ourselves, is as evident. There are certain Motions, Airs and Gestures, which become the human Countenance and Form, in which we perceive a Comeliness, Openness, Simplicity, Gracefulness; and there are others, which, to our Senfe of Decorum, appear uncomely, affected, difingenuous, and aukward, quite unfuitable to the native Dignity of our Face and Form. The first are in themselves the most easy, natural, and commodious, give one Boldness and Presence of Mind, a modest Affurance, an Addrefs both awful and alluring, they befpeak Candour and Greatnefs of Mind, raise the most agreeable Prejudices in one's Favour, render Society engaging, command Refpect, and oftent Love, and give Weight and Authority both in Converfation and Business; in fine, they are the Colouring of Virtue, which fhews it to the greatest Advantage in whomsoever it is; and not only imitate, but in fome measure supply it where it is wanting. Whereas the laft, viz. Rudeness, Affectation, Indecorum, and the like, have all the contrary Effects; they are burthenfome to one's felf, a Dishonour to our Nature, and a Nufance in Society.

The

How attain

ed.

The former Qualities or Goods are beft attained by a liberal Education, by preferving a juft Senfe of the Dignity of our Nature, by keeping the beft and politeft Company, but above all, by acquiring thofe virtuous and ennobling Habits of Mind, which are Decency in Perfection, which will give an Air of unaffected Grandeur, and fpread a Luftre truly engaging over the whole Form and Deportment.

Goods of exterior focial

We are next to confider thofe Goods which confift in exterior focial Connections, as Fame, Fortune, Civil Authority, Power.

Connections.

Fame.

The firft has a twofold Afpect, as a Good, pleasant in itself, or gratifying to an original Paffion, and then as expedient or useful towards a farther End. Honour from the Wife and Good, on Account of a virtuous Conduct, is regaling to a good Man; for then his Heart re-echoes to the grateful Sound. There are few quite indifferent, even to the Commendation of the Vulgar. Tho' we cannot approve that Conduct which proceeds entirely from this Principle, and not from good Affection or Love of the

Con

Conduct itfelf, yet as it is often a Guard and additional Motive to Virtue in Creatures, imperfect as we are, and often diftracted by interfering Paffions, it might be dangerous to fupprefs it altogether, however wife it may be to restrain it within due Bounds, and however laudable to ufe it only as a Scaffolding to our Virtue, which may be taken down when that glorious Structure is finished, but hardly till then. To pursue Fame for itself, is innocent; to regard it only as an Auxiliary to Virtue, is noble; to feek it chiefly as an Engine of public Usefulness, is ftill more noble, and highly praise-worthy. For tho the Opinion and Breath of Men are tranfparent and fading Things, often obtained without Merit, and loft without Cause; yet, as our Bufinefs is with Men, and as our Capacity of ferving them is generally increased in proportion to their Efteem of us, therefore found and well-established moral Applause may, and will be modeftly, not oftentatiously fought after by the Good; not indeed as a folitary refined Sort of Luxury, but as a public and proper Inftrument to ferve and blefs Mankind. At the fame time they will learn

to despise that Reputation which is founded on Rank, Fortune, and any other Circumftances or Accomplishments that are foreign to real Merit, or to useful Services done to others, and think that Praise of little avail which is purchased without Defert, and bestowed without Judgment.

Fortune,
Power, &c.

Fortune, Power, and Civil Authority, or whatever is called Influence and Weight among Mankind, are Goods of the fecond Divifion, that is, valuable or purfuable only as they are useful, or as Means to a farther End, viz. the procuring or preferving the immediate Objects of Enjoyment or Happinefs to ourselves or others. Therefore to love fuch Goods on their own Account, and to pursue them as Ends, not the Means of Enjoyment,must be highly preposterous and abfurd. There can be no Measure, no Limit to fuch Purfuit; all must be Whim, Caprice, Extravagance. Accordingly fuch Appetites, unlike all the natural ones, are increased by Poffeffion, and whetted by Enjoyment. They are always precarious, and never without Fears, because the Object lies without one's felf; they are seldom without Sorrow and Vexation, because no

2

Ac

How far

purfuable.

Acceffion of Wealth or Power can fatisfy them. But if thofe Goods are confidered only as the Materials or Means of private or public Happiness, then the fame Obligations which bind us to purfue the latter,bind us likewife to pursue the former. We may, and no doubt we ought, to feek fuch a Meafure of Wealth as is neceffary to fupply all our real Wants, to raise us above fervile Dependence, and to provide us with such Conveniencies as are fuited to our Rank and Condition in Life. To be regardless of this Measure of Wealth, is to expose ourselves to all the Temptations of Poverty and Corruption, to forfeit our natural Independency and, Freedom, to degrade, and confequently to render the Rank we hold, and the Character we sustain in Society, useless, if not contemptible. When thefe important Ends are fecured, we ought not to murmur or repine that we poffefs no more; yet we are not fecluded by any Obligation, moral or divine, from feeking more, in order to give us that happiest and most god-like of all Powers, the Power of doing Good. A fupine Indolence in this refpect is both abfurd and

F 2

criminal;