could not fuch qualities united produce? But such is not the character of the English, while our neighbours of the Continent launch out into the ocean of fcience, without proper ftore for the voyage, we fear fhipwreck in every breeze, and confume in port thofe powers, which might probably have weathered every storm.

Projectors in a state are generally rewarded above their deferts; projectors in the republic of letters, never. If wrong, every inferior dunce thinks himfelf entitled to laugh at their disappointment; if right, men of fuperior talents think their honour engaged to oppofe, fince every new difcovery is a tacit diminution of their own pre-eminence.

To aim at excellence, our reputation, our friends, and our all must be ventured; by aiming only at mediocrity, we run no rifque, and we do little fervice. Prudence and greatnefs are ever perfuading us to contrary purfuits. The one inftructs us to be content with our ftation, and to find happiness in bounding every with. The other impels us to fuperiority, and calls nothing happinefs but rapture. The one directs to follow mankind, and to act and think with the rest of the world. The other drives us from the crowd, and expofes us as a mark to all the fhafts of envy, or ignorance.

Nec minus periculum ex magna fama quam ex mala.

TACIT.

The rewards of mediocrity are immediately paid, thofe attending excellence generally paid in reverfion. In a word, the little mind who loves itself, will write and think with the vulgar, but the great mind will be bravely eccentric, and scorn the beaten road, from univerfal benevolence.

IN this place our author introduces a paper intituled a City Night-piece, with the following motto from Martial,

Ille dolet vere, qui fine tefte dolet.

This beautiful Effay forms the 117th Letter in the Citizen of the World; but Dr. Goldfmith has there omitted the concluding paragraph, which on account of its fingular merit we shall here preserve.

But let me turn from a fcene of fuch diftress to the fanctified hypocrite, who has been talking of virtue till the time of bed, and now fteals out, to give a loose to his vices under the protection of midnight; vices more atrocious because he attempts to conceal them. See how he pants down the dark alley, and, with haftening fteps, fears an acquaintance in every face. He has paffed the whole day in company he hates, and now goes to prolong the night among company that as heartily hate him. May his vices be detected! may the morning rife upon his fhame! yet I wish to no purpofe; villany, when detected, never gives up, but boldly adds impudence to imposture.

THE

THE BE E, N° V.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1759.

UPON POLITICAL FRUGALITY.

FRUGALITY has ever been esteemed a virtue as well among Pagans as Chriftians: there have been even heroes who have practifed it. However, we must acknowledge, that it is too modeft a virtue, or, if you will, too obfcure a one to be effential to heroifm, few heroes have been able to attain to fuch an height. Frugality agrees much better with politicks; it feems to be the bafe, the fupport, and in a word, feems to be the infeparable companion of a just administration.

However this be, there is not perhaps in the world a people lefs fond of this virtue than the English, and of confequence there is not a nation more restless, more exposed to the uneafinefs of life, or lefs capable of providing for particular happiness. We are taught to despise this virtue from our childhood, our education is improperly directed, and a man who has gone through the politeft inftitutions, is generally the perfon who is leaft acquainted with the wholesome precepts of frugality. We every day hear the elegance of tafte, the magnificence of fome, and the generofity of others, made the fubject of our admiration and applause. All this we fee represented not as the end and recompenfe of labour and defert, but as the actual refult of genius, as the mark of a noble and exalted mind.

In the midst of these praises bestowed on luxury, for which elegance and tafte are but another name, perhaps it may be thought improper to plead the cause of frugality. It may be thought low, or vainly declamatory, to exhort our youth from the follies of drefs, and of every other fuperfluity; to accustom themselves, even with mechanic meannefs, to the fimple neceffaries of life. Such fort of inftructions may appear antiquated; yet, however, they seem the foundations of all our virtues, and the most efficacious method of making mankind useful members of fociety. Unhappily, however, fuch difcourfes are not fashionable among us, and the fashion seems every day growing ftill more obfolete, fince the prefs, and every other method of exhortation, feems difpofed to talk of the luxuries of life as harmless enjoyments. I remember, when a boy, to have remarked, that thofe who in fchool wore the finest cloaths were pointed at as being conceited and proud. At prefent, our little mafters are taught to confider drefs betimes, and they are regarded, even at fchool, with contempt, who do not appear as genteel as the reft. Education fhould teach us to become useful, fober, difinterested and laborious members of fociety; but does it not at present point out a different path? It teaches us to multiply our wants, by which means we become more eager to poffefs, in order to diffipate, a greater charge to ourfelves, and more useless or obnoxious to fociety.

If a youth happens to be poffeffed of more genius than fortune, he is early informed that he ought to think of his advancement in the world; that he fhould labour to make himself pleafing to his fuperiors; that he should fhun low company (by which is meant the company of his equals); that he fhould rather live a little above than below his fortune; that he fhould think of becoming great; but he finds

none

none to admonish him to become frugal, to perfevere in one fingle defign, to avoid every pleasure and all flattery, which, however, feeming to concilitate the favour of his fuperiors, never conciliate their efteem. There are none to teach him that the best way of becoming happy in himfelf, and useful to others, is to continue in the ftate in which Fortune at first placed him, without making too hafty ftrides to advancement; that greatness may be attained, but fhould not be expected; and that they who moft impatiently expect advancement, are feldom poffeffed of their wishes. He has few, I fay, to teach him this leffon, or to moderate his youthful paffions, yet, this experience may fay, that a young man, who but for fix years of the early part of his life could feem divefted of all his paffions, would certainly make, òr confiderably increase his fortune, and might indulge feveral of his favourite inclinations in manhood with the utmoft fecurity.

The efficacioufnefs of these means is fufficiently known and acknowledged; but as we are apt to connect a low idea with all our notions of frugality, the person who would perfuade us to it, might be accused of preaching up avarice.

Of all vices, however, against which morality diffuades, there is not one more undetermined than this of avarice. Mifers are defcribed by fome, as men divefted of honour, fentiment or humanity; but this is only an ideal picture, or the refemblance at leaft is found but in a few. In truth, they who are generally called mifers, are fome of the very best members of fociety. The fober, the laborious, the attentive, the frugal, are thus ftiled by the gay, giddy, thoughtlefs and extravagant. The firft fet of men do fociety all the good, and the latter all the evil that is felt. Even the exceffes of the first no way injure the commonwealth; thofe of the latter are the most injurious that can be conceived.