THE RURAL SOCRATES. 16/ 



lie laid once to our author, ^' It is not prof.t th;it \v^ 

 ' niuflfearch after, if wc feek the divine blsfling. There 

 *• are many pcafants, who have no other objecl' than to 

 ^ enrich thcmielves ; and who, to fucceed, prefer com- 

 ^ merce to the labor of their hands. Not content with 



* felUng the fifperfiulty of their own v/lieat and oxen, 



* they buy wheat ar,d wine. Sec, from other pcafants, 

 Mil order to traffic in thefe articles. It is true, that 



* they often fucceed in aniaHing confiderable fums ; but 

 ' work foon becomes a burthen to them ; ihey even per- 

 ' mit to themfelvcs fome injuRice, in oider to fell their 

 ' articles at a high price ; which does not fail to ccr- 

 ' i-upt their minds ; efpecially as this money procures 

 ' them influence, and^tlie means of gaining the clergy 

 ' and their judges. Add, that the defire of enjoying 

 ' their fortune renders them lovers of the table and otii- 

 ' cr pleafures ; and alfo proud and expenfive. This conir 

 ' municatcs itfelf, as a contagion, to their children and 

 '- domellics ; who imitating their example, will hats 

 ' and defpife vi^ork and give themfelves up to idlenefs, 

 ' and become proud and voluptuous like themfelves. 

 ' By this means the fertility of their lands diminifhes ; 

 ' the expences of their family increafe ; money flies 

 ' away ; and diforder and confulion following in their 

 ' family, a general derangement occurs. The mifery 

 ' here becomes the greater, becaufe indolence weakens 

 ^ the bodily flrength, and the tafte for good wines and 

 ' fi 5r dcjicate meats becomes a fecond nature. Work 

 ' then mud be pnrfued for the iake of work; and as the 

 ^' refult of a renCt of duty, and in order to give pleafure 

 ^ to the beneficent God who prefcribes it to us ; and at 

 ' the fame time every effort mull: be ufed to combat the 

 ^ paffion for money, for pleafure, and for luxury. — ^Such 

 ' conduct willfecure the divine blefllng ; and maintala 

 ^ our confciences pure and free of reproach." 



p. 298 — 300. Here Kliyogg fpcaks by turns as an 

 egotiH:, a4;heologian, and a moralifl ; but our Swifs cler- 

 gyman omits the particular^. The author then con- 

 ' ' ' elude:: 



A 



