to fire on the flighteft offence, is every way unbecoming in a man: to be "eafily "intreated," and not eafily provoked, is highly worthy of a chriftian. "He that is

flow to anger," fays an unexceptionable judge," is better than the mighty; and "he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that

taketh a city." It is the fentiment of Solomon; to which we may add another, equally true and beautiful, whose author I forget: "A coward has fought; a coward has overcome; but a coward "never forgave." Were I asked, Who is the greatest hero? methinks I fhould anfwer, He who, though by nature warm, hafty, and irafcible, yet habitually controuls and governs himself; not" to be "feen of men," but from a principle of duty. Other temperaments leave a person some leisure to reflect, before he shall proceed to indulge them: this bursts forth at once, without previous warning; the fmalleft spark fets it in a blaze; and the man is out of himself at this moment, who

、,

was calm, reasonable, and wife, the laft. But to proceed

Much as the Roman valour has been extolled, and ftupendous as it seemed in many inftances, I cannot for my part praise it fo highly. What after all was its main object, but without provocation to plunder, and without right to envassal, the rest of mankind? True it is, they fometimes difcovered, in the midst of conquest, a spirit of moderation which did them honour; and in the career of what they had been taught to confider as the height of glory, they often performed acts of fingular greatnefs nor is it to be denied, that their admitting the vanquished nations into the rank of Roman Citizens was as creditable for themselves as it was flattering to those that they had fubdued; and that there is fome truth in the observation of their having conquered the world by the charm of their virtues, more than by the terror of their fwords. But then their triumphs VOL. II.

P

or public entries were deteftable, how well foever they might be calculated to inflame courage, and excite emulation. A more enlightened morality can never be reconciled to the bafe and barbarous infult of expofing, to the greedy gaze of a rude and petulant rabble, captive generals, princes, kings, difgraced by fetters, and glowing with indignation, or congealed in despair. Bleffed Heaven! how fuperior to fuch outrage is the charity of the Gospel; whofe Author, when he entered triumphant into Jerufalem, was ftill "meek, bringing falvation," and even weeping over that devoted city which he longed to fave from ruin, but which had returned all his kind efforts with malignity and fcorn!

Not to infift here on the deportment of those magnanimous men the Apoftles, and primitive believers, who manifested so much mildness and lowlinefs amidst their unequalled victories over the paffions and

armour.

prejudices of the world, I cannot forbear to mention a Chriftian Hero of latter days, who has always appeared to me among the most elevated of mankind. I think of Edward, The Black Prince, as he was commonly called from the colour of his Having conquered and taken prifoner the French king, fo far was he from treating him with infolence, or showing any figns of elation on his extraordinary fuccefs, though but a youth of twenty-feven years of age, that he studied to foften, and if poffible beguile the infelicity of his royal captive, by every expreffion of fympathy and refpect, by doing juftice to his valour, by afcribing his own victory to Providence, by even ferving the unfortunate monarch's table, which he took care to furnish magnificently, and standing behind his back in the time of the repaft, as a token of the deference due to majefty from one who was only a fubject. Such indeed he was, his father being then alive. But may we not pronounce him

greater than a hundred kings who had ruled as many nations, and fubdued as many provinces This illuftrious young man had all his paffions under his command: he was a kingdom to himself: his mind was alike impérial and gentle; and his whole life, ftained with no dishonour, adorned with every virtue, proved that his behaviour on this occafion was the refult of magnanimity.

pure

But why do we fpeak of one man, when we would enforce this greatness of mind which our religion is adapted to infpire? Come hither, ye mighty warriors of heathen name, ye celebrated conquerors who have ftruck the world with aftonishment, come hither, and from perfons of the lowest rank and education in this country learn the virtue of applauding a brave, of raifing a fallen, of encouraging a vanquifhed foe. What fay ye, my friends? While you mufe on these things, does not the fire of true heroifm burn; or can ye