286 FABLES. 



people. But there is a difference between the 

 bashfulness which arises from a want of education, 

 and the shame-facedness that accompanies con- 

 scious guilt : the first, by time and a nearer 

 acquaintance, may be ripened into a proper liberal 

 behaviour; the other no sooner finds an easy 

 practicable access, but it throws off all manner 

 of reverence, grows every clay more and more 

 familiar, and branches out at last into the utmost 

 indecency and irregularity. Indeed there are many 

 occasions which may happen to cast an awe, or 

 even a terror, upon our minds at first view, without 

 any just or reasonable grounds; but upon a little 

 recollection, or a nearer insight, we recover our- 

 selves, and can appear indifferent and unconcerned, 

 where before we were ready to sink under a load 

 of diffidence and fear. We should upon such occa- 

 sions use our endeavours to regain a due degree of 

 steadiness and resolution; but at the same time 

 we must have a care that our efforts in that respect 

 do not force the balance too much, and make it 

 rise to an unbecoming freedom, and an offensive 

 familiarity. 



