346 Conclufwn and Recapitulation . 
elude the notion of virtue, and high fentiments of the dignity of 
human nature. How far it will hold at prefent, in this or any 
other country, I cannot precifely determine ; for it feems as if 
the fame little paflions, and mean inclinations prevail with the 
great, as among the little vulgar. 
I would not have you imagine I am writing in despair, that 
my own fex is loft to all fenfe of virtue, and therefore I pour 
out my heart to a woman. But, in good truth, men are now-a- 
days too bufy, or too idle, too much engaged in purfuits of gain, 
or in purfuits of pleafure, to think fo much about their country 
as they ought ; and therefore it is probable thefe reflexions may 
make near as many female as male profelytes. However this may 
prove, you tempted me to write my journal-letters, and my own 
genius prompted me to add a treatife on tea, with the thoughts 
which follow it. If various avocations had not continually di- 
vided my thoughts, as well as engaged my hours, perhaps both 
one and the other would have been lefs imperfeX : but if you 
fhould have nothing to fay for the author, what I deftre is, 
that you will not be ingenious to find out the blemishes of 
the man. 
You will perceive my fyftem of religion is not of the defpond- 
ing fort, neither would I make you melancholly with any po- 
litical view of your country. You will hear many fay, £t no- 
“ thing but fome very great calamity will open the eyes of 
“ this nation, and render us pious and politic I” I muft con- 
fefs I apprehend this cannot be done, unlefs we rouze from our 
luxury, and exert our good-fenfe, in the ufe of our natural 
and acquired advantages. We muft exert our virtue, that vir- 
tue 
