Ill 
On RESENTKfFK T. 
common honefty. st Wo be to him of whom all men fpeak 
u well.’* Our happinefs mull be built on the foundation of a 
confcious innocence : the reft fhould be confidered as merely 
accidental, and not lay us open to any great joy or sorrow* 
But to bring the matter home : in every inftance in which you? 
are confcious of error, fry to your heart, £C I was betray’d by 
cc prejudice, or paftion : or I judged ill ; I will be more watch- 
44 ful for the future, and correct myfelf.” But if, in your opinion,, 
the fault belongs to another ; if you cannot correct it, without 
bringing, on greater evils, you may at leaft beftovv your cha- 
rity on all mankind, by being sorry for their fruits. 
With regard to the more tender concerns of life ; our relentJ- 
ments, for fuch will fometimes arife, ought to die as foon as they 
are born, whilft in fpite of our frailties we fhould endevor to 
make our friend fhips immortal. But virtue is the only true ce- 
ment. Let a man be never fo zealous in his friendfhip, if his 
principles are not good, he is dangerous. And can he be a good 
man who does not think that heaven’s darling attribute is for- 
givenefs ? Or can he be amiable of whom it is faid “ he is & 
“ good friend, but a bitter enemy ?” Is not this to be a ftave 
to pride and anger? To be virtuous only as the ruling paftion 
dire&s, be it according to realbn or not ? In a word, “ Remem- 
“ ber thy end, and let enmity ceafe. Remember corruption and 
“ death, and abide in the commandments.” 
All the ties which bind' mankind, have fome mixture of blind 
affe&ion ; happy, perhaps, that it is fo, ftnce we are apt to 
fee the faults of others in fo different a light from our own, 
2 But 
