Fortifying courage with the true rampier of patience. Here you have the thread to guide you in the labyrinth, this man of his tongue hath made fo monftrous ufe. Here you fee the true difcourfe which the mountebank fashion doth make fo wide a mouth over. Laws are not made, like lime twigs or nets, to catch every thing that toucheth them, but rather like feamarks, to avoid the fhipwreck of ignorant passengers. ON FRIENDSHIP. Without friends the world is but a wilderness. SUC BACON. True were the fentiments of a philofopher whose authority is not that of a fuperficial obferver, but of one who experienced various viciffitudes in life. as is his affertion, let us nevertheless investigate why the world is a wilderness without friends! This we cannot well do, without elucidating the nature of friendfhip, and fhewing its influences, both as it regards fociety and individuals. The two principles of man are felf-love and reafon; and they are both neceffary. Self-love is undoubtedly the ftronger, because it is the fpring of motion, and the moving principle requires moft action; its object is nigh, and fees immediate advantage; whereas reafon is formed to compare, check, and advise, and its profpect lies at a distance. Still, however, thefe two principles are fo blended with the paffions, that the ends of Providence are thereby anfwered. Do not, gentle readers, conftrue this as deiftical, far be fuch fentiments from our minds. We mean only to prove the neceffity of friendship, which comprehends gratitude, fincerity, prudence, benevolence, fympathy, charity, and love. Is it not then a virtue, and a Chriftian grace? Having fo done, we easily difcover that the world would would indeed be a wilderness, without this divine fympathy, which is the very "Cement of the foul, fweetner of life, and folder of society." Friendship is the cement of the foul, because the heart cannot taste any real happiness without the feeds of benevolence are cherished in it. Charity and love is the produce-love to God and charity to man. Such a principle is truly the fweetner of life; because from this fountain rivers of goodness flow for the benefit of mankind. This it is that affifteth the poor in their trouble that cherishes the helpless orphan and widow -that comforteth suffering virtue-that hath a noble effect upon all accidents and conditions-that relieves our cares, raifeth our hopes, and abates our fears; in fine, it is this that rejoiceth in the profperity and happiness of all mankind. Friendship is the folder of fociety, as is evident from the actions of men. No harmony can fubfift without it. Juftice and fincerity would perish if this lovely quality was extinguished. It is this that promoteth peace and good-will, calmeth fury, and preventeth the mifchiefs of animofity. Friendship believeth not the tales of envy, nor repeareth the flanders of malevolence. It forgives the injuries of men, it knows not revenge and malice. The anxieties of men excite the compaffion of friendship, and it delights in alleviating the burthen of their misfortunes. It is a duty incumbent on man to be friendly to allhis fellow creatures; indeed it is his intereft to be fo. Let us confider our wants and imperfections, and contemplate the goodness of our Creator, who endowed us with every faculty," and placed us in fociety" to receive and confer reciprocal helps and mutual obligations. We owe every enjoyment and comfort of life to the affiftance of others; here we perceive the bonds of fociety. The benevolent man no lefs enjoyeth the tranquillity of his own breaft, than he rejoiceth in the happiness and prosperity of his neighbour. His defire is to do good, and he feels inexpreffible joy in removing Hh 2 the the ditquietude of another. From the largeness of his mind he comprehendeth in his wishes the happiness of all men; and from the generofity of his heart he endeavoureth to promote it. Having thus expatiated on that friendship which is charity in common, it remains to fhew the beauties of individual friendthip.-O! it is a pleasing theme; but where are we to find words to delineate the ever blofArduous as is the task, we thall endeavour to fhew its effects on man, from prattling infancy to youth's gay fruits; from thence to more mature and fober manhood, and from thence to that venerable stage of life, old age. foming joys that fpring from this facred fource? When we take a retrospect of our actions in infancy, a thoufend little endearing incidents prefent themfelves; fuch as the calm fcenes, where we had many a fimple innocent fport, when nature pleafeth, and our little fluttering hart promised more than even fancy drew. O how delicious to furvey paft friendships formed at fchool, when the heart's light joy diffufeth a wanton happiness all around, and each little breaft felt delight unutterable. What fond illufions enrapture the mind on tracing school adventures. O! how delightful were the friendships formed and cherished at yon diftant fpot. Yea! the recollection of past times bursts upon our minds with a tearful remembrance. "Oh! then the longest fummer's day Seem'd too, too much in hafte: ftill the full heart Too exquifite to laft. Of joys departed Not to return-How pamful the remembrance* ! Such indeed are the exclamations of fympathetic fouls, that tafte joys unknown to those of a freezing cold conftituti n. Youth is a time when the faculties are in full vigour and the paffions impetuous. The dictates of reafon are *Blair's Grave. too too often unattended to, yet ftill moments of confideration intrude. In fuch a state of mind it behoves us to reflect on the principles of our intimates and friends. A very great advantage of friendship is the opportunity of good advice. Youth is the feafon when the heart is warm and tremblingly alive to generous emotions. It is at this period of our exiftence we begin to fix principles which muft ultimately regulate our conduct. Hence the importance of forming proper friendships. Do not believe that friendship can fubfift when virtue is not the foundation. For true friendship is made up of virtue, and we ought to choose a friend endued with virtue as a thing in itfelf lovely and defirable. Good and wife men can only be real friends; the giddy and thoughtless may for a while be tolerable companions, but avoid their exceffes as you would a monster. That cannot well be a bleft old age that has ftings of con fcience that has dire reflections on an indolent manhood and a mifpent youth! We ought to be circumfpect in the selection of our friends; from fuch attention the colour of our future years is generally fixed. Tenacious as we fhould be in the felection of bofom friends, it is our duty, nevertheless, to be friendly to all mankind. Dr. Johnfon fays, "That friendship may be at once fond and lafting, there must not only be equal virtue on each part, but virtue of the fame kin; not only the fame end muft be propofed, but the fame means must be approved by both." Alas! fuch fimilarity of fentiment, though requifite, is not eafily found. Liberality of fentiment is the best way to gain affection. If you make a profeffion of friendship to a worthy foul, endeavour to act in conformity; he that is often changing can never have any true friends. Oh! the lofs of his friendship whom we have fincerely ef teemed, is grievous. The imperfections of a friend should be looked upon with an eye of candour.-Our own faults are numerous. Indeed it is advifeable for Hh 3 all all who have entered into a firm friendship, to make an amicable ftipulation, that they fhall mutually admonifh and reprove each other. In endeavouring to rectify the errors of a friend, we only discharge an incumbent duty which we owe to fociety, and act the part of true friendship. View juvenile friendships in this light, and the conquences are the most delightful; life can only be clouded with fears and difappointments to those whose hearts are unfufceptible of the ever bloffoming joys that fpring from religion, innocent amufements, and friendhips. O friendship, fweet and delicate is thy power. Yes, thy thrilling bofom whifpers that friendship is a flower of heavenly feed, from which the wife extract earth's Hyblean blifs and fuperior wisdom. We have faintly fhewn how friendship gilds fcenes in infancy and youth; and fhall now proceed to point out its effects on manhood. Oh! how charmingly it operates in the day of youth, when the heart, free from care, expands herself; but now the mind grown more mature, delights more in the folid joys of an high exalted friendship, and ftrives to make a link in the chain of fociety. By a mutual communication of fentiment this intimacy contracted in youth is kept up on a more extended fcale. Hitherto they have only been the results of an immediate acquaintance, now they become the means of lafting and ferious friendship, founded upon a corroboration of fentiments. None but thofe who are thoroughly verfed in friendship, are fufceptible of its effects and delights. Thofe, and thofe only who have felt the pleafing influence of the moft genuine and exalted friendship, are capable of comprehending its beau ties. The country, with all its delights, thofe doubly pleafing profpects which on retrofpection give fuch infipid pleafure to the fenfitive heart, all, all turn pale when compared to that facred thing friendship. But why, |