COMP 
produce its natural effeCt, and terminates in dilgliftful fa- 
tiety. The foundation-ftone, and the pillar on which we 
build the fabric of our felicity, mud be laid in our own 
hearts. Amufenient, mirth, agreeable variety, and even 
improvement, may he fometimes fought in the gaiety of 
mixed company, and in the ufual diverfions of the world; 
but, if we found our general happinefs on thefe, we 111 all 
do little more than raife caltles in the air, or build houfes 
on the fand. As the human mind cannot always be on 
the ftretch, nor the hands always employed in labour, 
recreation becomes both agreeable and necefl'.try. Ot all 
recreations, that of the company of a few chofen com¬ 
panions mutt be allowed to be the moft manly and moll 
improving: bur, as in thofe hours of recreation we are 
molt in danger of being milled, being generally at fuch 
feafons more off our guard than ufual, the greateft care 
ffiould be taken in making choice of whom to affociate 
with; for, according to our choice of them, both our 
character and difpofition will receive a tincture, as waters 
palling through minerals partake of their tafte and effi¬ 
cacy. This is a truth fo univerfally received, that it is 
become a proverb both in the natural and moral world, 
“ that a man is known by his company.” As by chemif- 
try we learn, that difcordant mixtures produce nothing 
but broil and fermentation till one of them gets the a(- 
cendency of the led ; fo from fcripture we learn, that two 
cannot walk together except they be agreed. From which 
we m y fee, how impofiible it is for any one to be thought 
a penon oi real goodnefs and integrity, vvhilft he chooleth 
for his companions the abandoned and licentious. By 
herding wi-.h luch, he will not only lole his chara&er, 
but his virtue; for, whatever fallacious dillinCtion he 
may be plealed to make between the men and their vices, 
in the end the fid! generally qu ilifies the laft; and by 
ceafmg to hate them fie will loon leant both to love and 
praCrile them. In (hurt, the fociety of i'enfual men is pe¬ 
culiarly enfnaring- The malignity of their contagion 
doth not appear ail at once. Their frolics at firft appear 
harnilei's; then, when partaken of, they leave a longing 
reiifli behind them; and one appointment makes way for 
another, one txpence leads on to a iecond ; and fo Lime 
and fortune are walled away to very bad purpofe. 
To derive the proper pleafure and improvement from 
company, it ought to be feleCt, and to confifi of perl’ons 
of character, refpeCfable both for their morals and their 
tinderftandings. Mixed and undifiinguilhed fociety tends 
only to diffipate our ideas, and induce a laxity of prin¬ 
ciples and praftice. The pleafure it affords is of a coaife, 
mixed, noily, and rude, kind. Indeed, it commonly ends 
in wearinefs and difguft, as even they are ready to confels 
who yet conftantly purlue it, as if their chief good con- 
fifted in iiving in a crowd. Among thofe, indeed, 
who are exempted by their circuraftances from profef- 
feffional and official employments, and who proftffedly 
devote themfelves to a life of pleafure, little elle feems to 
conititute the idea of it, but an unceafmg fucceffion of 
company, public or private. The drefs, and other cir- 
cumltances preparatory to the enjoyment of this pleafure, 
fcarcely leave a moment for reflection. Day after day is 
fpent in the fame toilfome round, till a habit is formed, 
which renders difiipation neceflary to exiltence. One 
week without it would probably induce a lownefs of fpi- 
rits, which might terminate in defpair and filicide. When 
the mind has no anchor, it will fuffer a kind of fliipwreck ; 
it will fink in whirlpools, and be dallied on rocks. What, 
indeed, is life or its enjoyments, without fettled princi¬ 
ples, laudable purpofes, mental exertions, and internal 
comfort ? It is merely a vapour, or, to drop the language 
of figure on lo fericus a fubjeCt, it is a ltate worle than 
non-entity, fince it poffeffes a reftlefs power of action, pro- 
duClive of nothing but inilery. It is recommended, there¬ 
fore, to all .who with to enjoy their exiltence, that they 
-ffiould acquire a power not only of bearing, but of taking 
a pleafure in, temporary folitude. Every one mult, in¬ 
deed, fometimes be. alone, Let him not repine when lie 
Yol. IV. No. 245, 
ANY. S73 
is alone, but learn to fet a value on the golden moments. 
It is then that he is enabled to ftudy himfelf and the 
world around him. It is then that he has an opportunity 
of feeing things as they are, and of removing the deceit¬ 
ful veii, which almoft every thing affumes in the bufy 
lcene of worldly employments. The foul is enabled to 
retire into herfelf, and to exert thofe energies which are 
always attended with i’ublime pleafure. She is enabled to 
lee the dependent, frail, and wretched, Hate of man as the 
child of nature; and, incited by her difeovery, to implore 
grace and protection from the Supreme Governor of the 
univerle. There is no doubt but man is made for a&ion, 
and that his duties and pleafures are often moft numerous 
and moft important amidlt the bufy hum of men. Many 
vices, and many corrupt difpofitions, have been foftered 
in a folitary life. Monkery is not favourable to human 
nature or human happinefs; neither is unlimited diffipa- 
tio'n. In fnort, let there be a fvveet interchange of retire¬ 
ment and affociation, of repofe and activity. A few hours- 
fpent every day by the votaries of pleafure in ferious me¬ 
ditation, would render their pleafure pure, and more un- 
mixtd with niifery. It would give them knowledge, fo 
that they would fee how far they might advance in their 
purfuit without danger; and fefolutiort, fothat they might 
retreat when danger approached. It w'ould teach them 
how to live, a knowledge which indeed they think they 
poffefs already ; and it would alio teach them, what they 
are often too little lolicitous ter learn,— hosv to die. 
COM'PANY, f in commerce, an affociation of mer¬ 
chants, united under a joint flock, or regulated by a 
charter, for the purpofe of trading exclufively to remote 
parts of the world, bartering one commodity for another, 
and hence diffuiing the growth and produce of different 
countries over every part of the habitable globe. Of thefe 
companies the following are the principal belonging to 
Gieat Britain : 
1.The Hamburgh Company, the oldeft tradingeffa- 
bliffiment in the kingdom ; though not always known by 
that name. It was firft called the Company of Merchants 
trading to Calais, Holland, Zealand, Brabant, and Flanders: 
then it acquired the general title of Merchant■ adventurers-- 
of England-, as being compof’ed- of all the Fnglilh mer¬ 
chants who traded to the Low Countries, the B iltic, and 
the German Ocean : laitly, it was called the Company of 
Merchant-adventurers of England trading to Hamburgh. This 
company was firft incorporated by Edward I. in 1296; 
and ellabliffied again, by charter, in 1406, under the reign 
of Henry IV. This charter was afterwards augmented by 
Henry VII. who firft gave them the title of Merchant-ad¬ 
venturers to Calais, Holland, &c. gave them a power of 
proclaiming fee fairs at Calais ; and ordered, that to be 
reputed a number of the fociety, each perfon ffiould pay 
twenty marks fterling ; and that the leveral members 
ffiould attend the general courts, appointed by the di¬ 
rectors, whether at London, Calais, or elfewbere. A pe¬ 
tition being made to queen Elizabeth, in 1564, for an ex¬ 
planation of certain articles in the charter of Henry VJI. 
and a confirmation of the reft granted by other kings ; 
that princefs, by a charter of the fame year, declares that, % 
to end all difputes, they (ball be incorporated anew, un¬ 
der the title of the Company of Merchant-adventurers of 
England-, that all who were members of the former com¬ 
pany Ihould, it they defined it, be admitted members of 
this ; that they Ihould have a common leal; that the city 
of Hamburgh and neighbouring cities Ihouid be reputed 
within their grant, together with thofe of the Low Coun¬ 
tries ; and twenty two years after this firft charter, queen 
Elizabeth granted them a fecond, confirming, the former, 
eredling in each city within their grant a handing coun¬ 
cil. The revolutions which happened in the Low Coun¬ 
tries towards the end of the fixteenth century, and which 
laid the foundation of the republic of Holland, having 
hindered the company from continuing their commerce 
with their ancient freedom; it was obliged to turn it al- 
moit wholly to the fide of Hamburgh, and the cities on the 
10 N German 
