even, at proper intervals, play, frolic, and gaity. She talks not of useless aufterities and rigours, fuffering and felf-denial. She declares, that her fole purpose is, to make her votaries and all mankind, during every instant of their existence, if poffible, cheerful and happy; nor does the ever willingly part with any pleasure but in hopes of ample compenfation in fome other period of their lives. The fole trouble, which fhe demands, is that of juft calculation, and a steady preference of the greater happiness. And if any auftere pretenders approach her, enemies to joy and pleasure, fhe eithers rejects them as hypocrites and deceivers; or if the admit them in her train, they are ranked however, among the leaft favoured of her votaries.

And, indeed, to drop all figurative expreffion, what hopes can we ever have of engaging mankind to a practice, which we confefs full of aufterity and rigour? Or what theory of morals

can ever

serve any useful purpose, unless it can fhow, by a particular detail, that all the duties, which it recommends, are alfo the true intereft of each individual? The peculiar advantage of the foregoing fyftem feems to be, that it furnishes proper mediums for that purposer

That the virtues which are immediately usefnt or agreeable to the perfon poffeffed of them, are defirable in a view to felf-intereft, it would furely be fuperfluous to prove. Moralifts, indeed, may fpare themselves all the pains, which they often take in recommending thefe duties. To what purpose collect arguments, to evince, that temperance is advantageous, and the exceffes of pleafure hurtful? When it appears, that these exceffes are denominated fuch, because they are hurtful; and that, if the unlimited use of strong liquors, for instance, no more impaired health or the faculties of mind and body than the ufe of air or water, it would not be a whit more vicious or blameable.

It

It seems equally fuperfluous to prove, that the companionable virtues of good manners and wit, decency and genteelness, are more defirable than the contrary qualities. Vanity alone, without any other confideration, is a fufficient motive to make us wifh for the poffeffion of thefe accomplishments. No man was ever willingly deficient in this particular. All our failures here proceed from bad education, want of capacity, or a perverfe and unpliable difpofition. Would you have your company coveted, admired, followed; rather than hated, defpifed, avoided? Can any one seriously deliberate in the cafe? As no enjoyment is fincere, without fome reference to company and fociety; fo no fociety can be agreeable, or even tolerable, where a man feels his prefence unwelcome, and difcovers all around him fymptoms of difguft and averfion.

But why, in the greater fociety or confederacy of mankind, fhould not the cafe be the fame as in particular clubs and companies? Why is it more doubtful, that the enlarged virtues of humanity, generofity, beneficence, are defirable with a view to happiness and self-intereft, than the limited endowments of ingenuity and politenefs? Are we apprehensive, left those focial affections interfere, in a greater and more immediate degree than any other pursuits, with private utility, and cannot be gratified, without fome important facrifice of honour and advantage? If fo, we are but ill inftructed in the nature of the human paffions, and are more influenced by verbal distinctions than by real diffe

rences.

Whatever contradiction may vulgarly be fupposed between the selfish and focial fentiments or difpofitions, they are really no more opposite than felfish and ambitious, selfish and vain. It is requifite, that there be an original propenfity of fome kind, in order to be a bafis to felf-love, by giving a relifh to the objects of its purfuit; and none more fit

for

for this purpose than benevolence or humanity. The goods of fortune are spent in one gratification or another: The mifer, who accumulates his annual income, and lends it out at interest, has really spent it in the gratification of his avarice. And it would be difficult to fhow, why a man is more a lofer by a generous action, than by any other method of expence; fince the utmost which he can attain, by the most elaborate selfishnefs, is the indulgence of fome affection.

Now if life, without paffion, must be altogether infipid and tiresome; let a man fuppofe that he has full power of modelling his own difpofition, and let him deliberate what appetite or defire he would choose for the foundation of his happiness and enjoyment. Every affecton, he would obferve, when gratified by fuccefs, gives a fatisfaction proportioned to its force and violence: but befides this advantage, common to all, the immediate feeling of benevolence and friendship, humanity and kindnefs, is fweet, fmooth, tender, and agreeable, independent of all fortune and accidents. These virtues are befides attended with a pleasing conscioufnefs or remembrance, and keep us in humour with ourselves as well as others; while we retain the agreeable reflection of having done our part towards mankind and fociety. And though all men fhow a jealousy of our fuccefs in the purfuits of avarice and ambition; yet are we almost fure of their good-will and good-wifhes, fo long as we perfevere in the paths of virtue, and employ ourfelves in the execution of generous plans and purpofes. What other paffion is there where we fhall fine fo many advantages united; an agreeable fentiment, a pleafing consciousness, a good reputation? But of these truths, we may obferve, men are, of themselves, pretty much convinced; nor are they deficient in their duty to fociety, because they would not wish to be generous, friendly, and

humane;

humane; but because they do not feel themselves fuch.

Treating vice with the greatest candour, and · making it all poffible conceffions, we must acknowledge, that there is not, in any inftance, the fmallest pretext for giving it the preference above virtue, with a view to felf-intereft; except, perhaps, in the cafe of juftice, where a man, taking things in a certain light, may often feem to be a lofer by his integrity. And though it is allowed, that, without a regard to property, no fociety could fubfift; yet according to the imperfect way in which human affairs are conducted, a fenfible knave, in particular incidents, may think, that an act of iniquity or infidelity will make a confiderable addition to his fortune, without caufing any confiderable breach in the focial union and confederacy. That bonefty is the best policy, may be a good general rule; but is liable to many exceptions: And he, it may, perhaps, be thought, conducts himself with most wifdom, who obferves the general rule, and takes advantage of all the exceptions.

I must confefs, that, if a man think, that this reasoning much requires an anfwer, it will be little difficult to find any, which will to him appear fatisfactory and convincing. If his heart rebel not against fuch pernicious maxims, if he feel no reluctance to the thoughts of villany or baseness, he has indeed loft a confiderable motive to virtue; and we may expect that his practice will be anfwerable to his fpeculation. But in all ingenuous natures, the antipathy to treachery and roguery is too ftrong to be counterbalanced by any views of profit or pecuniary advantage. Inward peace of mind, confcioufnefs of integrity, a fatisfactory review of our own conduct; thefe are circumstances very requifite to happiness, and will be cherished

and

and cultivated by every honest man, who feels the importance of them.

Such a one has, befides, the frequent fatisfaction of feeing knaves, with all their pretended cunning and abilities, betrayed by their own maxims; and while they purpose to cheat with moderation and fecrecy, a tempting incident occurs, nature is frail, and they give into the fnare; whence they can never extricate themselves, without a total lofs of reputation, and the forfeiture of all future truft and confidence with mankind.

But were they ever fo fecret and fuccessful, the honeft man, if he has any tincture of philofophy, or even common obfervation and reflection, will discover that they themselves are, in the end, the greateft dupes, and have facrificed the invaluable enjoyment of a character, with themselves at least, for the acquifition of worthlefs toys and gewgaws. How little is requifite to fupply the neceffities of nature? And in a view to pleasure, what comparison between the unbought fatisfaction of converfation, fociety, study, even health and the common beauties of nature, but above all the peaceful reflection on one's own conduct: What comparison, I fay, between these, and the feverish, empty amusements of luxury and expence? These natural pleasures, indeed, are really without price; both because they are below all price in their attainment, and above it in their enjoyment.

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