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LETTER CXXX.

From the Same, on the necessity of being virtuous in our Youth.

Dear Sir,-Man is the only creature in the world whose happiness is imperfect: and who, at the same time, is sensible that it is so; who has something in him that disdains the imperfection of his own being, and languishes after à condition more perfect. Were he composed only, like other animals, of flesh and blood, he would find no more faults with his being, than they do with theirs, matter alone being incapable of reflection; these are, sir, the secret repinings of the soul, by which she evidently discovers her existencee. And, since it is natural for all beings to seek and thirst after happiness, it is necessary to know where that seat is fixed, it being the want of that knowledge that makes us waste so much time in vain pursuits, and unprofitable attempts, in endeavouring to confine happiness to the body, which is a prison too weak to hold it; and the senses that conduct it thither, are too feeble long to guard and retain it; it is con stantly endeavouring to make its escape, and what is worse, it never fails in accomplishing its aim. Besides, if it has no other existence than the body, it must be very transitory, and perish with it in a contemptible portion of time. A man of that opinion must be sure to keep his thoughts always steadily confined within the compass of this life and world; for if they happen to wander beyond these limits, they will enter into dark and uncomfortable regions, affording nothing but black and dismal prospects, as too many gay unthinking persons find by sad experience. Now virtue, the true source of happiness, will give us juster notions of it, and teach us that the true seat of happiness is in the

soul, which is of capacity large enough to contain it, and of a duration lasting enough to preserve it to eternity; there it may rise to unmeasurable heights without restraint; it can never overburden or overpower the soul. It is the poor feeble body only that is not able to support it, and that is too weak to bear the rapid and violent motions of the soul, when it is filled and agitated with an excessive joy. The heart is capable of bearing but a small insignificant measure of joy, it may be easily destroyed by its irresistible efforts. The heart is equally incapable of supporting immoderate joy or immoderate grief, the one proves destructive by too great a dilation, and the other by too great a depression. Which-soever of them happens in an iminoderate degree, the frail vessel is broken, and life gushes in a torrent through the wound. It is a preposterous resolution of some people to defer being virtuous till they grow old, imagining that wisdom is the natural consequence of old age; as if that which is the greatest imperfection of human nature were most proper to confer on us the highest perfection of it. Long observation, indeed, is productive of experience; but experience is very different from wisdom, though it is the utmost advantage old age can pretend to bestow upon us. Now, it must be considered, that virtue is a habit of mind, which must be acquired by industry and application; to be forcibly introduced into the soul in opposition to vice; and after it has gotten a long and undisturbed possession of it, must be attended with great difficulty, and requires a persevering resolution. It is not to be effected in a small interval of time; the approaches must be regular and gradual to dislodge so potent an enemy. It is a task that requires the vigour of youth, and more time than old age has to bestow.

The chief end of a virtuous life is to give us as near a resemblance as is possible to the divine nature, to make us pure as he is pure; that is, to raise us to the utmost degree of purity our frail nature is capable of. Now, the deferring this work till we grow old, is resolving to be as unlike God as possible; it is a confident, but very ridiculous assurance, that old age will help our deformity, and give us a very good resemblance of him, and in an instant confer upon us purity like his, after we have wilfully passed over our whole life in contracting pollution. But can we think that, when the purest and sprightliest part of life has been prostituted to vice, the dregs are an offering fit for our Maker? and can we think that he will accept of such a sacrifice?

It is then our highest wisdom to tread the paths of virtue in the morning of our days, that the evening may terminate with a smiling serenity, and when the struggles of reluctant nature are over, the soul may securely wing its way to the settled regions of unmolested security.

I am, Sir, your dear friend.

LETTER CXXXI,

On Marriage, from a Lady in Town, to her Friend in the Country.

Dear Madam,—Marriage is despised by some, and by others too much coveted. The first, sin against the law of nature, and divine ordination; the last, too often, against their own peace and happiness. For those that are in extraordinary haste for a settlement, do commonly extend their expectations beyond what they have possessed in a single life, and many times the imaginary heaven proves a hell. Though your changing your con

dition had an extraordinary prospect, yet I hear my last letter, which was to wish you joy, found you in sorrow; but I know you are too well principled not to remember the time will come," when the wicked shall cease from troubling, and the weary will be at rest." For if your husband continues so industrious to torment you as the world represents him, I believe you can expect but little rest till that time is come; unless it is by inward peace of a good conscience, which none can take from you. This is a consolation which clamorous wives always lose, and which can never be recompensed by any point they gain, however apparently for their advantage. Since the laws of God and nature have given men the supreme authority in marriage, we ought not first to accept them upon those terms, and then mutiny upon all occasions. For though some men are so kind as to make our yoke light upon us, yet we take them for "better or worse ;" and experience shows us, that the odds are on the worse side. All this we should consider before we engage ourselves in those strict ties, which oblige us to deny our own inclinations, and comply with those of our husbands. Indeed human policy ought to teach us this lesson; for if we make a man's home less agreeable to him than any other place, we furnish him with a good excuse for going abroad, which can never be to our mutual advantage. Those men whom business does not call out to get money, are generally on the spend; and he that is driven from home by a wife's ill-humour, is always more extravagant abroad, and even thinks he has a better pretence to be so, while he sacrifices his body and soul, as well as his estate, to his revenge.

Some women, indeed, will divert themselves, and not seem to mind it; and instead of endeavouring

to win their husbands by complaisance, turn as extravagant as they, or as the old proverb says, 66 they light the candle at both ends," though they know it must at last burn their own fingers. However, they seldom fail of suffering by their rashness; and the farther they run out, the sooner they find a check upon their expenses; besides, if they should preserve their honesty, yet they undergo the certain loss of their reputation, which is infinitely more valuable to them than any thing else in the world ; and although, by such a conduct, they may think to reclaim the men, yet they ought not to do evil that good may come.

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But I most of all wonder at some of our acquaintances, who seem to be sober women, and yet recommend it as the best way to deal with a passionate husband, to be more unreasonable than he; such a conduct may silence some men, and might be pardonable, if God as well as man were to be silenced by it. But our religion tells us, we must not be overcome of evil, but overcome evi with good." An evil tongue never appears so odious as in the mouth of a passionate woman, railing against her husband. We commonly say that a madman is possessed, and every one that is not in a rage himself, will allow passion to be a temporary madness, which makes men act as irrationally as lunatics, although they have not the same excuse to plead : such unhappy persons will often tell you, that passion is a natural infirmity; a violent distemper which they strive against, and therefore they ought to be excused: but let them remember, that their conduct is the more unjustifiable, as they are sensible of their folly. If a husband is unkind and cruel, it is a great affliction, and the scriptures tell us, all things of that nature are griev

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