gláres, but a luminary, which, in its òrderly and règular course, dispenses a benignant influence.

2. The humble do not necessarily regard themselves as the unworthiest of all with whom they are acquainted; but, while they acknowledge and admire in many, a degree of excellence which they have not attained, they perceive, even in those to whom they are in some respect supèriors, much to praise, and much to imitate.

3. Think not, that the influence of devotion is confined to the retirement of the closet and the assemblies of the saints. Imagine not, that, unconnected with the duties of life, it is suited only to those enraptured souls, whose feelings, perhaps, you deride as romantic and vísionary. It is the guardian of innocence-it is the instrument of virtue—it is a mean by which every good affection may be formed and improved.

4. Cæsar, who would not wait the conclusion of the consul's speech, generously replied, that he came into Italy not to injuré the liberties of Rome and its ciuizens, but to restore them.

5. if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

6. It is not the business of virtue to extirpate the af fections of the mind, but to règulate them.

7. These things I say now, not to insult one who is fallen, but to render more secure those who stand; not to irritate the hearts of the wounded, but to preserve those who are not yet wounded, in sound health; not to submerge him who is tossed on the billows, but to instruct

those sailing before a propitious brèeze, that they may not be plunged beneath the waves.

8. But this is no time for a tribunal of jústice, but for showing mercy; not for accusation, but for philanthropy; not for trial, but for pàrdon; not for sentence and execútion, but compassion and kindness.

8.] Page 49. Comparison and contrast.

1

1. By hónor and dishonor, by `évil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chástened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoìcing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Bèlial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

2. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. A wise man feareth, and departeth from évil; but the fool rageth, and is is confident. The wicked is driven away-in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. Righteousness exalteth a nátion; but sin is a reproach to any people. The king's favour is toward a wíse servant; but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

3. Between fame and true honor a distinction is to be made. The former is a blind and noísy applause: the latter a more silent and internal homage. Fame floats on the breath of the múltitude: honor rests on the judgment of the thinking. Fame may give praise, while it withholds estéem; true honor implies esteem, mingled with respect. The one regards particular distínguished talents: the other looks up to the whole character. ·

4. The most frightful disorders arose from the state of feudal anarchy. Fórce decided all things. Europe was one great field of battle, where the weak struggled for fréedóm, and the strong for domìnion. The king was without power, and the nobles without principle. They were tyrants at home, and robbers abroad. Nothing remained to be a check upon ferocity and violence.

5. These two qualities, delicacy and correctness, mutually imply each other. No taste can be exquisitely delicate without being correct; nor can be thoroughly correct without being delicate. But still a predominancy of one or other quality in the mixture is often visible. The power of delicacy is chiefly seen in discerning the true mérit of, a work; the power of correctness, in rejecting false pretensions to merit. Delicacy leans more to feeling; correctness more to reason and judgment. The former is more the gift of náture; the latter, more the product of cùlture and art. Among the ancient critics, Longinus possessed most délicacy; Aristotle, most correctness. Among the moderns, Mr. Addison is a high example of délicate taste; Dean Swift, had he written on the subject of criticism, would perhaps have afforded the example of a correct one.

6. Reason, eloquence, and every art which ever has been studied among mankind, may be abused, and may prove dangerous in the hands of bad mén; but it were perfectly childish to contend, that, upon this account, they ought to be abolished.

7. To Bourdaloue, the French critics attribute more solidity and close réasoning; to Massillon, a more plèasing and engaging manner. Bourdaloue is indeed a great reasoner, and inculcates his doctrines with much zeal, piety, and earnestness: but his style is verbòse, he is disagreeably full of quotations from the Fathers, and he wants imagination.

8. Homer was the greater génius; Virgil the better àrtist in the one, we most admire the mán; in the other, the work. Homer hurries us with a commanding impetuósity; Virgil leads us with an attractive majesty.. Homer scatters with a generous profúsion; Virgil bestows with a careful magnificence. Homer, like the Nile, pours out his riches with a sudden óverflow; Virgil, like a river in its banks, with a constant stream.-And when we look upon their machines, Homer seems, like his own Jupiter in his terrors, shaking Olympus, scattering the lightnings, and firing the heavens; Virgil, like the same power in his benevolence, counselling with the gods, laying plans for empires, and ordering his whole creation.

9. Dryden knew, more of man in his general náture, and Pope in his local manners. The notions of Dryden were formed by comprehensive speculation, those of Pope by minute attention. There is more dignity in the knowledge of Dry'den, and more certainty in that of Pope.

Poetry was not the sole praise of either; for both ex

celled likewise in prose: but Pope did not borrow his prose from his predecessor. The style of Dryden is capricious and varied; that of Pope is cautious and uniform. Dryden obeys the motions of his own mínd; Pope constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is sometimes vehement and rápid; Pope is always smooth, uniform, and gentle. Dryden's page is a natural field, rising into inequalities, and diversified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation; Pope's is a velvet làwn, shaven by the scythe, and levelled by the roller.-Dryden's performances, were always hasty; either excited by some external occasion, or extorted by domestic necessity: he composed without consideration, and published without correction. What his mind could supply at call, or gather in one excursion, was all that he sought and all that he gave. The dilatory caution of Pope enabled him to condense his sentiments, to multiply his images, and to accumulate all that study might produce, or chance might supply. If the flights of Dryden therefore, are higher, Pope continues longer on the wing. If of Dryden's fire, the blaze is bríghter; of Pope's the heat is more règular and constant. Dryden often surpasses expectation, and Pope never falls below it. Dryden is read with frequent astonishment, and Pope with perpetual delight.

10. Never before were so many opposing interests, passions, and principles, committed to such a decision. On one side an attachment to the ancient order of things, on the other a passionate desire of change; a wish in some to prepétuate, in others to destroy every thing; every abuse sacred in the eyes of the former, every foundation