philosopher, in venturing thus to assign the principle upon which both he himself and his encomiast formed so high an esti mate of his character, may appear from his own definition of virtue; which he makes to consist in "those mental actions and qualities that give to a spectator the pleasing sentiment of approbation ;" and the contrary he denominates vice*. Such is the pious standard set up by some pretended sages, who affect to reclaim the world from its former barbarism and ignorance, and to raise it to its natural state of perfection.

To guard against this, and other similar impostures, which are now become so common in the world, every man should labour to fix in his mind a just idea of the law of nature in it's integrity. To this end, he should withdraw himself as much as possible from the contagion of error; and, with the Bible in his hands, and in the calm of recollection, should endeavour to exercise his thoughts on the being and perfections of the Deity; his necessary

Hume's Essays, vol ii. p. 363. 8vo;

existence and, absolute independence; his power and wisdom; his goodness and justice; and that untainted purity' which invests the whole of his character, and exalts every other attribute. Let him next consider this glorious Being in the several re lations he bears towards his rational offspring, as their creator, their ruler, and their benefactor; together with the correspondent duties thence arising on their part, of the most profound adoration and submission, the most entire love and obedience, as his creatures, subjects, and beneficiaries. Let him then descend to the earth, and consider his obligations as member of the great family of mankind ; the debt of justice, of candour, and charity, which he owes to all, whether they are virtuous or wicked, his fellow-citizens or strangers; with the particular regards due to his country, his family, or individuals. And lastly, let him reflect on what he owes to himself, in order to secure his own virtue and happiness, amidst those circumstances of trial in which he is placed dur

ing the present life. After he has brought all this fairly to account, and thence formed his judgment of moral duty, he will perceive the immense disparity that exists between that character which will gain the full approbation of men in general, and the true perfection of our nature.

Here the great expedience, not to say the necessity, of retirement, can hardly be disputed, when it is considered how low the standard of virtue is generally fixed in the world, and how difficult it is to rise above the sentiments of those with whom we hold constant intercourse. And this difficulty is not a little increased, when these sentiments are found embodied and exhibited in living examples, which is by no means unusual in the case before us. There is scarce any circle that does not boast a few distinguished individuals, who, though their virtue is composed of merely human qualities, and is destitute of every ingredient of true piety, are looked up to by all around them as patterns of moral excellence, Hence to form an idea of per

fection which throws disgrace on these applauded models, and to preserve this idea unimpaired, under the daily corrupting influence of public opinion, evidently requires no ordinary effort, and argues a mind of more intellectual and moral vigour and elevation, than is easily to be met with in any rank of society.

Nor is it less expedient to secure certain intervals of solitude, in order to determine our degree of actual conformity to the rule of righteousness when known, than to ascertain the rule itself. In the hurry of life, the state of the heart is seldom closely examined; and the external conduct is easily substituted for the interior disposition. We suppose ourselves to have fulfilled the first great commandient, at least in substance, provided we express in our general conduct a decent reverence to the divine name and worship; and that we have ac complished the second, if we behave to wards our fellow-creatures with strict jus tice, uniform kindness, and occasional libe rality. may indeed equally impose

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upon ourselves in a desert; but I hend, not in general with the same facility. When a man is left to his own reflections, and is deprived of the countenance and approbation of those around him, his solitary opinion is less able to resist the convictions of truth, he is more at liberty to search into the motives and principles of his conduct, and his conscience is more likely to speak home to the reality of his situation. How many are there who are borne up in a conceit of their superior virtue, by the judgments or flatteries of the world, who would soon be reduced to a mortifying sense of their true character, if this fantastic support was happily withdrawn from them!

From these considerations it may sufficiently appear, how much it concerns him who would establish in his mind a just conception of man as he existed in his original innocence, and of the sad reverse he has suffered, to secure a retreat from the bustle of the world, whose erroneous sentiments, and seducing examples, so few are able to resist, while placed within the sphere of