488 OFOLDAGE 



pie much ftronger than reafon. Men never 

 ceafe to flatter themfelves with hopes of recove- 

 ry, even though ihey might judge of their real 

 condition from the example of others who had 

 been afflided with the fame incurable diforders, 

 from the tears of their friends, and from the 

 countenances or defertion of their phyficians. 

 All thefe mortifying circumftances are only re- 

 garded as premature and ill-grounded fears; and 

 hope never leaves us, till death fhuts the fcene. 



A fick man tells you, that he feels the hand of 

 death, that the king of terrors io jufl about to 

 arrive, and that recovery is impofTible : But if, 

 from zeal or indifcretion, he is informed of his 

 approaching diifolution, his countenance inftant- 

 ]y changes, and he betrays all that uneafinefs 

 which naturally attends the firit intimation of 

 death. This man, it is evident, gives no credit 

 to his own affertions. He may entertain fome 

 doubts concerning his fituation ; but his hopes 

 are always fuperior to his fears : And, if he were 

 not alarmed by that cruel parade of grief which 

 too often imbitters the fick man's couch, he 

 would never perceive the approach of his diflb- 

 iution. 



Death, therefore, is not that horrible objed: 



which we have fancied to ourfelves. It is a 

 fped:re which terrifies us at a diftance, but dif- 

 appears when we approach it more clofely. Our 

 conceptions of it are founded on prejudice; and 

 we regard it not only as the greateft of all mif- 



fortunes, 



