Mean while, what fhall we think of the craft, the duplicity, the falfehood, the treachery, the dark and deep underminings, hourly practifed by multitudes of our fex to gain their ends amongst the other ; or to gratify their avarice, ambition, resentment, or envy? Let Obfervation, let Hiftory answer the question, by pointing to the numberless train of evils produced by fuch causes, wherever wealth, luxury, and false refinement, have rendered men arti

ficial,

The worthieft characters in our fex, it may be obferved, are marked generally by an openness, and always by a probity, that reflects the greatest credit on their hearts, and, I add, on their understandings alfo. Yes, my beloved and honoured auditors, after all that a late well-known master, patron, and teacher, of Diffimulation has advanced to the contrary, I do not hesitate to pronounce Diffimulation, and indeed the whole family of Cunning, by whatever name dignified, im

potent and miferable apes and genuine Wisdom.

of manly Ability

I fubjoin, that

men of integrity and fentiment display a nobleness, which fails not fooner or later to ftrike and perfuade beyond all the paltry arts in the world; and I call the beft and greatest spirits of every age to witness, that fuch men are placed upon an eminence, from which they may look down, with fuperlative scorn, on the whole inglorious race of Knaves, Liars, and Diffemblers.

PART

III.

JOHN, xi. 5.

NOW JESUS LOVED MARTHA, AND HER

SISTER

HE mighty influence which huTH man beings have upon the character and happiness of one another, and the minute casualties by which they are often affociated, cannot but appear, to reflecting minds, among the most myfterious arrangements of Providence. The very perfons, who might have probably been wife and bleffed, had they fallen into proper company, are frequently cor

rupted and undone, by infenfibly forming imprudent connexions: and, although İ fincerely believe, that iome of the sweetest pleasures, which the foul can tafte, muft arife from the fociety of Women, yet by some strange infatuation men often convert it into a fource of mifery. Either they expect too much, and being neceffarily disappointed are chagrined and foured; or elfe, from unreasonable and unworthy prejudices against a fex, whom the Almighty created for their companions and their comforters, they are precluded from a felicity which no other object in this world can equally fupply.

Where I had almost enquired, where is the fingular mortal, that can keep the balance even? Is it not, with a very few exceptions, abuse on the one fide, or adulation the other? We would willingly. recommend the juft medium, and warn you, my younger brethren in particular, againft either extreme. That of disparaging the fex feems, as I before hinted,

upon