2IO STUDIES OF NATURE. 



and vain ? What fenfe is now-a-days affixed to the 

 term charity, the Greek name of which, x«V;?, 

 fignifies attraftion, grace, lovelinefs ? Can any 

 thing be more humiliating than our parochial 

 charities, and than the humanity of our Philo- 

 fophers ? 



I leave this prqjeâ: to be unfolded and matured 

 by fome good man, who loves God and his fel- 

 low-ereatures, and who performs good adions, in 

 the way that Religion prefcribes, withont letting 

 his left hand know what his right hand doth. Is 

 it then a matter of fo much difficulty to do good ? 

 Let us purfue the oppofite fcent to that which is 

 followed by the ambitious and the malignant. 

 They employ fpies to furnifli them with all the 

 fcandalous anecdotes of the day ; let us employ 

 ours in difcovcring, and bringing to light, good 

 works performed in fecret. They advance to meet 

 men in elevated fituations, to range themfelves 

 under their flandards, or to level them with the 

 ground ; let us go forth in queft of virtuous men 

 in obfcurity, that we may make them our models. 

 They are furniQied with trumpets to proclaim 

 their own aclions, and to decry thofe of others ; 

 let us conceal our own, and be the heralds of other 

 mens' goodnefs. There is fuch a thing as refine- 

 ment in -vice ; let us carry virtue to perfedion* 



I am 



