and dangerous in their confequences, they have panted to advance at the hazard of contempt and hatred, when they found themselves irrefiftibly depreffed by a languid anxiety, which feized them at the moment of utterance, and still gathered strength from their endeavours to refift it. It generally happens that affurance keeps an even pace with ability, and the fear of miscarriage, which hinders our firft attempts, is gradually diffipated as our skill advances towards certainty of fuccefs. That bashfulness therefore which prevents disgrace, that short and temporary fhame, which fecures us from the danger of lafting reproach, cannot be properly counted among our misfortunes. Bashfulness, however it may incommode for a moment, fcarcely ever produces evils of long continuance; it may flush the cheek, flutter in the heart, deject the eyes, and enchain the tongue, but its mifchiefs foon pafs off without remembrance. It may fometimes exclude pleasure, but feldom opens any avenue to forrow or remorfe. It is obferved fomewhere, that few have repented of having forborne to Speak. To excite oppofition, and inflame malevolence, is the unhappy privilege of courage made arrogant by consciousness of ftrength. No man finds in himself any inclination to attack or oppofe him who confeffes his fuperiority by blushing in his prefence. Qualities exerted with apparent fearfulness, receive applaufe from every voice, and fupport from every hand. Diffidence may check refolution and obftruct performance, but compenfates its embarraffiments by more important advantages; it conciliates conciliates the proud, and foftens the fevere, averts, envy from excellence, and cenfure from mifcarriage. It may indeed happen that knowledge and virtue remain too long congealed by this frigorifick power, as the principles of vegetation are fometimes obftructed by lingering frofts. He that enters late into a publick station, though with all the abilities. requifite to the discharge of his duty, will find his powers at first impeded by a timidity which he himfelf knows to be vicious, and muft ftruggle long against dejection and reluctance, before he obtains, the full command of his own attention, and adds the gracefulness of eafe to the dignity of merit. For this disease of the mind I know not whether any remedies of much efficacy can be found. To advise a man unaccustomed to the eyes of multitudes to mount a tribunal without perturbation, to tell him whofe life was paffed in the fhades of contemplation, that he must not be difconcerted or perplexed in receiving and returning the compliments of a fplendid affembly, is to advise an inhabitant of Brafil or Sumatra not to shiver at an English winter, or him who has always lived upon a plain to look from a precipice without emotion. It is to fuppofe cuftom inftantaneously controllable by reafon, and to endeavour to communicate by precept that which only time and habit can bestow. He that hopes by philofophy and contemplation alone to fortify himself against that awe which all, at their first appearance on the stage of life, must feel from the fpectators, will, at the hour of need, be mocked by his refolution; and I doubt whether the preservatives which Plato relates Alcibiades to have received from Socrates, when he was about to fpeak in publick, proved fufficient to fecure him from the powerful fascination. Yet as the effects of time may by art and industry be accelerated or retarded, it cannot be improper to confider how this troublesome inftinct may be oppofed when it exceeds its juft proportion, and inftead of repreffing petulance and temerity, filences eloquence, and debilitates force; fince, though it cannot be hoped that anxiety should be immediately diffipated, it may be at least somewhat abated; and the paffions will operate with lefs violence, when reason rises against them, than while fhe either flumbers in neutrality, or, miftaking her intereft, lends them her affistance. No caufe more frequently produces bashfulness than too high an opinion of our own importance. He that imagines an affembly filled with his merit, panting with expectation, and hushed with attention, eafily terrifies himself with the dread of disappointing them, and strains his imagination in pursuit of fomething that may vindicate the veracity of fame, and fhew that his reputation was not gained by chance. He confiders, that what he shall say or do will never be forgotten; that renown or infamy are suspended upon every fyllable, and that nothing ought to fall from him which will not bear the teft of time. Under fuch folicitude, who can wonder that the mind is overwhelmed, and, by struggling with attempts above her ftrength, quickly finks into languishment and defpondency? The The most useful medicines are often unpleafing to the taste. Those who are oppreffed by their own reputation, will perhaps not be comforted. by hearing that their cares are unneceffary. But the truth is, that no man is much regarded by the reft of the world. He that confiders how little he dwells upon the condition of others, will learn how little the attention of others is attracted by himself. While we fee multitudes paffing before us, of whom perhaps not one appears to deserve our notice, or excite our fympathy, we should remember, that we likewife are loft in the fame throng; that the eye which happens to glance upon us is turned in a moment on him that follows us, and that the utmost which we can reasonably hope or fear, is to fill a vacant hour with prattle, and be forgotten. 3 NUMB. 160. SATURDAY, September 28, 1751. Inter fe convenit urfis. Beafts of each kind their fellows fpare; THE Juv. HE world," fays Locke, " has people of all "forts.' As in the general hurry produced by the fuperfluities of fome, and neceffities of others, no man needs to stand still for want of employment, fo in the innumerable gradations of ability, and endless varieties of study and inclination, no employment can be vacant for want of a man qualified to discharge it. Such is probably the natural state of the universe, but it is fo much deformed by intereft and paffion, that the benefit of this adaptation of men to things is not always perceived. The folly or indigence of those who set their services to fale, inclines them to boast of qualifications which they do not poffefs, and attempt bufinefs which they do not understand; and they who have the power of affigning to others the task of life, are seldom honeft or seldom happy in their nominations. Patrons are corrupted by avarice, cheated by credulity, or overpowered by refiftlefs folicitation. They are sometimes too ftrongly influenced by honeft prejudices of friendship, or the prevalence of virtuous compaffion. For, whatever cool reafon may direct, it is not eafy for a man of tender and fcrupulous goodness to overlook the immediate effect of his own 3 actions, |