him leave, he will fay fomething more than you have yet heard, or well understood, or that which you did not expect.

19. Always before you speak, efpecially where the bu finefs is of moment, confider beforehand, weigh the fenfe of your mind, which you intend to utter; think upor the expreffions you intend to ufe, that they may be fignificant, pertinent, and inoffenfive; and whereas it is the ordinary courfe of inconfiderate perfons to speak their words, and then to think, or not to think till they speak; think first and fpeak after; if it be in any matter of moment or seriousness.

20. Be fure you give not an ill report to any that you are not fure deferves it. And in moft cafes, though a man deserve ill, yet you should be sparing to report him fo. In some cases indeed you are bound, in honefty and justice, to give that account concerning the demerit or default of a perfon that he deserves.

21. Avoid fcoffing, and bitter and biting jeering, and jefting, especially at the condition, credit, deformity, or natural defects of any perfon; for these leave a deep im. preffion, and are most apparent injustice; for were you fo used, you would take it amifs; and many times such an injury costs a man dear, when he little thinks of it.

22. Be very careful that you give no reproachful, bitter, menacing, or spiteful words to any perfon; nay not to fervants or other perfons of an inferior condition. There is no person fo mean but that you may ftand in need of him in one kind, or at fome time or another. Good words make friends, bad words make enemies; it is the best prudence in the world to make as many friends as honeftly you can.

23. If there be occafion for you to speak in any company, always be careful, if you speak at all, to speak latest, efpecially if ftrangers are in company; for by this mean you will have the advantage of knowing the fenfe, judgment, temper, and relations of others, which may be a great light and help to you in ordering your speech; and you will better know the inclination of the company, and speak with more advantage and acceptation, and with more security againft giving offence.

24.

Be careful that you commend not yourselves; it is the most useless thing that can be. You fhould avoid flattery from others, but efpecially decline flattering yourselves.

It

It is a fign your reputation is fmall and finking, if your own tongues must be your flatterers and commenders; and it is a fulfome and unpleafing thing for others to hear it.

25. Abhor all foul, unclean and obfcene fpeeches; it is a fign that the heart is corrupt; and fuch kind of speeches will make it worfe; it will taint and corrupt yourselves and thofe who hear it, and bring difreputation on those who use it.

26. Never ufe any profane fpeeches, nor make jests of fcripture expreffions. When you ufe the names of God or Christ, or any paffages or words of the holy fcripture, use them with reverence and seriousness, and not lightly or fcurriloufly, for it is taking the name of God in vain.

27. If you hear any unfeemly expreffions used in religious exercifes, you must be careful to forget and not to publifh them, or if you at all mention them, let it be with pity and forrow, not with derifion or reproach.

ON THE PULPIT AND PREACHERS.

THE pulpit, therefore (and I name it, fill'd

With folemn awe, that bids me well beware
With what intent I touch that holy thing)
The pulpit (when the fatʼrift has at laft,
Strutting and vap'ring in an empty fchool,
Spent all his force and made no profelyte)
I fay the pulpit, in the fober ufe

Of its legitimate, peculiar powers,

Muft ftand acknowledg'd, while the world shall stand,
The most important and effectual guard,

Support and ornament of virtue's caufe.

2. There ftands the meffenger of truth, There stands The legate of the fkies. His theme divine, His office facred, his credentials clear. By him, the violated law fpeaks out Its thunders, and by him, in strains as sweet As angels use, the gofpel whispers peace.

3. He 'stablishes the strong, reftores the weak, Reclaims the wanderer, binds the broken heart,

And,

And, arm'd himself in panoply complete
Of heav'nly temper, furnishes with arms
Bright as his own, and trains by ev'ry rule
Of holy difcipline, to glorious war,

The facramental hoft of God's elect.

4. I venerate the man, whose heart is warm, Whofe hands are pure, whofe doctrine and whofe life Coincident, exhibit lucid proof

That he is honeft in the facred caufe.

To fuch I render more than mere respect,
Whofe actions fay that they respect themselves.
5. But loofe in morals, and in manners vain;
In converfation frivolous, in dress

Extreme, at once rapacious and profufe,
Frequent in park, with lady at his fide,
Ambling and prattling fcandal as he goes;
But rare at home, and never at his books,
Or with his pen, fave when he fcrawls a card,
Conftant at routs, familiar with a round
Of ladyfhips, a ftranger to the poor;
Ambitious of preferment for its gold,
And well prepar'd by ignorance and floth,
By infidelity and love of th' world,
To make God's work a finecure; a flave
To his own pleasures, and his patron's pride.

6. From fuch apoftles, O ye mitred heads, Preferve the church! and lay not careless hands On fculls that cannot teach, and will not learn.

7. Would I defcribe a preacher, fuch as Paul,
Were he on earth, would hear, approve and own,
Panl fhould himself direct me. I would trace
His master strokes, and draw from his defign.

8. I would exprefs him fimple, grave, fincere ;-
In doctrine uncorrupt, in language plain;
And plain in manner. Decent, folemn, chafte,
And natural in gefture. Much imprefs'd
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge;
And anxious, mainly, that the flock he feeds
May feel it too. Affectionate in look
And tender in addrefs, as well becomes
A meffenger of grace to guilty men.

S. 2

BRUTUS

BRUTUS' SPEECH ON THE

DEATH OF

CESAR.

ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN, AND LOVERS,

HEAR me, for my caufe; and be filent,

that you may hear. Believe me, for mine honor; and have refpect for mine honor, that you may believe. Cenfure me, in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge.

2. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cefar, to him I fay, that Brutus' love to Cefar was no lefs than his. If then, that friend demand, why Brutus rofe against Cefar, this is my anfwer; not that I loved Cefar lefs, but that I loved Rome more.

3. Had you rather Cefar were living, and die all flaves, than that Cefar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cefar loved me, 1 weep for him ; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I flew him.

4. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition. Who's here fo base, that he would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.

5. Who's here fo rude, that he would not be a Roman ? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo vile, that he will not love his country? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. I paufe for a reply.

6. None? Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cefar, than you fhould do to Brutus. And as I flew my best lover for the good of Rome, I reserve the fame dagger for myself, whenever it shall please my country to need my death.

JUBA AND SYPHAX.

Fuba. SYPHAX, I joy to meet thee thus alone.

I have obferv'd of late thy looks are fall'n,
O'ercast with gloomy cares and discontent;

Then

Then tell me, Syphax, I conjure thee, tell me
What are the thoughts that knit thy brow in frowns,
And turn thine eye thus coldly on thy prince?

Syphax. 'Tis not my talent to conceal my thoughts,
Or carry fmiles or funshine in my face,

When discontent fits heavy at my heart:

I have not yet fo much of the Roman in me.

Jub. Why doft thou caft out fuch ungenerous terms
Against the lords and fovereigns of the world?
Doft not thou see mankind fall down before them,
And own the force of their fuperior virtue ?
Is there a nation in the wilds of Afric,
Amidst our barren rocks and burning fands,
That does not tremble at the Roman name?
Syph. Where is the worth that fets this people up
Above your own Numidia's tawny fons ?
Do they with tougher finews bend the bow?
Or flies the javelin swifter to its mark,
Launch'd from the vigor of a Roman arm ?
Who, like our active African, inftructs

The fiery steed, and trains him to his hand?
Or guides in troops the embattled elephant,
Laden with war? Thefe, these are arts, my prince,
In which your Zama does not stoop to Rome.

Jub. These all are virtues of a meaner rank,
Perfections that are plac'd in bones and nerves.
A Roman foul is bent on higher views;
To civilize the rude unpolifh'd world,
To lay it under the reftraint of laws;
To make man mild, and fociable to man;
To cultivate the wild licentious favage
With wifdom, difcipline, and liberal arts;
The establishments of life; virtues like these
Make human nature shine, reform the foul,
And break our fierce barbarians into men.

Syph. Patience, juft heav'ns !-Excufe an old man's
warmth.

What are those wondrous civilizing arts,
This Roman polish, and this fmooth behaviour,
That render man thus tractable and tame ?

Are they not only to disguise our passions,

To