nished, and our joys increased by sympathetic participa tion."

2. "Amongst whom, then, must we look for a friend ?" said Socrates. "Would you search among strangers? They cannot be interested about you. Amongst your ri vals ? They have an interest in opposition to yours. Amongst those who are much older, or younger than yourself? Their feelings and pursuits will be widely different from yours. Are there not, then, some circumstances favourable, and others essential, to the formation of friendship ?" 3.

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"Undoubtedly there are," answered Demetrius. "May we not enumerate," continued Socrates, " amongst the circumstances favourable to friendship, long acquaintance, common connections, similitude of age, and union of interest ?" "I acknowledge," said Demetrius, "the powerful influence of these circumstances: but they may subsist, and yet others be wanting, that are essential to mutual amity."

4. "And what," said Socrates, "are those essentials which are wanting in Timon ?" "He has forfeited my esteem and attachment," answered Demetrius. "And has he also forfeited the esteem and attachment of the rest of mankind?" continued Socrates. "Is he devoid of benevolence, generosity, gratitude, and other social affections ?" "Far be it from me," cried Demetrius," to lay so heavy a charge upon him? His conduct to others, is, I believe, irreproachable; and it wounds me the more, that he should single me out as the object of his unkindness."

5. "Suppose you have a very valuable horse,” resumed Socrates, "gentle under the treatment of others, but ungovernable, when you attempt to use him; would you not endeavour, by all means, to conciliate his affection, and to treat him in the way most likely to render him tractable ? Or, if you have a dog, highly prized for his fidelity, watchfulness, and care of your flocks, who is fond of your shepnerds, and playful with them, and yet snarls whenever you come in his way; would you attempt to cure him of this fault by angry looks or words, or by any other marks of resentment? You would surely pursue an opposite course with him.

6. "And is not the friendship of a brother of far more worth, than the services of a horse, or the attachment of a

I

dog? Why then do you delay to put in practice those means, which may reconcile you to Timon ?” “Acquaint me with those means," answered Demetrius, “ for I am a stranger to them." "Answer me a few questions,” said

Socrates.

7. "If you desire, that one of your neighbours should invite you to his feast, when he offers a sacrifice, what course would you take ?"" I would first invite him to mine." "And how would you induce him to take the charge of your affairs, when you are on a journey ?"-" I should be forward to do the same good office to him, in his absence."

8. "If you be solicitous to remove a prejudice, which he may have received against you, how would you then behave towards him ?"" I should endeavour to convince him, by my looks, words and actions, that such prejudice was ill-founded."-" And if he appeared inclined to recon ciliation, would you reproach him with the injustice he had done you No," answered Demetrius; "I would re

peat no grievances."

9. "Go," said Socrates, " and pursue that conduct towards your brother, which you would practise to a neighbour. His friendship is of inestimable worth; and nothing is more lovely in the sight of Heaven, than for brethren to dwell together in unity."

SECTION XIII.

On good breeding.

PERCIVAL.

1. As learning, honour, and virtue, are absolutely neces sary to gain you the esteem and admiration of mankind, politeness and good breeding are equally necessary to make you agreeable in conversation and common life.

2. Great talents are above the generality of the world, who neither possess them themselves, nor judge of them rightly in others: but all people are judges of the smaller talents, such as civility, affability, and an obliging, agreeable address and manner; because they feel the effects of them, as making society easy and pleasing.

3. Good sense must, in many cases, determine good breeding; but there are some general rules of it, that al ways hold true. For example, it is extremely rude not to give proper attention, and a civil answer, when people

speak to you: or to go away, or be doing something else, while they are speaking to you; for that convinces them that you despise them, and do not think it worth your while to hear, or answer, what they say.

4. It is also very rude to take the best place in a room; or to seize immediately upon what you like at table, without offering first to help others; as if you considered nobody but yourself. On the contrary, you should always endeavour to procure all the conveniences you can, to the people you are with.

5. Besides being civil, which is absolutely necessary, the perfection of good breeding is, to be civil with ease, and in a becoming manner :-Awkwardness can proceed but from two causes; either from not having kept good company, or from not having attended to it. Attention is absolutely necessary for improving in behaviour, as indeed it is for every thing else.

6. If an awkward person drinks tea or coffee, he often scalds his mouth, and lets either the cup or the saucer fall, and spills the tea or coffee on his clothes. At dinner his awkwardness distinguishes itself particularly, as he has more to do.

7. There, he holds his knife, fork, and spoon, differently from other people; eats with his knife, to the great danger of his lips; picks his teeth with his fork; and puts his spoon, which has been in his mouth twenty times, into the dishes again.

8. If he is to carve, he can never hit the joint; but in his vain efforts to cut through the bone, scatters the sauce in every body's face. He generally daubs himself with soup and grease, though his napkin is commonly stuck through a button-hole, and tickles his chin.

9. When he drinks, he coughs in his glass, and besprinkles the company. Besides all this, he has strange tricks and gestures; such as snuffing up his nose, making faces, putting his fingers in his nose, or blowing it, and looking afterwards in his handkerchief, so as greatly to disgust the company.

10. His hands are troublesome to him, when he has not something in them; and he does not know where to put them, but keeps them in perpetual motion. All this, I own, is not in any degree criminal; but it is highly disagreeable

and ridiculous in company; and ought most carefully to be guarded against, by every one that desires to please.

11. There is, likewise, an awkwardness of expression and words, which ought to be avoided; such as false English, bad pronunciation, old sayings, and vulgar proverbs; which are so many proofs of a poor education.

12. For example, if instead of saying that tastes are different, and that every man has his own peculiar one, you should

et off a vulgar proverb, and say, "That what is one man's meat is another man's poison;" or else, "Every one to his liking, as the good man said when he kissed his cow;" the company would be persuaded that you had never associated with any but low persons.

13. To mistake or forget names; to speak of "Whatd'ye-call-him," or, "Thingum," or, "How-d'ye-call-her," is excessively awkward and vulgar. To begin a story or narration, when you are not perfect in it, and cannot go through with it, but are forced, possibly, to say in the middle of it, "I have forgotten the rest," is very unpleasant and bungling.

14. One must be extremely exact, clear, and perspicuous, in every thing one says; otherwise, instead of entertaining or informing others, one only tires and puzzles them. The

voice and manner of speaking, too, are not to be neglect ed. Some people almost shut their mouths when they speak; and mutter so, that they are not to be understood others speak so fast, and sputter, that they are equally unintelligible.

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15. Some always speak as loud as if they were talking to deaf people; and others so low, that one cannot hear them. All these, and many other habits, are awkward and disagrecable, and are to be avoided by attention. cannot imagine how necessary it is to mind all these little things. I have seen many people, with great talents, ill received, for want of having these talents too; and others well received, only from their little talents, and who ha o great ones.

SECTION XIV.

The ungrateful guest.

1. PHILIP, king of Macedon, is celebrated for an act

private justice, which does great honour to his memory. A certain soldier, in the Macedonian army, had, in various instances, distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of valour; and had received many marks of Philip's approbation and favour.

2. On a particular occasion, this soldier embarked on board a vessel, which was wrecked by a violent storm; and he was cast on the shore, helpless and naked, with scarcely any appearance of life. A Macedonian, whose lands were contiguous to the sea, came opportunely to be wit ness of his distress; and, with the most humane and chari table tenderness, flew to the relief of the unhappy stranger.

3. He bore him to his house, laid him in his own bed, revived, cherished, and comforted him; and, for forty days. supplied him freely with all the necessaries and conveniences which his languishing condition could require.

4. The soldier thus happily rescued from death, was incessant in the warmest expressions of gratitude to his benefactor; assured him of his interest with the king; and of his determination to obtain for him, from the royal bounty, the noble returns which such extraordinary benevolenc had merited. He was at length completely recovered; ana was supplied by his kind host with money to pursue his journey.

5. After some time, the soldier presented himself before the king; he recounted his misfortunes; he magnified his services; and this inhuman wretch, who had looked with an eye of envy on the possessions of the man by whom his life had been preserved, was so devoid of gratitude, and of every humane sentiment, as to request that the king would bestow upon him the house and lands, where he had been so tenderly and kindly entertained.

6. Unhappily, Philip, without examination, precipitately granted his infamous request. The soldier then returned to his preserver; and repaid his goodness by driving him from his settlement, and taking immediate possession of all the fruits of his honest industry.

7. The poor man, stung with such an instance of unparalleled ingratitude and insensibility, boldly determined, instead of submitting to his wrongs, to seek relief: and in a letter addressed to Philip, represented his own and the soldier's conduct, in a lively and affecting manner