fhould not always exemplify his rules. His inftructions may diffuse their influence to regions, in which it will not be inquired, whether the author be albus an ater, good or bad; to times, when all his faults and all his follies fhall be loft in forgetfulness, among things of no concern or importance to the world; and he may kindle in thousands and ten thousands that flame which burnt but dimly in himfelf, through the fumes of paffion, or the damps of cowardice. The vicious moralift may be confidered as a taper, by which we are lighted through the labyrinth of complicated paffions, he extends his radiance further than his heat, and guides all that are within view, but burns only those who make too near approaches. Yet fince good or harm must be received for the most part from thofe to whom we are familiarly known, he whole vices overpower his virtues, in the compass to which his vices can extend, has no reason to complain that he meets not with affection or veneration, when those with whom he paffes his life are more corrupted by his practice than enlightened by his ideas. Admiration begins where ac quaintance ceases; and his favourers are diftant, but his enemies at hand. Yet many have dared to boast of neglected merit, and to challenge their age for cruelty and folly, of whom it cannot be alledged that they have endeavoured to increase the wisdom or virtue of their readers. They have been at once profligate in their lives, and licentious in their compofitions; have not only forfaken the paths of virtue, but attempted to lure others after them. They have fmoothed the road of perdition, covered with flowers the thorns of guilt, D4 guilt, and taught temptation fweeter notes, fofter blandishments, and stronger allurements. It has been apparently the fettled purpose of some writers, whofe powers and acquifitions place them high in the rank of literature, to fet fashion on the fide of wickednefs; to recommend debauchery and lewdnefs, by affociating them with qualities moft likely to dazzle the difcernment, and attract the affections; and to fhow innocence and goodness with fuch attendant weakneffes as neceffarily expose them to contempt and derifion. Such naturally found intimates among the corrupt, the thoughtless, and the intemperate; passed their lives amidst the levities of fportive idleness, or the warm profeffions of drunken friendship; and fed their hopes with the promises of wretches, whom their precepts had taught to fcoff at truth. But when fools had laughed away their fprightliness, and the languors of excefs could no longer be relieved, they faw their protectors hourly drop away, and wondered and ftormed to find themfelves abandoned. Whether their companions perfifted in wickedness, or returned to virtue, they were left equally without affiftance; for debauchery is felfifh and negligent, and from virtue the virtuous only can expect regard. It is faid by Florus of Catiline, who died in the midst of flaughtered enemies, that his death had been illuftrious, had it been fuffered for his country. Of the wits who have languished away life under the preffures of poverty, or in the restleffness of suspense, careffed and rejected, flattered and defpifed, as they were of more or lefs ufe to those who filed them felves their patrons, it might be obferved, that their miferies would enforce compaffion, had they been brought upon them by honefty and religion. The wickedness of a loose or profane author is more atrocious than that of the giddy libertine, or drunken ravisher, not only because it extends its effects wider, as a peftilence that taints the air is more destructive than poison infused in a draught, but because it is committed with cool deliberation. By the instantaneous violence of defire, a good man may fometimes be furprised before reflection can come to his rescue; when the appetites have ftrengthened their influence by habit, they are not eafily refifted or fuppreffed; but for the frigid villany of ftudious lewdness, for the calm malignity of laboured impiety, what apology can be invented? What punishment can be adequate to the crime of him who retires to folitudes for the refinement of debauchery; who tortures his fancy, and ranfacks his memory, only that he may leave the world lefs virtuous than he found it; that he may intercept the hopes of the rifing generation; and fpread fnares for the foul with more dexterity? What were their motives, or what their excufes, is below the dignity of reason to examine. If having extinguished in themselves the distinction of right and wrong, they were infenfible of the mischief which they promoted, they deserved to be hunted down by the general compact, as no longer partaking of focial nature; if influenced by the corruption of patrons, or readers, they facrificed their own convictions to vanity or intereft, they were to be abhorred with more acrimony than he that mur ders ders for pay; fince they committed greater crimes without greater temptations. Of him, to whom much is given, much shall be required. Thofe, whom God has favoured with fuperior faculties, and made eminent for quickness of intuition, and accuracy of diftinctions, will certainly be regarded as culpable in his eye, for defects and deviations which, in fouls lefs enlightened, may be guiltlefs. But, furely, none can think without horror on that man's condition, who has been more wicked in proportion as he had more means of excelling in virtue, and used the light imparted from heaven only to embellish folly, and shed luftre upon crimes. NUMB. 78. SATURDAY, December 15, 1750. Mors fola fatetur Quantula fint hominum corpufcula. Death only this myfterious truth unfolds, Juy, DRYDEN. CORPORAL fenfation is known to depend fo much upon novelty, that custom takes away from many things their power of giving pleasure or pain. Thus a new drefs becomes eafy by wearing it, and the palate is reconciled by degrees to dishes which at firft difgufted it. That by long habit of carrying a burden, we lofe, in great part, our fenfibility of its weight, any man may be convinced by putting on for an hour the armour of our ancestors; for he will scarcely believe that men would have had much inclination to marches and battles, encumbered and oppreffed, as he will find himself, with the ancient panoply. Yet the heroes that over-run regions, and ftormed towns in iron accoutrements, he knows not to have been bigger, and has no reason to imagine them stronger than the prefent race of men; he therefore must conclude, that their peculiar powers were conferred only by peculiar habits, and that their familiarity with the dress of war enabled them to move in it with cafe, vigour, and agility. Yet it feems to be the condition of our present ftate, that pain fhould be more fixed and permanent than pleasure. Uneafinefs gives way by flow degrees, and is long before it quits its poffeffion of the fenfory; but all our gratifications are volatile, vagrant, and eafily diffipated. The fragrance of the jeffamine bower is loft after the enjoyment of a few moments, and the Indian wanders among his native spices without any fenfe of their exhalations. It is, indeed, not neceffary to fhew by many instances what all mankind confefs, by an inceffant call for variety, and restless pursuit of enjoyments, which they value only because unpoffeffed. Something fimilar, or analogous, may be obferved in effects produced immediately upon the mind; nothing can strongly strike or affect us, but what is rare or fudden. The most important events, when they become familiar, are no longer confidered with wonder or folicitude, and that which at firft filled up our whole attention, and left no place for any other thought, is foon thruft afide into fome remote repofitory of the mind, and lies among other lumber of the |