Top of a Mountain; where, in a Conference with the Supreme Being, he was permitted to propofe to him fome Queftions concerning his Adminiftration of the Universe. In the midft of this Divine Colloquy he was commanded to look down on the Plain below. At the Foot of the Mountain there iffued out a clear Spring of Water, at which a Soldier alighted from his Horfe to drink. He was no fooner gone, than a little Boy came to the fame Place, and finding a Purfe of Gold which the Soldier had dropped, took it up and went away with it. Immediately after this came an infirm old Man, weary with Age and Travelling, and having quenched his Thirft, fat down to relt himself by the fide of the Spring. The Soldier miffing his Purfe returns to fearch for it, and demands it of the old Man, who affirms he had not feen it, and appeals to Heaven in witness of his Innocence. The Soldier not believing his Proteftations, kills him. Mofes fell on his Face with Horror and Amazement, when the Divine Voice thus prevented his Expoftulation; Be not furprized, Mofes, nor ask why the Judge of the 'whole Earth has fuffer'd this Thing to

come

come to pafs: The Child is the Occafion that the Blood of the old Man is fpilt; but know, that the old Man whom thou faw'ft was the Murderer of that Child's Father.

N° 238. Monday, December 3.

Nequicquam populo bibulas donaveris Aures,

Perfius, Sat. 4,

Refpue quod non es

MONG all the Diseases of

A

the Mind, there is not one more epidemical or more pernicious than the Love of Flattery. For as where the Juices of the Body are prepared to receive a malignant Influence, there the Disease rages with most Violence; fo in this Distemper of the Mind, where there is ever a Propenfity and Inclination to fuck in the Poifon, it cannot be but that the whole Order of reafonable Action must be overturn'd, for, like Mufick, it

-So

So foftens and difarms the Mind, That not one Arrow can Refiftance find.

First we flatter our selves, and then the Flattery of others is fure of Succefs. It awakens our Self-Love within, a Party which is ever ready to revolt from our better Judgment, and join the Enemy without. Hence it is, that the Profufion of Favours we fo often fee poured upon the Parafite, are represented to us, by our Self-Love, as Juftice done to the Man who fo agreeably reconciles us to our felves. When we are overcome by fuch foft Infinuations and enfnaring Compliances, we gladly recompence the Artifices that are made ufe of to blind our Reason, and which triumph over the Weakneffes of our Temper and Inclinations.

BUT were every Man perfwaded from how mean and low a Principle this Paffion is derived, there can be no Doubt but the Perfon who fhould attempt to gratify it, would then be as contemptible as he is now fuccefsful. 'Tis the Defire of fome Quality we are not poffeffed of, or Inclination to be fomething we are not, which are the Caufes of our giving our felves up to

that

that Man, who bestows upon us the Characters and Qualities of others ; which perhaps fuit us as ill, and were as little defign'd for our wearing, as their Cloaths. Inftead of going out of our own complectional Nature into that of others, 'twere a better and more laudable Industry to improve our own, and inftead of a miferable Copy become a good Original; for there is no Temper, no Difpofition fo rude and untractable, but may in its own peculiar Caft and Turn be brought to fome agreeable Ufe in Converfation, or in the Affairs of Life. A Perfon of a rougher Deportment, and lefs ty'd up to the usual Ceremonies of Behaviour, will, like Manly in the Play, please by the Grace which Nature gives to every Action wherein fhe is complied with; the Brisk and Lively will not want their Admirers; and even a more referved and melancholy Temper may at fome Times be agreeable.

WHEN there is not Vanity enough awake in a Man to undo him, the Flatterer ftirs up that dormant Weakness, and infpires him with Merit enough to be a Coxcomb. But if Flattery be the moft fordid Act that can be complied

with,

with, the Art of Praifing juftly is as commendable: For 'tis laudable to praise well; as Poets at one and the fame time give him Immortality, and receive it themselves for a Reward: Both are peased, the one whilft he receives the Recompence of Merit, the other whilft he fhews he knows how to discern it; but above all, that Man is happy in this Art, who, like a skilful Painter, retains the Features and Complexion, but ftill foftens the Picture into the most agreeable Likeness.

THERE can hardly, I believe, be imagin'd a more defirable Pleasure, than that of Praise unmix'd with any Poffibility of Flattery. Such was that which Germanicus enjoyed, when, the Night before a Battle, defirous of fome fincere Mark of the Efteem of his Legions for him, he is described by Tacitus listening in a Difguife to the Difcourfe of a Soldier, and rapt up in the Fruition of his Glory, whilft with an undefigned Sincerity they praised his noble and majeftick Mein, his Affability, his Valour, Conduct, and Succefs in War. How muft a Man have his Heart full-blown with Joy in fuch an Article of Glory as this? What a Spur and Encouragement