IV.] MELAIfGIIOLT HOURS. 343 



fortunes at a tailor's board. Periwig makers have been 

 known to buy their country seats, and bellows-menders 

 have started their curricles ; but seldom, very seldom, has 

 the man who placed his dependence on the friendship of 

 his fellow-men arrived at even the shadow of the honour 

 to which, through that medium, he aspired. Nay, even 

 if thou shouldst find a friend ready to lend thee a help- 

 ing hand, the moment, by his assistance, thou hast gained 

 some little eminence, he will be the first to hurl thee down 

 to thy primitive, and now, perhaps, irremediable obscu- 

 rity^ 



Yet I see no more reason for complaint on the ground 

 of the fallacy of human friendship, than I do for any 

 other ordinance of nature, w-hich may appear to run 

 counter to our happiness. Man is naturally a selfish 

 creature, and it is only by the aid of philosophy that he 

 can so far conquer the defects of his being as to be cap- 

 able of disinterested friendship. Who, then, can expect 

 to find that benign disposition which manifests itself ia 

 acts of disinterested benevolence and spontaneous affec- 

 tion, a common visitor ? Who can preach philosophy to 

 the mob ?* 



The recluse, who does not easily assimilate with the 

 herd of mankind, and whose manners with difficulty bend 

 to the peculiarities of others, is not likely to have many 

 real friends. His enjoyments, therefore, must be soli- 

 tary, lone, and melancholy. His only friend is himself. 

 As he sits immersed in reverie by his midnight fire, and 

 hears without the wild gusts of wind fitfully careering 

 over the plain, he listens sadly attentive ; and as the 

 varied intonations of the howling blast articulate to his 

 enthusiastic ear, he converses with the spirits of the de- 

 parted, while, between each dreary pause of the storm, 

 he holds solitary communion Avith himself. Such is the 

 social intercourse of the recluse ; yet he frequently feels 

 the soft consolations of friendship. A heart formed for 



* By the word mob liere, tlie author does not mean to inclade merely 

 tlie lower classes. In the ]ircsent acceptation, it takes in a great part 

 «1"tlie mob of quality : men who are eitlier too ignorant, or too much 

 taken up with base "and grovelling pursuits, to have room for any of 

 the more amiable attectious. 



