202 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



neicher the talents nor the experience requilite to 

 the comforter of the afflided. The point is not 

 to pronounce abfolution to the man who confeffes 

 liis fins, but to affift him in bearing up under 

 thofe of another, which lie much heavier upon 

 him. 



As to preachers, their fermons are ufually too 

 vague, and too injudicioully applied to the various 

 neceflities of their hearers. It would be of much 

 more importance to the Public, if they would an- 

 nounce the fubjecfl of their intended difcourfes, ra- 

 ther than difplay the titles of their ecclefiaftical 

 dignities. They will declaim againft avarice to a 

 prodigal, or againft profufion to a mifer. They 

 will expatiate on the dangers of ambition to a 

 young man in love ; and on thofe of love to an 

 ancient female devotee. They will inculcate the 

 duly of giving alms on the perfons who receive 

 them ; and the virtue of humility on a poor water- 

 porter. There are fome who preach repentance to 

 the unfortunate, who promife the joys of paradife 

 to voluptuous courts, and who denounce the 

 flames of hell againft ftarving villages. I have 

 known, in the country, a poor female peafant 

 driven to madnefs, by a fermon of this caft. She 

 believed herfelf to be in a ftate of damnation, and 

 lay along fpeechlefs and motionlefs. We have no 

 fermons calculated to cure languor, forrow, fcru- 



puloufnefs 



