e74 
ef the Deity, and his attributes of justice 
and benevolence: they inculcated a 
tranquil submission to his will; and their 
principles of morality were more con- 
sonant to the purity of the Christian re- 
Jigion, than those of any other philo- 
sophers: their contempt of wealth, 
pomp, and pleasure ; their indifference to 
pain, infamy, and death; their belief of 
the dignity of their nature, and their ab- 
solute power over the senses; inspired 
that elevation of sentiment, which con- 
stituted noble character, and afforded to 
succeeding ages a brilliant example of 
virtues without hope, and magnanimity 
withoutreward. The Scriptures present 
to us the only system which comprises. 
ahe excellence of all others, without their 
defects; fortitude without the obduracy 
of Stoicism, morals without the pride of 
the Academy, and humanity tothe brute 
creation without. the. reveries of Pytha- 
goras; nor is there a stronger argument 
for its divine nature, than that its perfect 
precepts tend no less to individual than 
universal happiness. 
Sensibility. tn 
There is no word so ill understood, and 
so often perverted, as Sensibility. The fret- 
ful, the violent, nay, even the revenge-~ 
ful, will tell you, that their impatience; 
anger, or resentment, are merely owing to 
finer feelings than others-possess ; and 
they will brand the silent sufferer with 
the reproach of obduracy, because. the 
fear of giving pain to his neiglibours pre- 
ents the utterance of grief, and the com- 
plaint of injury. ’ 
If, on such occasions, «a faithful friend 
should venture toremonstrate, and, having 
conquered these evil passions in -himselft, 
contend that they -are conquerable, the 
clamnour against himis universal. Heis pro- 
nounced to be not only obtuse, but cruel, in- 
capable of sympatliizing, because disdain- 
ing to flatter, and adding to distress, be- 
cause be pots out error ; so far from esti- 
mating the character which prefers the 
welfare to the favour of a fellow-creatare, 
these people of sensibility discard him 
from their, society with calumny, re- 
proach, andscorn. ag Si 
But what is’ sensibility? Is it merely 
a perception of evil? a quick resentment 
of offences, of injuries imagined by self- 
love? Are not the kind affections, love, 
joy, pity, as properly feelings of the 
mmind, as pride, envy, and ‘hatred? and 
which best deserve the name of fine 
feelings ? i ee ee 
Never was a mind possessed of thém, 
that thus boasted of the possession, No« 
‘ \ 
The Heleanthus Annuus. 
‘and self-applauding vanity, 
they are evinced in words and actions of 
benevolence, not in empty declamation, 
Fiends may as justly arrogate to them- 
selves the praises of sensibility, as these 
.tormentors of mankind, who, being al- 
ways discontented and unhappy, sagaci- 
ously discover the fault to be in: their 
neighbours ; and having quarrelled with 
the arrangement. of things in this world, 
modestly arraign the wisdom of another=« 
but it is owing to their sensibilities ? ; 
It may be remarked, that people of 
this description do not feel indignation 
at the vices of the community as con- 
nected with the public good ; but at the 
affronts supposed to. be offered to them 
selves ; and provided their own interest 
1s out of the question, and their will uns 
disputed, they are as unmoved at the in+ 
juries committed against another, asthe 
Stoic whom they cohdemn. ng 
Antonio is of this class: not only. in 
this respect, but in every other, he is to- 
tally devoid of self-knowledge; he mis- 
takes his fastidiousness of humour for deli- 
cacy of taste, his extreme positiveness 
for steady principle, and his irritable. 
temper for exquisite sensibility, . 
And what is it he feels ?- Not the worth 
of the deserving; not the talents of the 
uncelebrated ; not the sorrows of the 
wretched—but his own impertance. He 
will tell you, indeed, there is no one who: 
regards his-triends more sincerely. Why. 
Not for any merits they possess, but be 
cause he thinks them sensible of his; bes 
cause they applaud his penetration, aid 
fly at his command, qualify his vanity, 
and contribute to his ease. eas 
Talk not of sensibility distinct from 
virtue, reason, and benevolence; it is 
the selfishness of a feeble mind ; it is 
the tenderness of an unsound heart. 
. ee ae 
of the Monthly Magazine, 
SIR; z - ' “Ee 
bi reply to your “ Constant Reader;* 
relative to the Heleanthius Annuus, I 
have to state, in consequence of receiv= 
ing some seeds said to be of a new vas. 
riety, I have it growing im many parts of 
my garden ; most of them im exposed si-- 
tuations. About ten days ago, when we 
Rad more sun than has generally been 
experienced this season, I took particular 
To the Editor 
notice of the different plants, and have 
to observe, asthe result of my observa- 
tions, that the flowers were in the direce 
tion of every point of the compass. B 
Clapton, Your's, &er 044 
Sept. 16, 1809, C1) Warn ewes 
MEMOIRS. 
