Have you never had occafion to obferve those little pitiful guards, ftratagems, and modes of impofition, commonly practised on both fides by the perfons I refer to, and often at the very inftant that he who faw not through the farce, would fancy them to be the kindeft Friends in the world? How contemptible and wretched!

Or, fuppofing them linked together in a more confidential alliance, by means of fome particular object which they are jointly pursuing, would you be furprised. if they engaged in plans or measures fo difhonourable, that they could not but inwardly reproach one another for the ignominy of their conduct, and, on feparating, fay each to himself concerning his partner" He is a Knave"?

-Go, ye unworthy men, and be proud of fuch a Friendship, if you can!

Even in the common intercourfe of fociety, a man of feeling is apt to be shocked at the discovery of deceit or diffimulation. The honeft heart fhrinks back from every kind of commerce, in which it cannot indulge its propenfity to esteem and affiance. Talk to it of throwing itfelf open to the falfe or the hollow, and it turns away with indignant contempt. Be the manners ever so smooth, the talents ever fo captivating, or the addrefs ever fo fine; if the morals are unfound, if the character is doubtful, fomething within will whifper to him whom the. world has not yet corrupted, Stand upon your guard against such an affociate: but if a perfon has proved himself a cheat, or a diffembler, they must be infenfible, or infatuated, with a witness, who can think of making him a friend..

Prudence fays, you should not truft a drunkard with your fecret, nor a gamefter with your eftate, nor a hackneyed courtier

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with your intereft, nor an artful debauchee with your fifter, your wife, or your principles, nor a rash man with your fafety, nor a paffionate or a capricious man with. your peace and comfort, nor a foolish man with aught you value, nor any man with your reputation who difregards his own. But, if this be true, can you want farther demonftration to be convinced, that every one of thefe is incapable of Friendship? Can you believe, that those who are under the power of fancy or ap petite, of fashion or humour, may yet be depended on for their fidelity, discretion, or conftancy, in a caufe which requires the greatest? Can you believe, that those who have betrayed others, will certainly never betray you; that thofe will offer the best counsels, who habitually follow the worft; or that they, who are ready to make the most improper compliances with fuch as they call their Friends, will not look for any from you, fhould you admit them to familiarity?

It must here be remembered, as a maxim of main importance on this article, and a maxim uniformly inculcated by the most admired moralifts from the days of antiquity, that no Friendship can bind you to do an ill thing, or justify you in doing it. Why? Because the obligations to duty at large are prior and fuperior to all the ties of that particular relation, as indeed they are to thofe of every other one, how refpectable foever it may be within its proper boundaries. Nor fhould it be forgotten, that, as the immediate operations of Friendship are neceffarily confined to a narrow fphere, namely, the individual to whom they point, so they must be always fubordinate to the pursuit of more extensive interefts, thofe of our family, of our country, of our religion, of mankind; and, if the deareft Friend we have on earth, fhould folicit or tempt us to tranfgrefs, on his account, or any account, a clear law of Nature, or a plain dictate of conscience, he must be denied,

he must be withftood to his face. I appeal to yourselves. "Whether we ought "to obey God, or man, judge ye." On this ground, and none I think can be more folid, or more comprehensive, may we not finally conclude with the fulleft evidence, that it will be impoffible for you to hold faft your righteousness," and maintain at the fame time a clofe Friendship with corrupt men, fince they will be frequently demanding, or expecting from you compliances irreconcilable to Virtue, fo that you must either renounce her or them? But need you to be told, that you had better break with all the world than with your Maker, or yourselves?

In whatever view then we confider this matter, it will ftill be found, that a mutual, prevailing, and permanent sense of goodness is the only invariable centre of the union in queftion; and that the unfanctified leagues and fashionable intima

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