1793- literary olla. No. ix. 297 



elude that there is a trust reposed in me, to bestow pact 

 upon others who stand in need of my afsistance. Gciie- 

 ^ rosily seems to be the main characteristic of a gentleman^ 

 and generous in the old Roman language corresponds to 

 what we mean by that term. 



I would not be understood to mean liowever that the 

 person who has had a competent estate transmitted to 

 him, is in all events to rest satisfied with it, and never 

 attempt to rise to a superior degree of rank and wealth. 

 By no means : let every man try his talents and abilities, 

 and if he continues to carry true gentility along with him, 

 the more wealth he acquires, the more influence lie has 

 in the management of public affairs, or in the discribution 

 of justice &c. the more his friends and country v»ili feel 

 the happy effects of his generous and disinterested beha- 

 viour in whatever sphere he acts. Ent many persons 

 of good fortunes, and not .destitute of merit, havt not ta- 

 lents for higher stations : it is well it is so, otherwise 

 there would be too many candidates lor high off:i.es j and 

 it would be well if those who aspire t-- them, would 

 first well weigh and consider their abilities before they 

 did atumpt to aspire to them. 



But are infciior talents, and those who are willing to 

 submit tot<" goverred, to be quite despised and neglected ? 

 I imagine that no state can ever have the happinefs of 

 good and able rulers, unkfs a sulFicient number of those 

 who are to be governed, can make it appear that they 

 deserve to be justly and well governed : many such tljerc 

 are, it is to be hoped, in tiiis country csptci^'.lly, and yet 

 it is to be lamented how few know how to afsert the pri- 

 vilege of their birthright upon proper occasions 5 hence 

 the abuse of power in those who take the lead, and of cla- 

 /nourby those '^f inicrior ranks against things that are at 

 least inijiii'e;c. . wL.le measures of a real destructive tci.- 

 dency arc overlook ed« 



. . xvi. pp. I 



