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made no such demand. I may frankly own to you, Leander, that I frequently derived uneasiness, from a familiarity with such persons as despised every thing they could obtain with ease. Were it not better, therefore, to be somewhat frugal of our affability, at least to allot it only to the few persons of discernment who can make the proper distinction betwixt real dignity and pretended: to neglect those characters, which, being impatient to grow familiar, are, at the same time, very far from familiarity-proof: to have posthumous fame in view, which affords us the most pleasing landscape: to enjoy the amusement of reading, and the consciousness that reading paves the way to general esteem: to preserve a constant regularity of temper, and also of constitution, for the most part, but little consistent with a promiscuous intercourse with men: to shun all illiterate, tho' ever so jovial assemblies, insipid, perhaps, when present, and on reflection painful: to meditate on those absent or departed friends, who value or valued us for those qualities with which they were best acquainted; to partake with such a friend as you, the delights of a studious and rational retirement.-Are not these the paths that lead to happiness?"

In answer to this (for he seemed to feel some late mortification) I observed, that what we lost by familiarity in respect, was generally made up to us by the affection it procured; and that an absolute solitude was so very contrary to our natures, that were he excluded from society but for a single fortnight, he would be exhilarated at the sight of the first beggar that he saw. What follows were thoughts thrown out in our further discourse on the subject; without order or connection, as they occur

remembrance.

to my Some reserve is a debt to prudence; as freedom and simplicity of conversation is a debt to good-nature. There would

not be any absolute necessity for reserve, if the world were honest: yet, even then, it would prove expedient. For, in order to attain any degree of deference, it seems necessary that people should imagine you have more accomplishments than you discover.

It is on this depends one of the excellencies of the judicious Virgil. He leaves you something ever to imagine: and such is the constitution of the human mind, that we think so highly of nothing, as of that whereof we do not see the bounds. 66 This," as Mr. Burke ingeniously observes," affords the pleasure when we survey a cylinder;"* and Sir John Suck

ling says,

"They who know all their wealth they have are poor;
he's only rich who cannot tell his store."

A person that would secure to himself great deference, will, perhaps, gain his point by silence, as effectually as by any thing he can say. To be, however, a niggard of one's observations, is so much worse than to hoard up one's money, as the former may be both imparted and retained at the same time.

Men oftentimes pretend to proportion their respect to real desert; but a supercilious reserve and distance wearies them into a compliance with more. This appears so very manifest to many persons of the lofty character, that they use no better means to acquire respect than, like highwaymen to make a demand of it. They will, like Empedocles, jump into the fire, rather than betray the mortal part of their character. It is from the same principle of

* Treatise of the Sublime and Beautiful."

distance that nations are brought to believe that their great duke knoweth all things; as is the case in some countries.

"Men, while no human form or fault they see,
excuse the want of e'en humanity;

and eastern kings, who vulgar views disdain,
require no worth to fix their awful reign.

You cannot say, in truth, what may disgrace 'em,
to know in what Predicament to place 'em,
alas! in all the glare of light reveal'd,

e'en virtue charms us less than vice conceal'd!

"For some small worth he had, the man was priz'd,
he added frankness-and he grew despis'd."

We want comets, not ordinary planets;

"Tædet quotidianarum harum formarum." Terence.
"Hunc cœlum, & stellas, & decedentia certis

tempora momentis, sunt qui formidine nulla
imbuti spectent."

Virtues, like essences, lose their fragrance when exposed. They are sensative plants, which will not bear too familiar approaches. Let us be careful to distinguish modesty, which is ever amiable, from reserve, which is only prudent. A man is hated sometimes for pride, when it was an excess of humility gave the occasion. What is often termed shyness, is nothing more than refined sense, and an indifference to common observations.

The reserved man's intimate acquaintance are, for the most part, fonder of him, than the persons of a more affable character, i. e. he pays them a greater compliment than the other can do his, as he distinguishes them more. It is indolence, and the pain of being on one's guard, that makes one hate an artful character. The most reserved of men, that will not exchange two syllables together in an English coffee-house, should they meet at Ispahan, would drink sherbet, and eat a mess of rice to

gether.

....

The man of show is vain: the reserved man is proud more properly. The one has greater depth; the other a more lively imagination. -The one is more frequently respected; the other more generally beloved. The one a Cato: the other a Cæsar. Vide Sallust. What Cæsar said of "Rubicundos amo; pallidos timeo;" may be applied to familiarity, and to reserve. A reserved man often makes it a rule to leave company with a good speech: and I believe sometimes proceeds so far at to leave company, because he has made one. Yet it is his fate, often like the mole, to imagine himself deep when he is near the surface. Were it prudent to decline this reserve, and this horror of disclosing foibles; to give up a part of character to secure the rest? The world will certainly insist on having some part to pull to pieces. Let us throw out some follies to the envious; as we give up counters to a highwayman, or a barrel to a whale, in order to save one's money and one's ship: to let it make exceptions to one's head of hair, if one can escape being stabbed in the heart. reserved man should drink double glasses. Prudent men lock up their motives; letting familiars have a key to their heart, as to their garden.

The

A reserved man is in continual conflict with the social part of his nature: and even grudges himself the laugh into which he sometimes is betrayed.

"Seldom he smiles-

and smiles in such a sort as he disdain'd

himself that could be mov'd to smile at any thing."

"A fool and his words are soon parted;" for so should the proverb run. Common understandings, like cits in gardening, allow no shades to

མར་པནས་ས

their picture. rant haughtiness; as what is deemed spirit in a horse proceeds from fear. The higher character a

Modesty often passes for ar

man supports, the more he should regard his minutest actions. The reserved man should bring a certificate of his honesty, before he be admitted into company. Reserve is no more essentially connected with understanding, than a church organ with devotion, or wine with goodnature.*

ON EXTERNAL FIGURE.

There is a young gentleman in my parish, who, on account of his superior equipage, is esteemed universally more proud and more haughty than his neighbours. It is frequently hinted, that he is by no means intitled to so splendid an appearance, either by his birth, his station, or his fortune; and that it is of consequence, mere pride that urges him to live beyond his rank, or renders him blind to the knowledge of it. With all this fondness for external splendor, he is a most affable and ingenious man; and for this reason I am inclined to vindicate him, when these things are mentioned to his disadvantage. In the first place, it is by no means clear, that dress and equipage are sure signs of pride. Where it is joined with a supercilious behaviour, it becomes then a corroborative testimony. But this is not always the case: the refinements of luxury in equipage, or a table, are perhaps as often the gratifications of

These were no other than a collection of hints, when I proposed to write a poetical essay on Reserve.

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