1799] 
will moft infallibly prove the bane and tor- 
ment of your whole life. They will not 
only deftroy all poffibility of your enjoy- 
mg any happinefs yourlelf, but they will 
produce the fame effect on thofe about 
you; and by that means you will deprive 
yourfelf beth of the refpect of others, and 
_the approbation of your own heart; the 
nly two fources from which can be de- 
rived any fubftantial comfort or real en- 
yoyment. , 
<¢ Tt is ‘moreover a certain principe in 
morals, that all the bad paffions, but ef- 
pecially thofe of which we are {peaking, 
defeat, in all cafes, their own purpoles ; a 
pofition which appears quite evident on 
the flighteft examination. For what 1s the 
object which the proud man has conftantly 
in view? Is it not to gain diftinction, 
and refpect and confideration among man- 
kind ? Now it is unfortunately the nature 
of pride to aim at this diftinétion, not 
by ftriving to acquire fuch virtues and 
talents as would really intitle him to it, 
‘put by labouring to exalt himfelf above 
his equals by little and degrading me- 
thods ; by endeavouring, for example, to 
outvie them in drefs, or fhew, or expence, 
or by affecting to look down with haugh- 
ty fuperciliouinefs on fuch as are inferior 
to himfelf, only by fome accidental advan- 
tages, for which he is no way indebted to 
his own merit. The confequence of this 
is, that all mankifd declare war againit 
him ; his inferiors, whom he affecis to 
defpife, will hate him, and confequently 
will exert themfelves to injure and depretfs 
him ; and his fuperiors, whom he attempts 
to imitate, will ridicule his abfurd and 
unavailing efforts to invade what they 
confider as their own peculiar province. 
‘© Tf it may with truth -be faid thata 
proud man defeats his own purpofes ; the 
fame may, with equal certainty, be affirm- 
ed of a man who gives way to violence of 
temper.’ His angry invectives, his illi- 
beral abufe, and his infulting language, 
peoance very little effect on thofe who 
ear him, and who perhaps only {mile at 
his infirmities ; but who can deferibe the 
intolerable pangs of vexation, rage, and 
remorfe, by which the heart of a paffionate 
man is fucceflively ravaged ? Alas, it is 
himfelf alone, in whom the ftorm is pent 
up, who is torn by its violence, and not 
thofe againft whom its fury is meant to be 
direéted. ; 
«© You will, I dare fay, readily agree to 
the truth of all this ; but you will perhaps 
be at a lofs to conceive what can be my 
reafons for applying it to you. My 
Principal reafons for thinking you fybjeét 
| Orisinal Letters of Kien- Lang. | 923 
to thefe unhappy failings, are very co- 
gent; but they are of fuch a nature, that 
it is peculiarly painful for me to ftate 
them. In a word then, I have feen thofe 
hateful propenfities govern you with fuch 
irrefiftible power, that they have over- 
come the ftrongeft and moft natural prin- 
ciple which can be fuppofed to reign inthe 
heart of a young perfon ; I mean the duty 
and affection you owe your. parents. 
Surely it could be no common failing, ne 
light or trivial fault of temper, that could 
be fufficient to counteract the warmeft 
feelings and ftrongeft duties of a young’ 
mind.? duties and feelings fo natural 
and fo indifpenfable, that we juftly con- 
clude a young perfon who appears to be 
devoid of them, can fcarcely poffefs any 
other valuable quality. From = fuch 
srounds, then, can you think me harfh or 
uncharitable, if I have formed fuch con- 
‘elufions ? — 
<¢ T have beenurged to what I have faid 
by an earneft wifh for the improvement of 
your charatter, and particularly for the 
amelioration of your heart. Ina future 
Jetter I fhall purfue the fubje, by endea- 
vouring to give you fome rules refpetting 
the government and improvement of the 
underftandine. I hope and believe thar 
your conduct will be fuch as to render 
any future admonitions on the fubjeéts of 
this letter entirely unneceffary. I am, 
my dear pupil, 
Yours, affeétionrtely, &c. 
DO 
ORIGINAL LETTERS OF KIEN-LONG. 
[Letter of Kien-Long, Emperor of China, 
to the Stadtholder of Holland, Prince of 
Orange and Naflau, and to the Burgo- 
matters. | 
6é if HAVE received from heaven au. 
abate i 
4A thority over my kingdom; I have 
reigned fixty years, fo that the four quar- ~ 
ters of land and fea belonging to this em- 
pire have enjoyed every where the bleflings 
of peace ; and neighbouring nations, pro- 
fiting by our example, have advanced in 
civilization. I look upon my kingdom, 
and the kingdoms of other fovereigns, as 
forming one large family; I confider rulers 
and people as forming one perfon; I think 
every man, whether of my own kingdom 
or of any other, as worthy of my notice ; 
neither is there any place, let it be ever fo 
remote, where Ido not wifh the effeéts of 
my beneficence to penetrate. Strangers 
from every country have come to congra- 
tulate me: fome in chariots, and others 
in fhips. I truly govern my kingdoms 
with 
