lf^l» letter from Senex. 249 



son to thank heaven fcr having conferred on me a 

 greater fha re of health and strength, since that period, 

 than I had any reason to expect. And I think the 

 best use I can make of this interval of health, is to 

 try to promote the welfare of others. 



" To be good is to be happy." This is a maxim to 

 which I believe no aged person, who seriously reflects 

 on the past transactions of his life, can withhold his 

 afsent. Allow me to add, that if mankind would be- 

 stow half the attention to conduct themselves by the 

 unerring principles of justice and beneficence, that 

 they sometimes do to promote their own interest at 

 the expence of others, they would not only feel miich 

 lefs uneasinefs in the mean while, but would also 

 much better succeed in augmenting their worldly pof- 

 sefsions than they do at present. This is not a has- 

 ty remark, but the result of long and serious obser- 

 vation ; arid if such as feel themselves disposed to 

 doubt the fact, will take the trouble to take a view of 

 all their acquaintance, they will perceive, that many 

 persons of moderate talents, who are known to be 

 pofsefsed of rectitude of mind, and its necefsary at- 

 tendant, a natural desire to promote the interest, in a 

 fair open way, of those with whom they are connec- 

 ted, make their way through life with great ease and 

 honour, — while others who have unfortunately once 

 deviated from the paths of rectitude, though pofsefsed 

 of talents, even of the most brilliant cast, are obliged 

 to make exertions sometimes seemingly above ths 

 reach of human powers, and which, like the floun- 

 dcrings of a horse in a mire, only tend to sink them- 

 selves the deeper in misery and wretchednefs. What 

 an infinity ofevils in this world then would be avoided, 

 yoL. viii, 1 1 f 



