Incon

able, sketched only with rude outlines? sistent throughout, we are seriously offended at the disproportion of any work of art, and utterly insensible of it in a thousand instances, where, to the eye of reason, it is infinitely more monstrous.

F

XVI.

On the Art of Pleasing in Society.

ONE great reason why people succeed so little in the art of pleasing, while they seem wholly possessed by the ambition of shining, is their not observing proper rules of place and time. They shine, indeed, in their own eyes extremely; but they do not suit their manners to the taste of those with whom they converse. Whatever is their favourite and superior accomplishment, they are apt to imagine a sufficient recommendation wherever they go; when, probably, there are a thousand less striking, which, properly placed, would make them appear with infinitely more advantages. Nor is even the favourite accomplishment by this means lost; for when once you have condescended to win people's esteem, in their own way, they are willing enough to see every additional grace in your character, and dwell upon it with plea

sure.

To instance only in the character of the fine lady. Struck with the praise of beauty, and conscious of such a superior claim to admiration, the absolute

fine lady will be such through every scene of life, and in every variety of circumstances. But, after all, what good is it to the industrious tradesman, that, after many a morning's attendance, he can see her ladyship with a pair of fine eyes? It is not beauty, wit, or learning, that pass for current coin, in our dealings with people who live by their business punctuality and exactness, with a strict care to save them as much time and labour as we possibly can, is the least we owe them for the pains they voluntarily take to furnish us with every convenience of life.

This is meant for a rambling sort of essay; and now I have named punctuality, I cannot help digressing, to praise it. There is nothing that makes us more welcome members of society. Exactness, even in trifles, amounts, in a long life, to a considerable sum of merit. People know how to depend upon us, and are sure we shall never give them the least uneasiness or disappointment if we can possibly help it. This makes them the more easily bear with us on occasions more important, where interests will sometimes very innocently interfere; and it is a piece of true policy never to forfeit that credit in small things, which we may possibly want in great ones. There are numberless little arts of ingratiating ourselves with our fellow-creatures, which are equally consistent with sincerity and prudence; nor was ever any thing more wise and humane than the apostle's precept of “becoming all things to all men."

Little disobligations will be perpetually occurring, if we allow ourselves any liberty in point of exactness; the even tenor of our conduct is broken, and people begin to think themselves indebted more to chance than to us, for any civility or kindness we may show them.

There is a kind of shatter-witted amiable character, which gains no confidence, and loses all respect. I think I never saw any particular description of it, and it may not be amiss to draw one here. It is a careless, gay, good-humoured creature, as full of liveliness and entertainment as void of caution and discretion, living on from moment to moment, without meaning any harm, or ever taking thorough pains to do good. In such persons, fifty good qualities are lost in the mere hurry of inconsideration: every thing goes on at random; every thing is unequal and odd, and yet every body loves them their affairs, for the most part, run to ruin without any extravagance; nay, by starts, they will be the best managers and the strictest economists in the world; but, alas! this is all the while only whimsy masquerading in the dress of a housewife.

1

They who come under this description, whatever their principles may be, are guided in all the common affairs of life by mere humour and frolic. They run, with the prettiest harmlessness in the world, into acts of injustice, that make all around them suffer severely, while they themselves