44 THE RURAL SOCRATES. 



and rcafon to acknowledge the fuperiority of his brotb- 

 sr's genius and talents, and to reiign, in confequcncc, 

 the ible direction of every thing to his adminiftration ; 

 Satisfied with feconding that ardor of which he is fuf- 

 iiilhed with the example- 



In admitting the fyftem which Kliyogg has formed 

 refpedling the obligations of the head of a family, few 

 men would be tempted to envy him that honor. — Ac- 

 cording to him, the mafler is to be the firfl to commence 

 all forts of work, and the lafl to leave them. The ve- 

 ry elTence of his authority confifts in being a living pat- 

 tern to every individual of his family, '* Without this, 

 *' (fays he) all efforts are vain, all cares are ufelefs t 

 *' the. mailer of a family may juflly be compared to the 

 *^ root of a tree, which gives life and flrength : if the 

 <^' root ceafes to vegetate, the tree, however healthy 

 *' before, muft perifli with it. With what confidence 

 *' can a mafler exa^^of his fervantsto labor with un- 

 *' relaxed ardor, when he himfelf is the firfl to difcov- 

 *'er wearinefs i With what expe<flation of^ obedience 

 *' can he regulate and order the bufinefs of the day^ 

 *^ when his laborer underllands how to methodize it 

 *' better I Such a mafler will be the fport, the jefl of his 

 *' domeflics ; and if his ignorance is accompanied with 

 :*' obflinacy, the execution of his orders will be an in- 

 *^ tolerable burthen. On the contrary, if the intellec- 

 *' tual faculties of the mafler are evidently more en* 

 */ largcd ; if it is he who fets the mofl induflrious exam- 

 ple ^ 



fifort is loft. — Kliyogg alfo agrees wuh Confucius, one of ihc moft wife 

 and amiable of men. ♦• There is only, fays the Chinefe philofophcr, the 

 *' fage who is always content ; for virtue renders his fool tranquil : noih« 

 <" ing troubles or difturbs him, for he does not pradliice virtue in order to 

 •'* be retompenjed by it : the prad^ice of virtue is I he fole reward for which 

 ** he hopes." Many of thcGreeW philofophets, (who however fell far fhort 

 iif^eneral of Confucius, as to diffufive benevolence, fmce Confucius knev/ 

 Vnit the ht^ pafrieti/m is that which is ioundcd on a love for xhfwhoUhu* 

 iftai%,r/jee ;J many of the Greek philofophers have uttered fimilar fentiaaen>;s 

 pfpcftxng a diftnttrejled pu ifuit of vijctHC acd pf v;b*t i% ufe ful, ^^ 



