that parable of our Saviour, where he represents a poor good woman, probably a lonely widow, who had loft a part of her little store, seeking it by herself with filent uncomplaining folicitude, and when

he had found it, calling her Friends and her neighbours together, that they might rejoice with her on the occafion; thus careful to fave them from every degree of uneafiness, and defirous of sharing with them only her joy. Generous fentiments are always great, but moft fo when seen in low circumftances.

I would not indeed advise you to look for them very frequently in any station. Never put your Friends to too fevere a teft. Never expect from them too much. Contemplate their excellencies with delight: look upon their frailties with forbearance: celebrate the former, when you can do it without danger of exciting envy, inflaming malignity, or diverting dulnefs: Spread over the latter the veil of fecrecy,

if they are not known; and if they are, apologize for them when you have an opportunity, but in fuch a ftyle as not to encourage imitation, or furnish folly with an excufe. He that can hear the man, whom he profeffes to love and honour, ridiculed or cenfured in his abfence, and not defend him as far as reafon will allow, is a coward; and should he be base enough to join in the jeft, or the fatire, a baseness by no means uncommon, he is a traitor into the bargain. I am forry, for the fake of Human Nature, to obferve how few perfons have the probity, or the fortitude, to speak up for a Friend, who is not prefent to plead his own cause, when attacked by malice, or by ignorance. In a world where fo many are bufy to invent scandal, and fo many more to spread it, would you fhow yourselves actuated by true Friendfhip? Never give up its object to any individual, or to any company, for any confideration upon earth; nor finally credit aught to his disadvantage, which you do

your own eyes.

Where this

not fee with rule is not obferved, there can be no cordial or conftant attachment. "A whif

perer feparateth chief Friends," was a remark of Solomon; and we may subjoin, that those who listen to the voice of flander will never be happy in themselves, or fteady to others. The truth is, it cannot be hoped, that they should be steady to ethers who are not happy in themselves. Habitual difquietude undermines all the fineft affections.

If Fidelity be the firft law of Friendship, Candour may well be reckoned the next. Indeed, the one will not be observed, if the other is neglected; that is to fay, if there is not a prevailing difpofition to be pleased as well as to pleafe, to put the fairest interpretations on doubtful appearances, and to make every kind allowance for error and infirmity, for ftarts of temper, for inequalities of manner, for incidental and tranfient relaxations of zeal and fervour,

for hours and days of flatnefs, infipidity, and feeming indifference; for every thing, in fhort, but infolence, vice, and treachery. What pity, that, of all things good and rare in fociety, the best should be the rareft, I mean, an uniform reciprocation of good-humour and mild forbearance!

* We proposed, as you will remember, to fet forth the fuperior felicity of true Friendship. We began the attempt, but foon felt a damp from the obfervation of Life, fo little encouraging to the sweet enthusiasm of our fubject. What we have been led to add will help you, Gentlemen, to conceive why this admired relation is fo feldom productive of the delicious fruits you are taught to expect from it by its fond panegyrifts of every age. If men will bargain for affection, which can never be bought, or mistake the frolics of the blood for the feelings of the heart; if they will turn Friendship into a VOL. II.

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negociation, or an adventure; if they will chufe its objects without regard to character, understanding, or any folid and permanent merit, attached only by what is calculated to amuse the fancy, or gratify the paffions; or, if having made a better choice, and acting on higher motives, they afterwards forget to "fhow them"felves friendly," are indifcreet or indelicate in their intercourfe, unreasonable in their requests, or fanguine in their expectations; fufpicious or fplenetic on flight occafions, eafily provoked, but not eafily reconciled; fonder of new than of old connexions; capricious, variable, or uncertain; apt to reveal the trufted fecret, or refign the affailed reputation, whether through want of faithfulness or want of refolution; can you wonder that in these cafes, and others of a fimilar kind, the alliance we are recommending appears not to answer the exalted ideas you have been accustomed to entertain of its beauty and efficacy? Is it furprifing that a flash of