their joys. The bleffing of God refts upon all that they poffefs; his protection furrounds them; and hence, "in the habitations of the righteous is found the voice of rejoicing and falvation." A luftre unknown to others, invefts, in their fight, the whole face of nature. Their piety reflects a funfhine from heaven upon the profperity of the world; unites in one point of view, the fmiling afpect, both of the powers above, and of the objects below. Not only have they as full a relish as others, of the innocent pleasures of life, but, moreover, in these they hold communion with their divine benefactor. In all that is good or fair, they trace his hand. From the beauties of nature, from the improvements of art, from the enjoyments of focial life, they raise their affection to the fource of all the happiness which furrounds them; and thus widen the sphere of their pleasures, by adding intellectual, and fpiritual, to earthly joys.

For illuftration of what I have faid on this head, remark that cheerful enjoyment of a profperous state, which king David had when he wrote the twenty-third pfalm; and compare the highest pleasures of the riotous finner, with the happy and fatisfied fpirit which breathes throughout the pfalm. In the midst of the fplendor of royalty, with what amiable fimplicity of gratitude does he look up to the Lord as "his Shepherd;" happier in afcribing all his fuccefs to Divine favour, than to the policy of his councils, or to the force of his arms? How many inftances of divine goodness arofe before him in pleafing remembrance, when with fuch relish he fpake of "green pastures and ftill waters,” beside which God had led him; of his cup which he had made to overflow; and of the table which he had prepared for him in the prefence of his enemies! With what perfect tranquility does he look forward to the time of his paffing through "the valley of the shadow of death;" unappalled by that fpectre, whofe moft diftant appearance blafts the profperity of finners! He fears no evil, as long as "the rod and the ftaff" of his Divine Shepherd are with him; and through all the unknown periods of this and of future existence, commits himself to his guidance with fecure and triumphant hope "Surely goodnefs and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; and I fhall dwell in the houfe of the Lord

forever." What a purified, fentimental enjoyment of profperity is here exhibited! How different from that grofs relifh of worldly pleafures, which belong to thofe who behold only the terreftrial fide of things; who raife their views to no higher objects than the fucceffion of human contingencies and the weak efforts of human ability; who have no protector or patron in the heavens, to enliven their profperity, or to warm their hearts with gratitude and trust! BLAIR.

SECTION XXIIF.

Virtue, when deeply rooted, is not subject to the Influence of Fortune.

THE City of Sidon having furrendered to Alexander, he ordered Hepheftion to bestow the crown on him whom the Sidonians fhould think most worthy of that honour. Hepheftion being at that time refident with two young men of distinction, offered them the kingdom; but they refused it, telling him that it was contrary to the laws of their country to admit any one to that honour, who was not of the royal family. He then having expreffed his admiration of their difinterefted fpirit, defired them to name one of the royal race, who might remember that he received the crown through their hands. Overlooking many, who would have been ambitious of this high honour, they made choice of Abdolonymus, whofe fingular merit had rendered him confpicuous, even in the vale of obfcurity. Though remotely related to the royal family, a series of misfortunes had reduced him to the neceffity of cultivating a garden, for a small ftipend, in the fuburbs of the city.

While Abdolonymus was bufily employed in weeding his garden, the two friends of Hepheftion, bearing in their hands the enfigns of royalty, approached him, and faluted him king. They informed him that Alexander had appointed him to that office; and required him immediately to exchange his ruftic garb, and utenfils of husbandry, for the regal robe and fceptre. At the fame time they admenifhed him, when he fhould be feated on the throne, and have a nation in his power, not to forget the humble condition from which he had been raised.

All this, at the firft, appeared to Abdolonymus as an illuSon of the fancy, or an infult offered to his poverty. He re

quested them not to trouble him farther with their impertinent jefts; and to find fome other way of amufing themfelves, which might leave him in the peaceable enjoyment of his obfcure habitation. At length, however, they convinced him, that they were ferious in their propofal; and prevailed upon him to accept the regal office, and accompany them to the palace.

No fooner was he in poffeffion of the government, than pride and envy created him enemies; who whispered their murmurs in every place, till at laft they reached the ear of Alexander. He commanded the new elected prince to be fent for; and inquired of him, with what temper of mind he had borne his poverty. "Would to Heaven," replied Abdolonymus, "that I may be able to bear my crown with equal moderation: for when I poffeffed little, I wanted nothing thefe hands fupplied me with whatever I defired." From this anfwer, Alexander formed fo high an idea of his wisdom, that he confirmed the choice which had been made; and annexed a neighbouring province to the government of Sidon.

SECTION XXIV.

QUINTUS CURTIUS.

The Speech of Fabricius, a Roman Ambassador, to King Pyrrhus, who attempted to bribe him to bis Interest, by the

offer of a great Sum of Money.

WITH regard to my poverty, the king has, indeed, been juftly informed. My whole eftate confifts in a house of but mean appearance, and a little spot of ground; from which, by my own labour I draw my fupport. But, if by any means, thou haft been perfuaded to think that this poverty renders me of lefs confequence in my own country, or in any degree unhappy, thou art greatly deceived. I have no reason to complain of fortune; fhe fupplies me with all that nature requires; and if I am without fuperfluities, I am alfo free from the defire of them. With thefe, I confefs I fhould be more able to fuccour the neceffitous, the only advantage for which the wealthy are to be envied; but fmall as my poffeffions are, I can still contribute fomething to the fupport of the ftate, and the affiftance of my friends. With refpect to honours, my -country places me, poor as I am, upon a level with the richeft: For Rome knows no qualifications for great employ

ments, but virtue and ability. She appoints me to officiate in the most auguft ceremonies of religion: fhe intrufts me with the command of her armies; fhe confides to my care the most important negociations. My poverty does not leffen the weight and influence of my counfels in the senate. The Roman people honour me for that very poverty which, king Pyrrhus confiders as a difgrace. They know the many opportunities I have had to enrich myfelf, without cenfure they are convinced of my difinterested zeal for their profperity; and if I have any thing to complain of, in the return they make me, it is only the excess of their applaufe. What value, then, can I put upon thy gold and filver? What king can add any thing to my fortune? Always attentive to dif charge the duties incumbent upon me, I have a mind free from felf-reproach? and I have an honeft fame.

SECTION XXV.

Character of James I. King of England.

NO PRINCE, fo little enterprising and fo inoffenfive, was ever fo much expofed to the oppofite extremes of calumny and flattery, of fatire and panegyric. And the factions which began in his time, being ftill continued, have made his character be as much difputed to this day, as is commonly that of princes who are our contemporaries. Many virtues, however, it must be owned, he was poffeffed of; but not one of them pure, or free from the contagion of the neighbouring vices. His generofity bordered on profufion, his learning on pedantry, his pacific difpofition on pufillanimity, his wifdom on cunning, his friendship on light fancy, and boyish fondness. While he imagined that he was only maintaining his own authority, he may perhaps be fufpected in fome of his actions, and still more of his pretenfions, to have encroached on the liberties of his people. While he endeavoured, by an exact neutrality, to acquire the good will of all his neighbours, he was able to preferve fully the esteem and regard of none. His capacity was confiderable, but fitter to difcourfe on general maxims, than to conduct an intricate bufinefs.

His intentions were juft, but more adapted to the conduct of private life, than to the government of kingdoms. Awkward in his perfon, and ungainly in his manners, he was ill

qualified to command refpect: partial and undiscerning in his affections, he was little fitted to acquire general love. Of a feeble temper, more than of a frugal judgment; expofed to our ridicule from his vanity, but exempt from our hatred by his freedom from pride and arrogance. And, upon the whole, it may be pronounced of his character, that all his qualities were fullied with weakness, and embellished by humanity. Political courage he was certainly devoid of; and from thence chiefly is derived the ftrong prejudice, which prevails against his perfonal bravery: an inference, however, which must be owned, from general experience, to be extremely fallacious.

SECTION XXVI.

HUME.

Charles V. Emperor of Germany, resigns his Dominions, and retires from the World.

THIS great emperor, in the plenitude of his power, and in poffeffion of all the honours which can flatter the heart of man, took the extraordinary refolution, to refign his kingdoms; and to withdraw entirely from any concern in bufinefs or the affairs of this world, in order that he might spend the remainder of his days in retirement and folitude. Though it requires neither deep reflection, nor extraordinary difcernment, to discover that the state of royalty is not exempt from cares and difappointments; though most of those who are exalted to a throne, find folicitude, and fatiety, and disgust, to be their perpetual attendants, in that envied preeminence; yet, to defcend voluntarily from the fupreme to a fubordinate ftation, and to relinquifh the poffeffion of power, in order to attain the enjoyment of happiness, seems to be an effort too great for the human mind. Several instances, indeed, occur in hiftory, of monarchs who have quitted a throne, and have ended their days in retirement. But they were either weak princes, who took this refolution rafhly, and repented of it as foon as it was taken; or unfortunate princes, from whose hands fome ftrong rival had wrefted their fceptre and compelled them to defcend with reluctance into a private station. Dioclefian is, perhaps, the only prince capable of holding the reins of government, who ever refigned them from deliberate choice; and who continued, during many years, to enjoy