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and when Partiality holds the Balance 'tis never even. Self-conceit is a weighty Quality, and will fometimes fetch down the Scale when there's nothing in't befides. Those who are thus prepoffeffed are ftrangely fenfible upon all Occafions: They magnify a Fault beyond all Proportion; and fwell every Omiffion into an Outrage: And while they are under thefe haughty Mistakes, no Damages are thought too great for them. All Crimes are Capital where their Privileges are concern'd; and nothing lefs than the Blood of their Neighbours will fatisfy for a rugged Expreffion, or fome fuch paultry Provocation.

Philot. I hope you don't think all People arriv'd at thefe Exceffes of Pride and Distraction.

Philal. No: However the Humour is fpread in fome measure through the whole Mafs: So that without Thinking and Temper, every one will be apt to over-value their own Interefts. And if they were their own Judges under fo falfe a Perfuafion, what Iniquity would there be in the Sentence, and what Rigour in the Execution. And if Passion fhould join with Covetoufnefs and Conceit, as it often happens, the Revenge would be the greatest Injury. And thus the

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the Injustice of the return would provoke the Aggreffor, and perpetuate the Quarrel; and new Parties would be made to fupport the Difpute. The Fire would spread from Houfe to House, 'till. all was in a Flame. This toffing of Injuries, and bandying Revenge from one private Hand to another, would quickly unhinge Society, and make Peace and Friendship impracticable.

For this Reason, particular Grievances are referr❜d to publick Confideration, and the Arbitrage of Authority; to Perfons of Character, of Knowledge, and Indifferency: And private Revenge is difallowed both in Government and Religion.

And fince the Concerns of Property and Perfon are well guarded by Law,. we ought to acquiefce in the Provisions of Government; to fly to fupplemental Satisfactions of our own, is not only a difregard of Authority, but proceeds from a vindictive Temper: Now Vindictiveness is an uncredible Quality, and argues a little Mind.

Philot. Make that out if you please. Philal. I prove it thus. This Temper fuppofes a Man cafily put out of Order, and fenfible of Pain upon flender Occafions. He that's push'd on with a defire of Revenge, is generally prick'd with a

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Senfe of Pain: He is wounded in his Fancy, and bleeds inwardly. The smart awakens his Anger, makes him fly to his Weapon, and grow eager to give a Return. Now to lie thus open to the Impreffions of Anguish, to give way to all Oppofitions, and cry out upon every little Pinch, argues either Excefs of Fear, or childish Tenderness. To be easily penetrated by an Injury, is a fign we want either Reason to guard, or Strength to endure the Blow. Whereas Fortitude, and Greatnefs of Mind, makes a Man almost invulnerable. This fences off the Stroke, turns the Edge of an Affront, and stupifies the Pain. They are generally Children, fick, and unfortunate People, that are most touchy and refenting: And who would be fond of fo ill defcended a Quality? A Temper that grows mostly out of Difeafes, Accidents, or Infancy; out of the Decays or Immaturities of Reafon? What thinking Perfon would chuse an Humour of Disadvantage, and perfonate humane Nature under the worst Appearance?

Befides; there comes a great deal of Difquiet this way: Those who are nice and exceptious, and foon thrown off their Temper; those who can bear, and pardon nothing, lie mightily expos'd. Their

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Their Satisfaction is fo flenderly put together, depends upon fo many little Circumstances, and requires fuch an entire Obfequioufnefs of Men and Things, that 'tis impoffible to laft. long. A Word, a Look mifmanag'd, or misunderstood, is enough to difconcert them. The Omiffion of a little Ceremony is a mortal Injury And nothing under a Gallows of *Haman fifty Cubits*, and the Blood of a whole Nation can make an Amends. They make no Allowance for the Mistakes of Ignorance, the Freedoms of Friendship, or the Rudeness of Paffion. No: they fally out immediately, without diftinguishing upon Circumftance or Intention: As if every flip was unpardonable; and all the Reafon of Mankind was oblig'd to be upon Duty, to please their Humour, and gratify their Pride. On the other fide; How little do they confider their own Provocations? How of ten do they draw Reprizals upon themfelves by their Failures in Juftice and Decency? And at this rate of Expectation and Frowardness, no Engagements or Converfation can please them long. Friends and Strangers, Business and Entertainment, Profperity and Adverfity, put them upon the Fret And in fhort, all Company, Conditions, and Varieties

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of Life, will afford them Matter for Spleen and Difguft. Before the Humour is discharg'd they are uneafy, and afterwards afraid of a return. And thus the Punishment rebounds upon themselves either in Fact or Expectation: So that between the Defire of doing, and the Fear of receiving Harm, they are generally out of order: Not to mention now and then fome home Payments over and above. Revengefulness fits like Poyfon upon the Stomach; it fwells and convulfes Nature; and there's no good Health to be expected till 'tis conquer'd and expell'd.

Philot. Have you any thing more? Philal. Yes I obferve farther, that Vindictiveness argues a Defect of Generofity and good Nature.

Philot. That I confefs is another ftrong Reason to diffuade the Practice : Therefore pray go on with it.

Philal. We may obferve then, there are a great many fhrewd turns done merely for want of thinking: Every one has not reach enough to examine all the Circumftances of his Behaviour, and to trace a Confequence to its fartheft Motion. A good Intention and a clear Understanding don't always go together. And he that moves in the dark, D 3 may

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