet there are men to whom thefe fcenes are able to give no delight, and who hurry away from all the varieties of rural beauty, to lose their hours and divert their thoughts by cards, or affemblies, a tavern dinner, or the prattle of the day. It may be laid down as a pofition which will feldom deceive, that when a man cannot bear his own company there is fomething wrong. He must fly from from himself, either because he feels a tediousness in life from the equipoife of an empty mind, which, having no tendency to one motion more than another but as it is impelled by fome external power, must always have recourfe to foreign objects; or he must be afraid of the intrufion of fome unpleafing ideas, and, perhaps, is ftruggling to escape from the remembrance of a lofs, the fear of a calamity, or fome other thought of greater horror. Those whom forrow incapacitates to enjoy the pleasures of contemplation, may properly apply to fuch diversions, provided they are innocent, as lay ftrong hold on the attention; and thofe, whom fear of any future affliction chains down to misery, muft endeavour to obviate the danger. My confiderations fhall, on this occafion, be turned on fuch as are burdenfome to themselves merely because they want fubjects for reflection, and to whom the volume of nature is thrown. open, without affording them pleasure or inftruction, because they never learned to read the characters. A French author has advanced this feeming paradox, that very few men know how to take a walk; and, indeed, it is true, that few know how to take a walk with a profpect of any other pleasure, than the fame company would have afforded them at home. There are animals that borrow their colour from the neighbouring body, and confequently vary their hue as they happen to change their place. In like manner it ought to be the endeavour of every man to derive his reflections from the objects about |