may be easily discovered; but for what reafon, not more infamous than cowardice, can that man delight in oppreffion who has nothing to fear?

The unjustifiable severity of a parent is loaded with this aggravation, that those whom he injures are always in his fight. The injuftice of a prince is often exercised upon those of whom he never had any perfonal or particular knowledge; and the fentence which he pronounces, whether of banishment, imprifonment, or death, removes from his view the man whom he condemns. But the domestick oppreffor dooms himself to gaze upon those faces which he clouds with terror and with forrow; and beholds every moment the effects of his own barbarities. He that can bear to give continual pain to those who furround him, and can walk with fatisfaction in the gloom of his own prefence; he that can fee fubmiffive mifery without relenting, and meet without emotion the eye that implores mercy, or demands justice, will scarcely be amended by remonstrance or admonition; he has found means of stopping the avenues of tenderness, and arming his heart against the force of reafon.

Even though no confideration should be paid to the great law of focial beings, by which every individual is commanded to confult the happiness of others, yet the harsh parent is lefs to be vindicated than any other criminal, because he lefs provides for the happiness of himself. Every man, however little he loves others, would willingly be loved; every man hopes to live long, and therefore hopes for that time at which he fhall fink back to imbecility, and muft depend for eafe and cheerfulness upon the offiVOL. VII. cioufneis

E

cioufnefs of others. But how has he obviated the inconveniences of old age, who alienates from him the affiftance of his children, and whofe bed must be furrounded in his laft hours, in the hours of languor and dejection, of impatience and of pain, by strangers to whom his life is indifferent, or by enemies to whom his death is defirable?

Piety will indeed in good minds overcome provocation, and thofe who have been haraffed by brutality will forget the injuries which they have fuffered, fo far as to perform the last duties with alacrity and zeal. But furely no refentment can be equally painful with kindnefs thus undeferved, nor can feverer punishment be imprecated upon a man not wholly loft in meannefs and ftupidity, than, through the tedioufnefs of decrepitude, to be reproached by the kindnefs of his own children, to receive not the tribute but the alms of attendance, and to owe every relief of his miferies, not to gratitude but to mercy.

NUMB. 149. TUESDAY, August 20, 1751.

Quod non fit Pylades hoc tempore, non fit Oreftes
Miraris? Pylades, Marce, bibebat idem.
Nec melior panis, turdufve dabatur Orefti:
Sed par, atque eadem cœna duobus erat.
Te Cadmea Tyros, me pinguis Gallia veftit:
Vis te purpureum, Marce, fagatus amem?

Ut præftem Pyladen, aliquis mihi præftet Oreftem:
Hoc non fit verbis: Marce, ut ameris, ama,

You wonder now that no man fees
Such friends as thofe of ancient Greece.
Here lay the point- Oreftes' meat
Was juft the fame his friend did eat;
Nor can it yet be found, his wine
Was better, Pylades, than thine.
In home-fpun ruffet I am drest,
Your cloth is always of the best;
But, honeft Marcus, if you please
To chufe me for your Pylades,
Remember, words alone are vain ;
Love-if you wou'd be lov'd again.

SIR,

N°

To the RAMBLER.

F. LEWIS.

O depravity of the mind has been more frequently or justly cenfured than ingratitude. There is indeed fufficient reafon for looking on thofe that can return evil for good, and repay kindnefs and affistance with hatred or neglect, as corrupted beyond the common degrees of wickedness; nor will he, who has once been clearly detected in acts

of injury to his benefactor, deserve to be numbered among focial beings; he has endeavoured to deftroy confidence, to intercept fympathy, and to turn every man's attention wholly on himself.

There is always danger left the honest abhorrence of a crime fhould raife the paffions with too much violence against the man to whom it is imputed. In proportion as guilt is more enormous, it ought to be afcertained by stronger evidence. The charge against ingratitude is very general; almoft every man can tell what favours he has conferred upon infenfibility, and how much happiness he has bestowed without return; but perhaps, if these patrons and protectors were confronted with any whom they boast of having befriended, it would often appear that they confulted only their pleasure or vanity, and repaid themfelves their petty donatives by gratifications of infolence and indulgence of contempt.

It has happened that much of my time has been paffed in a dependent ftate, and confequently I have received many favours in the opinion of thofe at whofe expence I have been maintained; yet I do not feel in my heart any burning gratitude or tumultuous affection; and, as I would not willingly fuppofe myself lefs fufceptible of virtuous paffions than the rest of mankind, I shall lay the hiftory of my life before you, that you may, by your judgment of my conduct, either reform or confirm my prefent fentiments.

My father was the fecond fon of a very ancient and wealthy family. He married a lady of equal birth, whofe fortune, joined to his own, might have fupported his pofterity in honour; but being gay and ambitious, he prevailed on his friends to procure him

a poft,

a poft, which gave him an opportunity of displaying his elegance and politenefs. My mother was equally pleafed with fplendor, and equally careless of expence; they both juftified their profufion to themfelves, by endeavouring to believe it necessary to the extenfion of their acquaintance, and improvement of their interest; and whenever any place became vacant, they expected to be repaid. In the midst of thefe hopes my father was fnatched away by an apoplexy; and my mother, who had no pleasure but in dress, equipage, affemblies, and compliments, finding that she could live no longer in her accustomed rank, funk into dejection, and in two years wore out her life with envy and discontent.

I was sent with a sister, one year younger than myfelf, to the elder brother of my father. We were not yet capable of obferving how much fortune influences affection, but flattered ourselves on the road with the tenderness and regard with which we should be treated by our uncle. Our reception was rather frigid than malignant; we were introduced to our young coufins, and for the first month more frequently confoled than upbraided; but in a fhort time we found our prattle repreffed, our dress neglected, our endearments unregarded, and our requests referred to the housekeeper.

The forms of decency were now violated, and every day produced new infults. We were foon brought to the neceffity of receding from our imagined equality with our coufins, to whom we funk into humble companions without choice or influence, expected only to echo their opinions, facilitate their defires, and accompany their rambles. It was unfortunate