tance!-Though born to protect the fair, does not inan act the part of a demon-first alluring by his temptations, and then triumphing in his victory?— When villany gets the afcendancy, it feldom leaves the wretch 'till it has thoroughly polluted him.

LETTER CXXIX.

SLANDER.

Ow frequently is the honesty and integrity of a man difpofed of by a fmile or fhrug!-how many good and generous actions have been funk into oblivion, by a distrustful look, or stampt with the imputation of proceeding from bad motives, by a mysterious and seasonable whisper !

Look into companies of those whofe gentle natures fhould difarm them, we shall find no better account. -How large a portion of chastity is fent out of the world by diftant hints,-nodded away and cruelly winked into fufpicion, by the envy of those who are paft all temptation of it themselves! How often does the reputation of a helpless creature bleed by a report

which the party, who is at the pains to propagate it, beholds with much pity and fellow-feeling-that fhe is heartily forry for it, hopes in God it is not true; however, as Archbishop Tillotson wittily obferves upon it, is refolved, in the mean time, to give the report her pafs, that at least it may have fair play to

take its fortune in the world,—to be believed or not, according to the charity of those into whofe hands it fhall happen to fall!

and

So fruitful is this vice in variety of expedients, to fatiate as well as difguife itself. But if these smoother weapons cut fo fore,-what shall we say of open unblushing scandal-subjected to no caution, tied down to no restraints!-If the one, like an arrow fhot in the da k, does nevertheless fo much fecret mischief,--this, like the peftilence, which rageth at noon-day, fweeps all before it, levelling without diftinction the good and the bad; a thousand fall befide it, and ten thoufand on its right hand;-they fall-fo rent and torn in this tender part of them, fo unmercifully butchered, as fometimes never to recover either the woundss————or the anguish of heart which they have occafioned.

But there is nothing fo bad which will not admit of fomething to be faid in its defence.

And here it may be ask'd—whether the inconveniences and ill effects which the world feels from the licentioufness of this practice-are not fufficiently counterbalanced by the real influence it has upon men's lives and condu& ?-that if there was no evil-fpeaking in the world, thousands would be encouraged to do ill,and would rush into many indecorums, like a horfe into the battle,were they fure to escape the tongues of men.

That if we take a general view of the world,-we shall find that a great deal of virtue,—at least of the

outward appearance of it,-is not so much from any 'fixed principle, as the terror of what the world will fay, and the liberty it will take upon the occafions we Thall give.

That if we descend to particulars, numbers are every day taking more pains to be well fpoken of, than what would actually enable them to live so as to deferve it.

That there are many of both fexes who can fupport life well enough without honour or chastity,-who without reputation (which is but the opinion which the world has of the matter), would hide their heads in fhame, and fink down in utter defpair of happiness. -No doubt the tongue is a weapon which does chaftize many indecorums which the laws of men will not reach, and keeps many in awe-whom confcience will not;—and where the case is indisputably flagrant, the speaking of it in fuch words as it deferves-scarce comes within the prohibition.-In many cafes it is hard to exprefs ourselves fo as to fix a distinction betwixt oppofite characters;—and sometimes it may be as much a debt we owe to virtue, and as great a piece of justice to expose a vicious character, and paint it in its proper colours, as it is to speak well of the deferving, and describe his particular virtues. And, indeed, when we inflict this punishment upon the bad, merely out of principle, and without indulgences to any private paffion of our own, it is a cafe which happens so seldom, that one might venture to except it.

SERM. P. 220.

W

DR. SLOP AND SUSANNAH.

HEN the cataplafm was ready, a scruple of ; decorum had unfeafonably rofe up in Sufannah's confcience, about holding the candle, while Sp tied it on; Slop had not treated Sufannah's d stemper with anodynes-and fo a quarrel had enfued betwixt them.

-Oh! oh!-faid Slop, cafting a glance of undue freedom in Sufannah's face, as the declined the office;

then, I think I know you, Madam-You know me, Sir! cried Susannah fastidiously, and with a tofs of her head; levelled evidently, not at his profeffion, but at the doctor himself,- -you know me! cried Sufannab again.Doctor Slop clapped his finger and his thumb inftantly upon his noftrils ;-Susannal's fpleen was ready to burst at it;-'Tis falfe, faid Sufannah.Come, come, Mrs. Modefty, faid Slop, not a lit tle elated with the fuccefs of his last thruft,-if you won't hold the candle, and look-you may hold it and fhut your eyes:-That's one of your Popifh fhifts, cried Sufannah:-'Tis better, faid Slop, with a nod, than no fhift at all, young woman!-and I defy you, Sir, cried Sufannah, pulling her fhift fleeve below her elbow,

It was almost impoffible for two perfons to affist each other in a furgical cafe with a more splenetic cordiality.

Slop fnatched up the cataplafm.-Sufannab fnatched up the candle;A little this way, faid Slop; Sufannab looking one way, and rowing another, inftantly fet fire to Slop's wig, which being somewhat bushy and unctuous withal, was burnt out before it was well kindled. You impudent whore! cried Slop,-(for what is paffion but a wild beast ?)—you impudent whore, cried Slop, getting upright, with the cataplafm in his hand ;- -I never was the deftruction of any body's nofe, faid Sufannab,-which is more than you can fay Is it?cried Slop, throwing the cataplafm in her face-Yes, it is, cried Sufannah, returning the compliment with what was left in the pan.

•

T. SHANDY, VOL. III. c. 46.

CHARITY TO ORPHANS.

THEY whom God hath bleffed with the means,

THEY

and for whom he has done more, in bleffing them likewife with a difpofition, have abundant reafon to be thankful to him, as the Author of every good gift, for the measure he hath bestowed to them of both: 'tis the refuge against the ftormy wind and tempeft, which he has planted in our hearts; and the conflant fluctuation of every thing in this world, forces al. the fons and daughters of Adam to feek fhelter un