lently along, passed on through undistinguishable uniformity, we should never mark its approaches to the end of the course. If one hour were like another; if the passage of the sun did not show that the day is wasting; if the change of seasons did not impress upon us the flight of the year, quantities of duration equal to days and years would glide unobserved. If the parts of time were not variously coloured, we should never discern their departure or successsion, but should live thoughtless of the past, and careless of the future, without will, and perhaps without power, to compute the periods of life; or to compare the time which is already lost, with that which may probably remain. 7. But the course of time is so visibly marked, that itis even observed by the passage, and by nations who have raised their minds very little above animal instinct: there are human beings, whose language does not supply them with words by which they can number five, but I have read of none that have not names for day and night, for summer and winter. 8. Yet it is certain that these admonitions of nature, however forcible, however importunate, are too often vain; and that many who mark with such accuracy the course of time, appear to have little sensibility of the decline of life. Every man has something to do which he neglects; every man has faults to conquer which he delays to combat. 9. So little do we accustom ourselves to consider the effects of time, that things necessary and certain often surprise us like unexpected contingencies. We leave the beauty in her bloom, and, after an absence of twenty years, wonder, at our return, to find her faded. We meet those whom we left children, and can scarcely persuade ourselves to treat them as men. The traveller visits in age those countries through which he rambled in his youth, and hopes for merriment at the old place. The man of business, wearied with unsatisfactory prosperity, retires to the town of his nativity, and expects to play away the last years with the companions of his childhood, and recover youth in the fields where he once was young. 10. From this inattention, so general and so mischievous, let it be every man's study to exempt himself. Let him that desires to see others happy, make haste to give while his gift can be enjoyed, and remember that every moment of delay takes away something from the value of his benefaction. And let him who proposes his own happiness, reflect, that while he forms his purpose, the day rolls on, and the night cometh, when no man can work.' Slander and Slanderers.* "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swilt to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes."-Rom. iii. 1. FEW characters are more despicable than the slanderer, and few vices are more pernicious to society than that to which he is addicted. Always lurking for prey, always watching for some unguarded expression, some unstudied act, he winds himself into the little domestic circle, where his presence destroys all ease, and poisons every social joy. Nor does his presence impose less restraint upon the more numerous circles. Every person considers him a spy, seeking some jest, which, by exaggerating, and representing as sentimental, he may turn to the disadvantage of the innocent author. 2. Thus all cheerful ease and pleasant gayety are destroyed, each choosing to sacrifice every social enjoyment rather than be exposed to vile reproach: for however virtuous men may be, or however conscious of their integrity, they cannot escape his eagle-eyed reproach, which fixes most on those of most merit, because they are most envied : "No might nor greatness in mortality Can censure 'scape: back wounding calumny Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue ?" 3. Against the crafty wiles of the swindler we may guard; against the nocturnal depredations of the thief we may fence; against the murderer we may arm; but against the slanderer we have no defence: he stalks at noonday, and poisons all about him with the venom of his breath; and, as if licensed to destroy reputation, he circulates slander with impunity, and without a blush. 4. Indeed, it is almost dangerous to have a reputation for his cankered breath to feed upon. His microscopic eye magnifies our weaknesses into enormous crimes. Nor are our errours alone the subject of his animadversion; our virtues are construed into vices, and blasted by the breath of calumny. Our frankness is transformed into impudence, our sensibility into weakness, our friendship into deceit, our benevolence into pride, and our religion into hypocrisy. Are we prosperous ? It is because we are knavish! Are we unfortunate? It is the award of our crimes! Thus every action is imputed to the worst motive, and every effect traced to a disgraceful cause. Whilst the teacher is thus exhibiting to his pupils the odious character of a slanderer, let him be guarded himself, lest his pupils transfer those remarks to himself. "I see the jewel, best enamelled, Will lose its beauty: and tho' gold bides still But falsehood and corruption doth it shame." 5. If, indeed, there were but one kind of slanderers, if they were all actuated by the same motive, and had in view the same end, there might be at least a chance of escaping their attacks; we might find some covert of defence, some shield against their arrows: but we have no such security. If we be wise, they envy; if virtuous, they hate; if in favour, they are jealous: the high, the low-the rich, the poor-the old, the young-are all subject to the slanderer's attacks. Nor can even the shades of obscurity protect us from his venom. With the fierceness of the bloodhound he hunts his innocent prey; with the savage ferocity of the tiger he commences his unprovoked attack, and proudly boasts that he will not spare his victim. 6. One would think human life loaded with miseries enough which are unavoidable, without adding to the bitter cup the gall of calumny; yet, strange as it may seem, it really appears as if the restless petulant slanderer envied the little repose allotted to the virtuous, and was determined, by every vile means, to diminish their already small joys. If it were possible to banish from society this despicable monster, or to destroy his influence, and thereby avoid the broils, the bickerings, and the anxieties, which he creates, life would be a paradise compared with what it now is. What miseries he brings to society! ah, what misery brings he not! 7. To the shame of society be it spoken, that even in this refined age, so reputable are the venders of slander, and so numerous and eager their bidders, that many persons of acknowledged worth seclude themselves from society, lest they should become the objects of attack; for to be known is to be slandered. 8. But it will be said, we need not regard the calumnies heaped upon us so long as we are conscious of not meriting them.' Happy, indeed, if it were so; happy if we could look with indifference upon the vile attempts of those who slander us; and like the moon, when bayed by the angry cur, continue to travel peaceably on our course: but it is not for us to be thus independent: a reputation is too hard to be acquired, and too easily blasted to allow of such indifference. Nor is a solicitude for one's character at all improper: it is not the growth of extravagant self love, but of a refined and virtuous sensibility 9. Hence we often see persons of the greatest worth betray the most anxiety concerning what is said of them in their absence. And well they may when recollecting that it is on the breath of the public our character depends. By a strange perversion of reason and propriety, it has become but too common to ridicule a person until a thorough acquaintance compels us to acknowledge his worth. Instead of charitably believing him possessed of merit, until we know him otherwise, we cruelly oppress till we find it of no avail, and then reluctantly cry-let him live. 10. How unreasonable to ridicule the person of whom we know little or nothing. To this practice it is owing, perhaps, more than to any other, that so many worthy persons are kept in disrepute for to what other cause can we attribute it? Or what is the cause of those broils and misunderstandings we so often witness in society? What is it that imposes so many barriers to social enjoyment? What that blasts the fairest reputation, and sinks the envied possessor into disgrace and ruin ? "Tis slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue All corners of the world. Kings, Queens and states, The Ungrateful uest. 1. PHILIP, king of Macedon, is celebrated for an act of private justice, which does great honour to his memory. A certain soldier in the Macedonian army, had, in various instances, distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of valour; and had received many marks of Philip's approbation and favour. On a particular occasion, this soldier embarked on board a vessel, which was wrecked by a violent storm; and he was cast on the shore, helpless and naked, with scarcely any appearance of life. A Macedonian, whose lands were contiguous to the sea, came opportunely to be witness of his distress; and, with the most humane and charitable tenderness, flew to the relief of the unhappy stranger. He bore him to his house, laid him in his own bed, revived, cherished, and comforted him; and, for forty days, supplied him freely with all the necessaries and conveniences, which his languishing condition could require. The soldier, thus happily rescued from death, was incessant in the warmest expressions of gratitude to his benefactor; assured him of his interest with the king; and of his détermination to Ꮲ obtain for him, from the royal bounty, the noble returns which such extraordinary benevolence had merited. He was at length completely recovered; and was supplied by his kind host with money to pursue his journey. 2. After some time, the soldier presented himself before the king; he recounted his misfortunes; he magnified his services: and this inhuman wretch, who had looked with an eye of envy on the possessions of the man by whom his life had been preserved, was so devoid of gratitude, and of every humane sentiment, as to request that the king would bestow upon him the house and lands, where he had been so tenderly and kindly entertained. Unhappily, Philip, without examination, precipitately granted his infamous request. The soldier then returned to his preserver, and repaid his goodness, by driving him from his settlement, and taking immediate possession of all the fruits of his honest industry. 3. The poor man, stung with such an instance of unparalleled ingratitude and insensibility, boldly determined, instead of submitting to his wrongs, to seek relief; and, in a letter addressed to Philip, represented his own, and the soldier's conduct, in a lively and affecting manner. The king was instantly fired with indignation. He ordered that ample justice should be done without delay; that the possessions should be immediately restored to the man whose charitable offices had been thus horribly repaid; and, to show his abhorrence of the deed, he caused the soldier to be seized, and to have these words branded on his forehead: The Ungrateful Guest.' he A True Friend. 1. CONCERNING the man you call your friend, tell me, will weep with you in the hour of distress? Will he faithfully reprove you to your face, for actions for which others are ridiculing, or censuring you behind your back? Will he dare stand forth in your defence, when detraction is secretly aiming its deadly weapons at your reputation? Will he acknowledge you with the same cordiality, and behave to you with the same friendly attention, in the company of your superiours in rank and fortune, as when the claims of pride or vanity do not interfere with those of friendship? 2. If misfortunes and losses should oblige you to retire into the walks of humble life, in which you cannot appear with the same distinction, or entertain your friends with the same liberality as formerly, will he still think himself happy in your society? And instead of gradually withdrawing himself from an |