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the moment he faw him he had compaffion on him, yet, sudden as the emotion is represented, you are not to imagine that it was mechanical, but that there was a fettled principle of humanity and goodness which operated within him, and influenced not only the first impulse of kindnefs, but the continuation of it throughout the rest of fo engaging a behaviour. And because it is a pleasure to look into a good mind, and trace out as far as one is able, what paffes within it on fuch occafions, I fhall beg leave for a moment to state an account of what was likely to pass in his, and in what manner so diftressful a case would neceffarily work upon fuch a difpofition.

As he approached the place where the unfortunate man lay, the inftant he beheld him, no doubt fome fuch train of reflections as this would rife in his mind. "Good God! what a fpectacle of mifery do I behold!-a man ftripped of -"his raiment-wounded-lying guishing before me upon the ground, just ready to expire, without the

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"comfort of a friend to fupport him in "his last agonies, or the profpect of a "hand to close his eyes when his pains 66 are over. But perhaps my concern "fhould leffen when I reflect on the re"lations in which we ftand to each other "that he is a Jew, and I a Samaritan. 66 But are we not still both men ; "partakers of the fame nature-and

fubject to the fame evils?-let me "change conditions with him for a "moment and confider, had his lot be"fallen me as I journeyed in the way, "what measure I should have expected "at his hand.-Should I wifh, when he "beheld me wounded and half-dead, "that he fhould fhut up his bowels of "compaffion from me, and double the "weight of my miferies by paffing by "and leaving them unpitied?-But I

am a ftranger to the man ;-be it fo "but I am no ftranger to his condi❝tion-misfortunes are of no particular "tribe or nation, but belong to us all; "and have a general claim upon us, "without distinction of climate, country,

"or religion. Befides, though I am a ftranger 'tis no fault of his that I do "not know him, and therefore unequi"table he should fuffer by it :-Had I "known him, poffibly I fhould have "had caufe to love and pity him the "more-for aught I know, he is fome "one of uncommon merit, whofe life is "rendered ftill more precious, as the "lives and happiness of others may be "involved in it: perhaps at this instant "that he lies here forfaken, in all this "mifery, a whole virtuous family is

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joyfully looking for his return, and "affectionately counting the hours of "his delay. Oh! did they know what "evil had befallen him-how would "they fly to fuccour him!-Let me "then haften to fupply thofe tender "offices of binding up his wounds, "and carrying him to a place of safety or if that affistance comes too late, "I fhall comfort him at least in his laft

hour-and, if I can do nothing else," I shall soften his misfortunes by drop"ping a tear of pity over them."

"Tis almost neceffary to imagine the good Samaritan was influenced by fome fuch thoughts as these, from the uncommon generosity of his behaviour, which is represented by our SAVIOUR operating like the warm zeal of a brother, mixed with the affectionate difcretion and care of a parent, who was not fatisfied with taking him under his protection, and supplying his prefent wants, but in looking forwards for him, and taking care that his wants' fhould be supplied when he should be gone, and no longer near to befriend him.

I think there needs no stronger argument to prove how univerfally and deeply the feeds of this virtue of compaffion are planted in the heart of man, than in the pleasure we take in fuch representations of it: and though fome men have reprefented human nature in other colours (though to what end I know not), yet the matter of fact is fo strong against him, that from the general propensity to pity the unfortunate, we express that fenfation by the

word humanity, as if it was infeparable from our nature. That it is not infeparable, I have allowed in the former part of this discourse, from fome reproachful inftances of felfish tempers, which feem to take part in nothing beyond themselves; yet I am perfuaded, and affirm 'tis ftill fo great and noble a part of our nature, that a man must do great violence to himfelf, and fuffer many a painful conflict, before he has brought himself to a different difpofition.

'Tis obfervable in the foregoing account, that when the priest came to the place where he was, he paffed by on the other fide-he might have paffed by, you'll fay, without turning aside.—No, there is a fecret fhame which attends every act of inhumanity not to be conquered in the hardest natures, so that, as in other cafes, fo especially in this, many a man will do a cruel act, who at the fame time will blufh to look you in the face, and is forced to turn afide before he can have a heart to execute his purpofe.