2j9 letter from Senex, Jipril i%. 



could the minds of young persons be deeply impref- 

 sed with the truth of this unerring maxim, " That to 

 be good," that is, to adhere on all occasions to the dic- 

 tates of justice and beneficence " is to be happy I" 



Few persons are inclined to dispute the truth of 

 this maxim in the abstract, — but when they come to 

 apply the rule to their own particular case, they find 

 a difliculty in doing it, and sometimes convince them- 

 selves they are adhering to it most rigidly, -when 

 they are indeed transgrefsing it as far as is in their 

 power. Thus it is that man frequently deceives him- 

 self, and, while he is doing wrong, his constience up- 

 braideth him not. 



In no case is this more frequently experienced than 

 in regard to retaliation of injuries, supposed to be 

 received by one man from another. The Scripture 

 rule, which is indeed the only rule of rectitude in 

 cases of this sort, " To do good to those that curse 

 YOU, and to pray for those who despitefully use you," 

 as set at nought, as directly contradicting the prin- 

 ciples of natural justice, which we allow to be the ba- 

 sis of, all goodnefs. It is just, says one, that the man 

 who has injured me Ihould be puniftied ; and I am 

 determined to inflict exemplary punifhment upon him 

 for this crime ; in doing so, who can blame me, and 

 why therefore fhould I desist ? 



Before this question can be answered, many others 

 »nust be solved. Who hath made thee a judge in 

 thine own cause ? What evidence can you bring that 

 an injury was intended? Art thou certain that the 

 person blamed had not reason to conclude that you 

 2iad injured him in a yet higher degree ? Art thou 

 xertain that thou hast not actually injured him, 



