ON

PRIDE AND VANITY.

THEIR DISTINCTION.

RIDE and VANITY are often confounded with

PRIDE

each other, and in common fpeech are used as fynonymous to exprefs the fame thing. But, though they are somewhat fimilar, and may perhaps be fometimes found in the fame perfon, yet there is an obvious diftinction between them.

Vanity is only too much pleased with itself; pride is always joined with a contempt of others. The proud man values himself on advantages, which, in fome measure, he really poffeffes: the vain man flatters himfelf (and wishes to be flattered by other people) for perfections which exist solely in his own imagination. The former, conscious perhaps of his rank, his fortune, or some share of understanding, affumes ftate, and looks down with contempt on those whom he confiders as his inferiors in those particulars: the latter, reflecting with

E

with felf-applaufe on his imaginary perfections, is pleased with those who confirm him in the delufion, and receives with perfect good-humour and complacency the leaft grain of incenfe which is offered him.

CELSUS is the proudest, and his brother LEPIDUS the vaineft, man I know. Celfus, by a fiately and important air, keeps you at a distance; Lepidus, by his complaifant, pleafant, and familiar manner, levels all diftinction. Celfus is indifferent to the cenfure or praise of those whom he despises; Lepidus folicits the admiration and applause of every one with whom he converfes. The one receives a compliment as his due; the other is thankful for it, as a favour or an alms.

Celfus, however, though he imposes on those who have less sense than himself, is despised by those who have more; Lepidus, though a child may penetrate into his foible, is rather pitied than despised. The former, by affuming too much, fometimes forfeits that respect which is his conftant aim. The latter, though his vanity cannot entitle him to respect, is generally beloved for his condefcenfion.

In the softer sex, indeed, vanity is often attended with more fatal effects than pride; as their vanity exposes them to the fnares of feducers, while a degree of

pride

pride often preferves their virtue; yet each of thefe foibles, if not guarded by better principles, often expofes them to ridicule and contempt.

In fhort, the proud man is an odious being: the vain man rather an entertaining animal. The one infults, the other diverts the company. The vain man fhould be rallied for his folly, and laughed out of his abfurdity: the proud man fhould be treated with lefs ceremony, and, if he had his defert, fhould be drubbed into better manners. The fpectators, at least, would exult to see a man, who affumes fuch airs of fuperiority over his equals, treated, by fome blunt fellow, with the utmoft freedom, and reduced to a level with those whom he affects to defpife.

ON

INTEMPERANCE.

"THE firft physicians by debauch were made;

"Excess began, and sloth sustains the trade:”

Thus fings Dryden, and the good fenfe contained in these well-known lines may atone for the abfurdity of the following:

"The wife for cure on Exercise depend,

"God never made his work for man to mend.”

EXCESS is undoubtedly the cause of almost all our complaints; but exercife, when we are ill, would, in many cafes, aggravate instead of curing them; and though a physician could not improve the work of the Creator (for there the fallacy lies) he furely might mend or repair it when out of order. A country carpenter could not improve or finish a coach; but if a wheel, or even the axle-tree, were broke, he might certainly mend or repair it.

But,

But, though "I honour a physician with the honour due to his art," which is always useful in acute, and fometimes in chronical cafes; yet I confider temperance as the fovereign preservative of health, fuperior to the most boasted medicines, and which renders even exercise itself in fome measure needlefs. As excefs is the cause of a great part of our diseases, so there are few which temperance will not prevent, or by degrees remove. Repletion overloads and oppreffes nature: abstinence relieves her from that oppreffion, and restores their tone or elasticity to the diftended veffels, and often stifles a fever in its birth.

We complain of unhealthy fituations, unsettled weather, hereditary gouts, delicate conftitutions, and the like: and there is fometimes perhaps foundation for these complaints; but in general, we might more justly complain of, and (like Montaigne's friend) "curse the Bologna faufages, dried hams and tongues," and other high-seasoned food, in which we have too freely indulged: for temperance, I will venture to fay, would fecure us from the influence of thofe accidental or local circumstances; and even infectious diftempers would generally lose their force, where the blood was not previously disposed to inflammation or putrefaction, as was the cafe with Socrates, during the plague of Athens,

E 3