fer fatisfaction. No fooner do we pafs the line which temperance has drawn, than pernicious effects come forward and fhew themfelves. Could I lay open to your view the monuments of death, they would read a lecture on moderation, much more powerful than any that the most eloquent writers can give. You would behold the graves peopled with the victims of intemperance. You would behold those chambers of darkness hung round, on every fide, with the trophies of luxury, drunkenness, and fenfuality. So numerous would you find those victims to iniquity, that it may be fafely afferted, where war or peftilence have flain their thoufands, intemperate pleafure has flain its ten thousands.How long fhall it be, ere the fate of your predeceffors in the fame course teach you wisdom? How long fhall the experience of all ages continue to lift its voice to you in vain? Beholding the ocean on which you are embarked covered with wrecks, are not thofe fatal fignals fufficient to admonish you of the hidden rock?

We all of us have experienced the effects which any indifpofition of the body, even though flight, produces on external profperity. Vifit the gayeft and moft forfunate man on earth, only with fleepless nights; diforder any fingle organ of the fenfes; corrode but one of

his smallest nerves; and you fhall prefently fee all his gaiety vanish; and you fhall hear him complain that he is a miferable creature, and exprefs his envy of the peafant and the cottager.—And can you believe, that a difeafe in the foul is lefs fatal to enjoyment than a difeafe in the animal frame; or that a found mind is not as effential as a found body to the happiness of man? Let us rate fenfual gratifications as high as we please, we shall be made to feel that the feat of enjoyment is in the foul. The man of moderation alone brings to all the natural and innocent pleasures, that found uncorrupted relish, which gives him a much fuller enjoyment of them than the pallid and vitiated appetite of the voluptuary can allow him to know. He culls the flower of every allowable gratification, without dwelling upon it, until its fweetnefs be loft. He ftops at the point before enjoyment degenerates into difguft, and pleafure is converted into pain. Moderate and fimple pleasure relish high with the temperate; whereas it is a great luck, if the voluptuary does not return difgufled even from a feaft.In the pleasures which are regulated by moderation, befides, there is always that dignity which goes along with innocence. No man needs to be afhamed of them. They are confiftent with honour; with the favour of 5 C

VOL. IV.

GOD,

GOD, and of man. But the fenfualift, who difdains all reftraint in his pleasures, is odious in the public eye. His vices become grofs; his character contemptible; and he ends in being a burden both to himfelf and to fociety.

By unhappy exceffes, how many amiable difpofitions have been corrupted or deftroyed! How many rifing capacities and powers have been fuppreffed! How many flattering hopes of parents and friends have been totally extinguifhed! who but muft drop a tear over human nature, when he beholds that morning which arose so bright, overcast with fuch untimely darkness; that good humour which once captivated all hearts, that vivacity which sparkled in every company, thofe abilities which were fitted for adorning the highest station, all facrificed at the shrine of low fenfuality; and one who was formed for running the fair career of life in the midft of public efteem, cut off by his vices at the beginning of his courfe, or funk, for the whole of it, into infignificancy and contempt!-Thefe, O finful Pleasure are thy trophies.

Retreat, then, from your difhonourable courses, ye who by licentioufnefs, extravagance, and vice, are abusers of the world! You are degrading, you are ruining yourfelves.

felves. You are grofsly mifemploying the gifts of GOD;

and mistake your true intereft.

Awake then to the

purfuit of men of virtue and honour. Break loose from

that magic circle, within which you are at present held. Reject the poisoned cup which the enchantress Pleasure holds up to your lips. Draw afide the veil which she throws over your eyes. You will then fee other objects than you now behold.

You will fee an abyfs opening

below your feet. You will fee VIRTUE and TEMPERANCE marking out the road, which conducts to true felicity. You will be enabled to difcern, that the world is enjoyed to advantage, by none but fuch as follow thofe divine guides; and who confider "PLEASURE AS

6.6

THE SEASONING, BUT NOT AS THE BUSINESS OF "LIFE."

SECT. LXXII.

ON FORTITUDE.

:

CHARLOTTE CORDAY was tall and well fhaped, of the most graceful manners and modeft demeanour there was in her countenance, which was beautiful and engaging, and in all her movements, a mixture of softness and dignity, which were evident indications of a heavenly mind. She came to Paris, and under a feigned pretext gained admiffion to that chief of republican tyrants, MARAT, in whose breast the plunged a dagger, acknowledged the deed, and justified it by afferting that it was a duty the owed her country and mankind to rid the world of a monster. Her deportment during the trial was modeft and dignified. There was fo engaging a softness in her countenance, that it was difficult to conceive how the could have armed herself with fufficient intrepidity to execute the deed. Her anfwers to the questions of the tribunal were full of point and energy. audience by her wit, and excited their admiration by her eloquence. Her face sometimes beamed with fublimity, and was fometimes covered with fmiles. She retired while the jury deliberated on their verdict; and when the again entered the tribunal there was a majestic folemnity in her demeanour which perfectly became her situation. She heard her fentence with

She fometimes surprised the

attention and compofure; and left the court with Jerenity, her mind being long before prepared even for the last scene. It is difficult to conceive the heroism which the displayed in the way to exccution. There was such an air of chaftened exultation thrown over her countenance, that the inspired sentiments of love rather than pity. The fpectators as the paffed uncovered their heads before her, and others gave loud tokens of applaufe. She afcended the scaffold with undaunted firmnefs. When the executioner informed her that her feet must be tied to the fatal plank the fubmitted with a fmile. When he took off her handkerchief, the moment before the bent under the fatal stroke, the blushed deeply; and her head, which was held up to the multitude the moment after, exhibited this laft impreffion of offended