pendent manner, he was continually trusting to the benevolence of individuals. Dr. Johnson says of Savage, "I know not whether he ever had, for three months together, a settled habitation in which he could claim a right of residence."

There have been several pleasing examples of gratitude. In the contest between Charles I. and his parliament, Sir William Davenant was taken by the parliamentary forces and condemned to die, but was spared at the request of Milton. After a short time Milton fell into a similar danger, and Davenant nobly repaid the favour by interceding for Milton, and obtaining his life and liberty. Warriors have been laden with favours by grateful nations, and legislators have been honoured by the grateful remembrance of their successors. When the Roman army was engaged with the Etrurians, Horatius Cocles defended a bridge for some time against the whole force of the enemy, and by this means he turned the battle in favour of his countrymen. For this important service the Romans erected a statue of him in the temple of Vulcan, gave him as much land as he could plough in a day with two yoke of oxen, and a handsome sum of money. Solon among the Athenians, Lycurgus among the Lacedemonians, and Numa among the Romans, if they were not honoured as much as they deserved in their lives, received the grateful homage of thousands after they were dead.

Ingratitude is a brutal vice. It is a disposition which no man will acknowledge himself to possess. It is never connected with virtue, and consequently an ungrateful man is a bad member of society.

History exhibits some memorable instances of this disgraceful feeling. Caligula poisoned many persons who had appointed him for their heir; and Vitellius, having condemned a wealthy citizen to death, desired to see the unfortunate person's will; and when he found that he himself was left executor conjointly with another, he not only ordered the poor fellow to be executed immediately, but he caused the other executor to be brought out and put to death, that he might enjoy the whole of the property. Ingratitude sometimes arises from a foolish notion of etiquette. When the Emperor Basilius I. was hunting, a large stag ran furiously at him, and, striking one of his antlers inside the Emperor's girdle, dragged him away. One of the nobles in attendance sprang forward and cut the girdle with his sword, and thus preserved the Emperor's life; but the noble was beheaded for putting his weapon so near the monarch's body!

CHAP. XVII.

ON PRAISE AND BLAME.

PRAISE is exceedingly grateful to human nature. It is an acknowledgment of certain bodily or mental excellencies, which are possessed by the person to whom the commendation is addressed. It is useful in a moderate degree, the excess alone is injurious. Praise brightens our prospects, and exhilarates our feelings; it is like the cheerful sun on the harvest day, which encourages the labourers. But blame is like the gathering clouds of a winter evening, which darken and perplex the foolish or unfortunate wanderer. If praise be carried to an extreme, it becomes flattery; if blame be carried further than it ought, it becomes scandal,- and both are unjust. "He that slanders me," observes Cowper, "paints me blacker than I am, and he that flatters me, whiter - they both daub me." A love of praise will sometimes induce people to act inconsistently, and a fear of censure will prevent them from opposing vice and patronising virtue. Some men are exceedingly pleased with smooth language: this would be proper, if smoothness and truth accompanied each other; but these persons would much rather be deceived by a pleasing account, than be correctly informed by unpleasant intelligence. When Charles II. was in the Low

Countries, the governor of those provinces told him, that his master, Don Juan, had positively commanded him to fill up his despatches with good news, whether it were true or false. This is folly, for knowledge is power. Correct information enables us to remove evils, and prevent the occurrence of further disadvantages. Ignorance will not preserve a man from destruction when dangers are about to overwhelm him. The ostrich, when it is pursued by the hunters, buries its head in the sand, or in a thicket, and fancies itself secure; but a valiant and prudent man will prefer a correct view of the dangers to which he is exposed, that by timely care he may avoid them. Monarchs are too frequently nurtured in the lap of ignorance, and surrounded by lying courtiers. They are sometimes afraid to look around them, or within them; for having discovered that they have been deceived in many respects, they are timid, lest they should have been misinformed in others; and thus the splendours of royalty are attended by uneasiness; and many a man has been stripped of his power, hurled from his throne, and condemned to exile, or a dungeon, or a scaffold, without any warning of his fate.

A certain measure of commendation is not only just, but it is beneficial, as a stimulus to individuals and communities. The patriot, the man of science and of letters, is animated by its influence, and excited to future labours: he fancies no exertion too great for the good opinion of mankind. The warrior covered with blood, disfigured

pleased with the expectation of human applause. It is said of Alexander that it was his principal wish to be praised by the Athenians. When he was endeavouring to overcome the obstacles which opposed the passage of the Hydaspes, he exclaimed, "O Athenians, could you suppose to what dangers I expose myself for the sake of being celebrated by you?" There is a higher principle than this the esteem or commendation of the Supreme Being; but many a noble-minded philanthropist, and many a pious divine, although they are conscious that their conduct is pleasing to the Deity, would be exceedingly dispirited if their fellow-creatures were to pass upon them an universal vote of censure; while, on the other hand, they would be pleased if they perceived that their conduct was generally considered unobjectionable. The approval of our fellow-creatures, and especially of good men, has always been deemed valuable.

A proper regard to a good reputation induces a man to check himself in improper dispositions; to act honourably, to avoid vice, to cultivate his mental powers, and to become a good member of society. The peripatetics and the stoics, Dr. Beattie has remarked, "thought it their duty to improve their whole nature, so as to make themselves useful and agreeable." The same worthy author has observed, that "we cannot please others if we show them what is unpleasing in ourselves, or give them reason to think that we perceive unpleasing qualities in them."

The expectation of the praise of our fellowcreatures after we have left this world is some