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purpose, at least not for any continuance, who cannot enjoy their own thoughts. The gratifications of fuch as are for ever Aying from themselves, and bustling along in the chace of external objects, that they may fhun the cognizance of reafon, and verdict of confcience, are not felicity, but hurry, extravagance, distraction. The first moment of leifure detects the imposture; and the injured mind, when permitted to speak out, loudly declares that nothing can give her fatisfaction, but what the can review with complacence, as dictated by her beft fentiments, or not repugnant to them. He, my dear hearers, he alone is bleft, who dares deliberately look inward, upward, and forward; inward on himself as fincere, confequently upward to his Maker as his friend, and forward to immortality as his portion. Upon this ground he may repose with confidence, under the most alarming aspect of Affairs.

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Do not apprehend that I am to enter into a political difcuffion of the questions which now inflame and agitate the kingdom, or that I pretend in any fhape to decide them. I am not poffeffed of the requifite intelligence; and, if I were, this is not the proper place. Far from wishing to augment our heats and animofity, I would gladly contribute to allay them, if it were poffible. When they break forth with fo much fury, they become as dangerous as they are indecent. Inftead of ferving to enliven and invigorate the general body, or to render the feveral parts watchful for the safety and welfare of the whole, do they not evidently tend to divide, and by dividing to weaken and expose it? When men feem refolved, with a fierceness not only unchriftian, but un worthy of a civilized country, "to bite "and devour" all that differ from them on points about which the most enlightened are not agreed, is there not reason to fear, either that they will at laft" be

<< confumed one of another;" or that the common enemy will take advantage of, their contentions, and over-power, in its distracted state, a nation which, when united, not all its adverfaries have been able to conquer ?

Whether, indeed, an attack from the fide of France would yet fufpend the dif-, ferences fubfifting at prefent among a people fo uncommonly irritated against each other, who can tell? How antipathies fo widely diffused, and fo deeply rooted, shall be removed; when the minds of the contending parties fhall be compofed and fet-. tled; or what will be the iffue with refpect to Britain at large, of the great controverfy in which she is engaged *, where is

* This Address was written and published in the time of the American War. Since that unhappy period, our affairs have affumed a very different aspect, under the Administration of a Young Man, who feems to have been raised up as a kind of prodigy, for the spirit and ' abilities difplayed by him fo early in the fervice of his

the prophet who can forefee? That her cafe is difficult and inaufpicious on a civil account, will be acknowledged by fuch as are leaft inclined either to despair or complain and thofe who reflect on her reigning diforders, who believe in a righteous Providence, and who compare her fituation at this day with the hiftory of other countries and other ages, will pronounce it perilous in a moral and religious view.. Though ready to own with pleasure the many inftances of private worthy and ex

Country. His fhort experience confidered, the extent of his politieal knowledge is aftonishing. He appears indeed to have caught the flame of genius, as well as patriotifm, from his late illuftrious Father. The eloquence of the Son has lefs fplendor, pomp, and majesty, than that of the Parent, but is attended with fuperior perfpicuity of argument, and force of conviction. The unfhaken firmness with which this extraordinary Youth has often stood, almoft fingle, the joint attacks of his opponents, though fome of them long diftinguished by their talents, and the dignified composure with which he has often repelled them, will likewife be recorded by impartial Hiftory with juft applaufe

tenfive humanity ftill left, they cannot but look upon the lofs of public virtue,. and the extraordinary corruption of principles and manners, fo generally confeffed and lamented, as fymptoms of a very threatening nature. Nor will you, Gentlemen, think appearances mended, when you obferve the virulence and rancour, the abufe and calumny, now indulged by the fpirit of party to a height beyond example.

Has not the ruin of all the great ftates and empires, of which we read in ftory, been preceded and accelerated by factions, feditions, infurrections, confpiracies, envy on one fide, and jealoufy on both; while the functions of government were obstructed or deranged, the operation of the laws was flackened or evaded, and the interest of the community facrificed to the cove tous and ambitious defigns of individuals, till at length the struggle ended in the total overthrow of the weakeft, and the

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