per, which joining with the fentiments of the company, and caufing them to laugh together with them, rendered all of a piece, and proved exceedingly endearing, obliging, pleasant, and merry. And 3152 Upon a journey, men use to put on all the pleasantnefs they can, and to make sport of all the inconveniencies of the ways and weather, and little crofs accidents that befal them. thus, if thou haft but the art and wisdom to do it, many of the leffer inconveniencies of life might well enough be played off, and made matters rather of mirth and diverfion, than of melancholy and ferious trouble. But there are some evils and calamities of human life that are too heavy and ferious to be jefted withal, and require the greatest confideration, and a very great degree of patience to fupport us under them, and enable us to bear them decently; as the lofs of friends and dearest relations; as the lofs of an only fon grown up to be well fixed and fettled in a virtuous course, and promifing all the comfort to his parents that they themselves could with: these certainly are some of the greatest evils of this world, and hardest to be born. For men may pretend to what they will, to philosophy and contempt of the world, and and of the perishing comforts and enjoyments of it, to the great extirpation of their paffions, and an infenfibility of these things, which the weaker and undisciplined of mankind keep such a wailing and lamentation about. But when all is done, nature hath framed us as we are, and hath planted in our conftitution ftrong inclinations and affections to our friends and relations; and thofe affections are as naturally moved, upon fuch occafions, and pluck every string of our hearts as violently, as extreme hunger and thirst do gnaw upon our stomachs. Whatever we mightily love, doth in fome fort become a part of ourselves, and cannot hang fo loose upon us as to be separated from us without trouble; any more than a limb, that is vitally, and by ftrong ligaments, united to the body, can be dropped off when we please, or rent from the body without pain. AN APPENDIX, CONCERNING SINCERITY AND DECEIT. At dolus obfcuro gradientes aëre fepfit; Let no man go beyond, and defraud his brother, in any matter; for the Lord is the avenger of fuch. 1 Thessal. iv. 6. upon others, to their prejudice, is always and utterly unlawful. But that fort of diffimulation which means no ill, or is no other than concealment of one's mind, is not only lawful, but in many of the affairs of life absolutely neceffary: for nature gives every one a right to defend himself; and surely, filence is a very innocent defence. By prudent diffimulation, thou may'st fometimes parry, and put by many injuries; and prevent many affronts, which could fcarce be done without it. Let |